Faculty Handbook

2.1 Faculty:

All faculty positions, tenured or tenure track, half-time or more, for which the continuing appointment shall be for

2.2 Administrative/Professional:

All academic administrative/professional positions in these areas which are half-time or greater for an appointment period of at least one year, and for which the minimum salary is $25,000 or greater. These positions may be paid from any source of funds.

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3.1 Faculty Positions

3.1.1 All adjunct faculty positions which are less than half-time and/or only appointed on a semester basis. (Refer to Personnel Policy)

3.1.2 Visiting faculty positions which are nonrecurring positions filled by the individual on a one year or less appointment. (Refer to Personnel Policy)

3.2 Administrative/Professional positions:

3.2.1 Appointment of an interim person to fill a vacancy until search and selection of a new appointment is made.

3.2.2. Academic administrative/professional staff positions compensated at less than $25,000 and under the jurisdiction of the Academic Affirmative Action Officer. (These positions should follow the internal and local search procedures noted in Section III)

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4.1 Faculty Positions

4.1.1 All faculty searches must be directed by a search committee, to be composed of members named by the Dean and approved by the Senior Vice President and Provost.

4.1.2 The search committee should consist of a minimum of Five members, unless a written exception is granted by the Senior Vice President and Provost. The Chair will be designated by the Dean.

4.1.3 Professors, associate professors and assistant professors of the school are eligible for membership on the search committee. When appropriate, the Dean may name one or two committee members from outside the school, individuals in the professional communities, as well as consider students for the committee. Minorities and women, should be part of the search committee membership, unless no minorities or women are available in the academic area of the search or a related area to the search.

4.2 Academic Administration/Professional Positions

4.2.1 All searches must be directed by a search committee to be composed of members named by the Dean or key administrative supervisor of the position.

4.2.2 The search committee should consist of a minimum of five members, unless exception is granted by the Senior Vice President and Provost. The Chair will be designated by the Dean or key supervisor of the position.

4.2.3 Full-time faculty, and administrative/ professional staff are eligible for membership on the committee. In addition, the administrative supervisor may also select as appropriate, students and members of the professional community. Minority groups and women should be part of the search committee membership, unless no women and minorities are available in the area or a related area.

4.3 Operation of the Search Committee

4.3.1 The scope of responsibility, the procedures and timetables for each search committee shall be either specified by the Dean or supervisor of the position or delegated to the decision-authority of the search.

4.3.2 In developing a recruitment plan, the Chair of the search committee and the Dean/supervisor, must refer to the most recent utilization analysis of women/minority employment. If the school has an under representation of minorities and women, there must be specific recruitment activities to solicit applicants in these groups.

4.2.3 The search committee cannot begin its activities until the Approval for Search and Recruitment Activities Form (Form A) and the job description has been approved by the Dean, or key supervisor, Senior Vice President and Provost and the Academic Affirmative Action Office. (Note Section D. Recruitment Plan and Section E. Job Description and Advertisements.)

4.2.4 The search committee is responsible for designating appropriate mechanisms to equitably review and screen all candidates. These mechanisms should allow for impartial consideration, given the stated criteria of the job description; and should involve a majority of the committee in all decisions. When assessing the candidates, there should be opinions included from colleagues at the nominee's institution and other qualified individuals as reference sources. The files should have documentation of either oral or written comments by reference. Interviews of the candidate by phone, should be documented either in a written statement of the substance of the conversation, or a taped copy of the interview should be placed in the candidate's folder.

4.2.5 The Chair will be responsible for establishing and processing applicant files, providing a timely notification of progress to each applicant. The Chair will also be responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the files and to maintain records of the key activities and pools of applicants throughout the process of the search.

4.2.6 The search committee should identify and recommend to the Dean or supervisor, based on the pool of applicants, as many as three qualified finalists for appointment consideration. A larger pool of finalists may be considered for positions of Dean, Senior Vice President and Provost and related positions. (In those cases where only one qualified candidate is identified, the Dean/supervisor has the prerogative of reopening the recruitment and search process).

4.2.7 All search committee recommendations should be made by majority vote of committee. A quorum shall consist of 60 percent of the committee membership.

