UNM Office of the Provost & EVP for Academic Affairs

Faculty Hiring Guidelines

Introduction
Recruitment
1. Competitive Searches
2. Internal Competitive Searches
3. Alternative Faculty Appointment Procedure
4. Deviations from Search Process
5. Records Retention

 

INTRODUCTION

The University is committed to taking affirmative steps to create and retain a diverse faculty workforce that will enhance its ability to fulfill its academic mission. UNM considers diversity a key component of excellence as an institution of higher learning and supports the value of diversity among faculty who educate and mentor our diverse student body. The recruitment process provides hiring officials the ability to recruit and hire the most qualified faculty candidates.  Hiring officials are responsible for the recruitment, retention and development of faculty and academic professionals.

UNM promotes the practice of the true spirit of affirmative action and equal opportunity in employment and educational programs and activities. UNM recognizes its responsibility to extend equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and takes positive steps to hire and promote qualified persons from protected groups to achieve a representation at UNM’s faculty that is comparable to the labor pools from which it recruits and selects. UNM’s policy  complies with laws and regulations of federal and state regulatory agencies.

RECRUITMENT

The University has established recruitment processes to attract strong and diverse pools of candidates that support and/or enhance its academic mission. Academic units should assess and plan their recruitment strategies to meet departmental needs and include affirmative steps to recruit a diverse and qualified pool of candidates before commencing a recruitment. There are two types of competitive recruitment processes, external and internal. These recruitments may be for a specific start date or can be continuous recruitments to address multiple academic periods, such as adjunct faculty.

On occasion, a hiring unit may request approval for a non-competitive recruitment to meet short-   and/or long-term goals associated with the institution’s academic mission.  These recruitments are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. All recruitments must include affirmative steps that will meet diversity initiatives and/or established goals.

1. Competitive Searches

The University recruits and hires faculty through competitive processes to attract a strong and diverse pool of candidates.  This would apply whether internal or external recruitment searches are conducted by the hiring unit.  External competitive searches are considered, for the most part to include national and/or regional recruitment efforts, as well as specialized resources given the nature of the positions and goals of the hiring department.  These require defined recruitment plans and recruitment resources.  . 

In addition, the University recommends conducting continuous recruitments for adjunct or temporary part-time faculty who teach based on student enrollment and per academic semester/period.  This type of recruitment allows hiring units to recruit a strong diverse pool for up to one year (fall through summer or spring through fall or summer through spring) and to hire adjuncts as needed based on enrollment. As noted above, these also require defined recruitment plans and recruitment resources.

All faculty external competitive searches require targeted recruitment efforts for all protected groups (women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, protected veterans, and/or any other protected group).

2. Internal Competitive Searches

A hiring official may conduct a limited internal competitive search process for an academic administrative appointment such as director, assistant and associate dean, department chairs, and associate department chairs.

The hiring unit must initiate an action requesting to conduct an internal competitive search as defined above and can recruit for a minimum of five (5) working days and extend the timeframe if necessary.  The hiring official must also confirm the recruitment resources (Listserv, etc.) have the potential to attract a strong pool of diverse candidates based on the position and recruitment area (college, school, and/or campus).   Exceptions to process are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

3. Alternative Faculty Appointment Procedure

The University recruits and hires faculty through competitive processes. However, from time to time there may be circumstances when an alternative appointment procedure is necessary to fill a faculty position. Whenever an alternative appointment procedure is used to fill a faculty position, the department must receive approval for the non-competitive hire and demonstrate that the proposed hire meets the requirements of the department and the institution. Requests to appoint faculty under this policy are submitted to the Dean and Provost/Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs or the Chancellor/Executive Vice President for Health Sciences Center (HSC). Requests for Main and Branch Campus non-competitive appointments should follow the Alternative Hiring Process guidelines. The Provost/Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs or the Chancellor/Executive Vice President for Health Sciences Center and OAP will monitor faculty appointments under this procedure and may require a competitive search in some cases.