4.2.8 The recommendations for finalists for the position should be submitted to the Dean with the following documentation:

1. Complete applicant registry (Form B)
2. Record of all key votes and the numbers in the pool of applicants at each level of activity. (Summary sheets will be sufficient.)
3. Faculty files of the recommended finalists, which should include the current vitae and other documentation (which could include recommendation letters, copies of publications, summaries of phone interviews, etc.).
4. Search committee assessment of each finalist as well as any related input from faculty/staff groupings. This assessment should present all key evidence, major support and any dissenting opinions.

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5.1 Development of a Plan

Before formal initiation of the search or an announcement of the position, Approval for Search and Recruitment Activities (Form A) should be completed. In developing the recruitment plan, the following concerns should be taken into account.

5.1.1 The Chair and the search committee must identify and use sufficient contact sources and communication outlets to solicit a diverse pool of qualified applicants. A search may be disqualified solely on the basis of a very limited pool of applicants.

5.1.2 All searches must be national in scope and should make every effort to target minority, ethnic and women candidates. (Search commit- tees who desire to not conduct a national search will require special authorization from the Senior Vice President and Provost or President.)

5.1.3 Recruitment efforts should consider use of professional associations, professional contacts at universities with quality academic programs in the area of the search, and professional contacts in the area of interest.

5.2 Submission of the Approval for Search and Recruitment Activities (Form A)

In submitting this form the Chair of the search committee should attach copies of the position description, proposed advertising copy and announcements, copy of sample letters to be sent to professional organizations, registries and universities.

All signatures should be affixed to this approval form prior to submission.

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6.1 Development of the job description is one of the most important tasks of the search committee. The job description should be succinct, yet give sufficient detail of specific job responsibilities and key qualification for selection of candidates. Mandatory credentials, expertise and background experiences should be clearly stated.

6.2 All job announcements must include the following statement that the University of Houston-Clear Lake is an Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, or the abbreviated version "EEO/Affirmative Action Employer." In the body of the description, the announcement must also include "We recognize that minority and racial diversity increases the quality of our faculty and student body."

6.3. If a deadline date is stated, applications received after the deadline should not be considered. It is preferable to provide a date when formal screening will begin or include this wording: "Applications or nominations will be accepted until the position is filled." A minimum of one month should be given for advertising before consideration of the candidate pool.

6.4 All job announcements which will be placed as advertisements in professional journals or national newspapers must be given prior review by the Office of Institutional Advancement. There should also be focused advertising to minority institutions or groups. The Office of Institutional Advancement can also assist the search committee in placement of the advertisement. Funding for advertisement of positions is the responsibility of the respective unit and should be identified at the time of the search. No advertising should be finalized without approval from the Senior Vice President and Provost's Office regarding costs in relation to funding.

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7.1 The Dean or supervisor is responsible for initiating the search and should be involved in the authorization of the search, the selection of the search committee, development of the job description and the recruitment plan. When Form A is approved, the search process can begin with the submission of job announcements to respective journals and organizations.

7.2 The search committee is responsible for conducting the initial search, screening of applicants and presenting recommended candidates for further consideration to the Dean or key supervisor.

7.3 The Dean or key supervisor should receive the recommended names and documentation of each candidate's file and the applicant registry - Form B. At this point the Dean or key supervisor may decide to conduct an on-campus invitational interview. This final stage of the process should jointly be conducted by the Dean/supervisor and the Chair of the search committee. During this on-campus interview, there should be appropriate opportunities for the university unit to interact with the candidate. Additional documentation of feedback from university personnel/students regarding the candidate should be collected and submitted to the Dean/supervisor.

7.4 In considering the search committee's recommendations, the Deans or supervisors flay, at their discretion, request committees to study further any individual candidate or to make recommendations of other candidates either before or after the campus interviews. In instances where the Dean or supervisor judges the committee's recommendations to be unacceptable, and the committee determines that there are no other qualified candidates in the pool, the committee or Dean may request that the search be re-opened.

7.5 If an acceptable candidate is identified, the Dean or supervisor shall be responsible for conducting informal discussions with the candidate regarding his/her availability, salary requirements and other related employment matters. On the basis of these informal discussions, the Dean or key supervisor will meet with the Senior Vice President and Provost (or President in select situations) to discuss the candidate and his or her requirement for employment. At this meeting a determination will be made regarding the ability to recommend this candidate for employment. If the discussions support an unofficial recommendation of the candidate, the Dean or supervisor will be charged with the responsibility to re-contact the candidate and discuss mutual agreement of the recommendation for employment.

With the agreement of the candidate and Dean or supervisor regarding conditions of employment, the Dean or key supervisor will submit this recommendation and candidate file to the Senior Vice President and Provost (or the President in select situations). The Senior Vice President and Provost will submit the recommendation and a possible offer letter with the candidate file to the President. Upon approval of the President, an appointment letter will be sent to the candidate noting that the appointment is subject to review approval by the Board of Regents for the University of Houston System.

7.6. Upon acceptance of the position, the Chair of the search committee should send the remaining active candidates a dignified letter regarding the completion of the search. The Chair will be responsible for bringing closure to the search by submitting Form B to the Academic Affirmative Action Officer.

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8.1 Coverage

This procedure will apply for academic administrative/ professional positions at $25,000 or higher in salary and, which are below the level of Dean.

8.2 Procedures

8.2.1 Approval and Recruitment Plan

1. The Dean or key supervisor may consider an internal search for an administrative position when it is deemed that the nature of the position would be well served by having a knowledgeable internal person in the position and when it is deemed valuable to provide a promotional opportunity for qualified university personnel within the unit.
2. The Dean or key supervisor will complete Form A, noting a rationale for the internal search, the search committee members, a complete job description and the equitable search procedures. These procedures should note efforts to equitably consider all qualified faculty candidates and to involve a reasonable, and impartial decision-making process. If the Dean or key supervisor wishes to not use a search committee for the process, the process and the format for the search must be clearly and completely detailed. This request to use an internal process and, if appropriate, to use another grouping or format for the search must be approved by the Senior Vice President and Provost prior to start-up of the process. The current representation of minorities and women on the unit must be taken into consideration in sanctioning of an internal search.
3. During the search process, the responsible individual or group for the search should keep track of all major events in the process and should have written documentation for selection.
4. The responsible individual or Chair of the search will submit a recommendation of the candidate to the supervising authority (completion of Form B).
5. Final recommendation by the Dean or supervisor for offering the position should be submitted to the Senior Vice President and Provost or the President.

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9.1. Coverage

This procedure will apply to academic administrative/ professional staff expected to be compensated at less than $25,000 and who are under the jurisdiction of the Academic Affirmative Action Officer.

9.2 Rationale

This set of procedures is provided to 1) support opportunities for identification of capable faculty and staff in internal positions to promotion of greater responsibility, 2) identify mechanisms and procedures to support local or regional access to employment, and 3) to identify individuals with technical skill areas.

9.3 Procedures

9.3.1 Approval and Recruitment Plan

The first step in the procedure is to determine a recruitment plan. Form A, is required for all search efforts covered by this procedure and is an outline of the proposed recruiting efforts. Please follow the following steps:

1. The Chair or individual designated to conduct the approved search must obtain Form A and other required forms to fill any position.
2. Complete Form A and be certain to check the recruitment activities to be utilized in the search.
3. When the form is completed, obtain the necessary approval signatures on the original.
4. When all approval signatures have been secured, send Form A and the attachments to the Office of Personnel (Suite 1- 610, Box 167) and also a photocopy to the Academic Affirmative Action Officer. Administrative/ professional openings must also include a copy of an approved Staff Personnel Request (SPR) form.

9.3.2 Search Process

The internal or local search may be conducted either by a designated individual or by a search committee.