4. Deviations from Search Process

When the Hiring Official and/or Search Committee determines it is necessary to deviate from the prescribed process, the hiring unit must submit a memorandum of explanation to the Dean and/or Director and OAP. The hiring unit must receive approval from these areas prior to implementing any modifications in the process.

The following are some examples that would need prior approval given established guidelines and/or procedures.

4.1 Change in composition of the Search Committee

If there is need to change the composition of the search committee, it is essential to confirm the change will not impact the search process, especially if the change needs to occur after the start of the screening process. As noted in hiring processes, a search committee must be diverse (one minority and one female, cannot be the same individual). The committee must also be made up of at least (3) individuals. It should continue to reflect an adequate representation of interests, such as Department faculty, staff, and students (or, in special cases, community members).

If a diverse membership cannot reasonably be met without overburdening some faculty members with service, the Department should either: a) reduce those faculty members’ other service/teaching burdens to compensate for the search burden; or b) propose an alternative diversity plan to ensure a search that maximizes likelihood of a broad search process, best practices for assuring a diverse pool, and an equitable search process that recruits excellent and diverse candidates (see below for a menu of options for alternative plans). The requested revision to the original committee membership must be approved by Academic Affairs; send request to OAP via faculty@unm.edu.

4.2 Make two or more selections from the same recruitment

When a recruitment attracts more than one viable candidate, the hiring unit may request to hire more than one individual. The Dean/Director must agree with the request and provide supporting information, if necessary, to clarify funding for the additional position and the benefits to the college/school and university. This deviation from the original submission must receive prior approval from Academic Affairs given the hiring plan approval process.  

4.3 Extend recruitment period or re-advertisement of position

The University is committed to recruiting a strong and diverse pool of candidates and there may be some instances wherein the recruitment period (the for best consideration date) may need to be extended within the fiscal year to enhance the caliber of the applicant pool. 

If the position will be re-advertised, the hiring unit must confirm  recruitment resources  at the onset of request to re-post the position. This includes current or any additional resources that will be used to attract a strong pool of diverse candidates.

4.4 Other (case-by-case assessment)

If the above circumstances do not support a request to deviate from the original submission, the hiring unit should provide documentation for the request to their respective Dean or Director for support prior to submitting the request to Academic Affairs via faculty@unm.edu. This can include change in start date of successful candidate; spousal considerations; and/or modification to screening process, such as adding additional interviews to narrow the pool of candidates. The request for deviation cannot fundamentally alter the original recruitment.

5. Records Retention

The University is obligated to retain information associated with each recruitment request. This is related to the on-line applicant tracking system (herein UNMJobs) and any documentation created and used in the evaluation process of the recruitment and candidates within the department, college/school/branch campus and Academic Affairs. This includes email communications not included in UNMJobs. These records must be maintained for a period of 5 years from the date of hire. These records should be stored in a secure location and made readily available if requested.

5.1 On-Line Applicant Tracking System - UNMJobs

UNMJobs (implemented 05/01/17) retains information associated with the recruitment process (competitive or non-competitive), as well applicant information and supporting information regarding the recommended hire.  It also includes information related to the individuals involved in the review and approval process.  The system allows for an electronic offer letter to be sent to the candidate, who in turn can accept electronically.  UNMJobs also allows for hires to be on-boarded via the system.  Please go to: https://confluence.unm.edu/display/EKB/Department+Hiring+Guides for more information regarding UNMJobs. UNM HRIT provides technical support in the retention of information within UNMJobs.

5.2  Departmental Records

Department must maintain individual evaluations conducted by each search committee member and any other documentation of mechanisms utilized to identify interviewees. Department must also maintain documentation utilized during the interview process for all interviewees. This includes all interview questions created and used during the interview phase, presentation evaluations, open forum evaluations, and/or other venues. It is essential that all information is collected by the Chair of the Search Committee, with the assistance of the Hiring Coordinator, to ensure that files are complete and prepared for storage. For more detailed information regarding procedural steps go to (Section TWO: Faculty Hiring Procedures).