9.3.3 Procedure of Search

1. The search should establish a period of time, from two days up to a maximum limit of two weeks, after the posting of the position for consideration of internal candidates only.
2. At the end of the consideration period, there should be a decision to select an internal candidate or to go outside the university for further search activities. If external recruitment is pursued, internal applicants should be considered as part of the applicant pool until the search is closed.
3. To advertise outside the university, the position description/job vacancy must be approved by the Academic Affirmative Action Officer. This approval will come from a meeting which will discuss the goals of minority hiring, awareness of selection procedures regarding minority candidates, and procedures for placement of advertisements, applicant checks and applicant registry (Complete Form A).
4. The responsible individual or group will conduct the search. At the completion of the search, the committee/individual should develop written documentation noting reasons for selection.
5. The Chair should submit the hiring recommendations to the supervising authority for review along with Form B - Applicant Registry.
6. The final approval for offering a hire will be submitted to the Senior Vice President and Provost or the President.
7. Unsuccessful applicants must be notified by a letter in a timely fashion with professional courtesy.

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10.1 Initial Contact - Usually made by the Associate Dean. The candidate should be asked to complete and return a Faculty Application, to provide transcripts of the highest degree received, and three letters of recommendation.

10.2 Request for Visit - After the file is complete, the Associate Dean writes to the Dean requesting permission to invite the candidate to the campus. Please include with this request the name of the faculty member who the candidate will be replacing. Only 3 candidates may be brought to campus to interview for a position. Approvals from both the Dean and Senior Vice President and Provost are required.

10.3 Faculty Application Brief - The Dean's office prepares this when all materials have been received, with copies for all who are concerned with the candidate's visit.

10.4 Arrangements - The Dean or a member of the Dean's staff is responsible for overall arrangements, including:

10.4.1 Travel: The candidate makes his/her own reservations, coach fare. Be sure to advise candidates to request flights into Hobby airport

10.4.2 Hotel: The Dean's office makes reservations. Mention UHCL and ask for a faculty discount at all local motels if available. The candidate pays for the hotel bill and receives reimbursement.

10.4.3 Meeting: The Dean's office arranges for the visitor to be met at the airport or hotel.

10.4.4 Voucher: A travel voucher and vendor identification form should be signed by the candidate when he/she visits. He/she should be cautioned to save all receipts (hotel, airfare and parking). See (f.) below concerning reimbursement of travel expenses.

10.4.5 Interviews: Appointments for interviews with the President, Senior Vice President and Provost, Dean, and Associate Dean are made well in advance by the Dean's office. A schedule is prepared and sent to each of them, with a copy of all available materials on the candidate (faculty application, resumes, three letters of recommendation, etc., but not publications). DO NOT WAIT----SEND THIS MATERIAL AS SOON AS IT IS AVAILABLE. The candidate should not be invited to campus unless there is enough material available to warrant an invitation.

10.4.6 Reimbursement: When the candidate returns to home base, the candidate should forward all receipts and an itemized accounting of trip expenses to the Dean's office, who then completes the Travel Voucher, and attaches all receipts. The documents are copies in their entirety and originals are sent to the Senior Vice President and Provost's office for insertion of the budget number.

10.5 Offer to Candidate - If it is decided that an offer is to be made to the candidate, a recommendation is sent in writing from the Associate Dean to the Dean, who endorses it and forwards it to the Senior Vice President and Provost for consideration. Please include the account number and PCN number along with a justification for employment. If it is approved, the recommendation is forwarded, together with all original material, to the President, who signs the offer letter prepared by the Provost's office. A copy of the offer letter goes to the Dean and Associate Dean.

10.6 Acceptance of Offer - If the candidate accepts (in writing), the Senior Vice President and Provost's office prepares a Personnel Recommendation Form to be sent to the UH System office then to the Board of Regents for their approval. The original faculty profile, three letters of reference and transcript will be filed in the Senior Vice President and Provost's office.

10.7 Hosting Candidates - A purchase voucher should be completed (with all receipts attached) for individual faculty members hosting prospective faculty candidates. It is imperative that expenses be kept to reasonable limits. No more than two UHCL faculty members or administrative personnel are to be involved in hosting candidates for meals. Under no circumstances are spouses to be included in request for reimbursement for meals. Forward the completed purchase voucher to the Associate Dean, Dean and Senior Vice President and Provost for signature and processing. Local funds must be used for their reimbursement. The budget number will be inserted by the Senior Vice President and Provost's office.

NOTE: Copies of candidate's transcripts are acceptable during the above procedures, but if the offer is accepted, the new faculty member must provide a formal transcript from the institution which awarded the highest degree received (state regulation).

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