Guidelines and Procedures
for Academic Appointments

Introduction

This document is designed to serve as a guide and resource for the campus. Its goal is to ensure that the process by which individuals receive appointments (employment opportunities) for positions classified as “Academic” (as opposed to Civil Service) within job groups contained in the affirmative action plan at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is fair, balanced, and transparent. The appointment process for Academic positions is governed by a number of state, federal, and University-specific requirements, including the Affirmative Action Program for federal contractors. This document seeks to establish policies, practices, and procedures that reflect “best practices” for employment processes and ensures that appointments are made in accordance with administrative, legal, and regulatory requirements.

Guiding Principles and Compliance Objectives in Making Academic Appointments

The Guidelines and Procedures for Academic Appointments are integral to the University’s commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action; its fulfillment of general compliance requirements; and its strategic goal of a more diverse population. Posting notices of position vacancies; establishing policies and procedures that ensure equal employment opportunity; and undertaking deliberate steps that increase the likelihood of a diverse applicant pool are part of the university’s obligations to take affirmative steps to address underrepresentation of protected classes in the workplace.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Federal and state equal employment opportunity legislation prohibits discrimination based on any prohibited characteristic. In accordance with the University’s non-discrimination statement, the University of Illinois does not engage in discrimination or harassment against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, disability, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, order of protection status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, arrest record status, unfavorable discharge from the military, or status as a protected veteran and to comply with all federal and state nondiscrimination, equal opportunity, and affirmative action laws, orders, and regulations. To review the Nondiscrimination policy in its entirety, please click here. This policy applies to all employment practices, including recruitment, selection, promotion, transfer, merit increases, salary, training and development, demotion, and separation. The University takes seriously its responsibility to provide leadership in ensuring that equal employment opportunity is the standard practice.

Affirmative Action

The Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) enforces Executive Order 11246, as amended; Chapter 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; and the affirmative action provisions (Section 4212) of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act, as amended. Taken together, these laws ban discrimination and require the university and its subcontractors to take affirmative action to ensure that all individuals have an equal opportunity for employment, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.

Affirmative Action requires additional proactive measures in order to ensure that specifically identified, traditionally underrepresented groups known as “designated classes” are aware of employment opportunities and actively encouraged to pursue them. Designated classes refers to women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities (as defined in Section 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), and U.S. military veterans (as defined by Section 402 of the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974, hereafter “VEVRAA”). An affirmative action program is a management tool that reflects the University’s commitment to compliance with all Federal non-discrimination, equal employment opportunity, and affirmative action laws, orders, and regulations.

VEVRAA requires that the university publicly post most employment openings unless it is a position that will be filled internally or the position lasts three days or less. The University’s Affirmative Action Program requires that searches conducted to fill academic positions, which include faculty (i.e., tenured and tenure-track), specialized faculty, and academic professional positions, are fair and equitable. A search is deemed fair when it is designed to generate the most diverse pool of available qualified applicants. The Affirmative Action Program also requires that other means of appointment (search waivers, appointment changes, and other search-exempt practices) are fair and equitable, and consistent with the principles of affirmative action and equal employment opportunity. All employees are responsible for promoting equal employment opportunity and for implementing good faith efforts to achieve the University’s affirmative action goals. The University is required to continually evaluate its workforce and assess its progress in the employment of minorities, women, and other designated classes.

In addition, under regulations found at 41 CFR 60-300.42, the university is required to invite applicants to inform us whether the applicant believes that he or she may be covered by the Act and wishes to benefit under the affirmative action program. The categories of protected veterans are defined below:

Disabled veterans;
Active Duty Wartime or Campaign Badge Veteran (veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. military during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge is awarded);
Armed Forces service medal veterans (veterans who, while serving on active duty in the Armed Forces, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985); and recently separated veterans (veterans within 36 months from discharge or release from active duty)
A violation of affirmative action regulations can lead to the cancellation, termination, or suspension (in whole or in part) of federal contracts, and the university may be debarred, i.e., declared ineligible for government contracts.

Internet Applicant Recordkeeping Rule

The Internet Applicant rule, also enforced by the OFCCP, addresses recordkeeping by the university and subcontractors concerning the use of the internet in the hiring process and the required solicitation of race, gender, and ethnicity of job applicants. The recordkeeping requirements of the rule (amending 41 CFR 60-1.12) provide data that OFCCP uses to enhance its enforcement of the nondiscrimination laws.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Uniform Employee Selection Guidelines

The Uniform Employee Selection Guidelines address the requirements of Federal law prohibiting employment practices which discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or age (40 or older). These guidelines apply to selection procedures which are used as a basis for making employment decisions, such as the qualifications and requirements for employment as listed in position announcements. The use of any selection procedure which has an adverse impact on the hiring, promotion, or other employment or membership opportunities of members of the protected categories listed above is considered to be discriminatory and inconsistent with those guidelines. Position announcements must be written to focus on the core elements for job performance, minimizing the likelihood of potential bias and adverse impact on underrepresented candidates during the candidate review process.

Diversity and Inclusivity

The University is committed to pursuing excellence through the diversity of its students, faculty, and staff. The University values an educational environment that is dynamic and embraces diversity. The Academic Search Process assists the University in demonstrating its commitment to diversity in the recruitment and selection process.

Additionally, under regulations found at 41 CFR 60-741.42, the university must, after making an offer of employment to a job applicant and before the applicant begins his or her employment duties, invite the applicant to inform the contractor whether the applicant believes that he or she may be covered by the act and wishes to benefit under the affirmative action program. The contractor may invite self-identification prior to making a job offer only when:

The invitation is made when the contractor actually is undertaking affirmative action for individuals with disabilities at the pre-offer stage; or
The invitation is made pursuant to a Federal, state or local law requiring affirmative action for individuals with disabilities.

Search Process Checklist

This checklist briefly summarizes the major steps involved in the academic search process. It is designed as an aid to the Guidelines and Procedures for Academic Appointments and the Campus Administrative Manual and does not substitute for a careful reading and understanding of the entire manual.  Search Process Checklist.

Appointments requiring a Search

Every effort should be made to advertise, post, and evaluate applicants for vacant positions. Additionally, promotional opportunities should generally be filled through a competitive process. Search procedures have been developed in order to ensure an open and competitive process to fill position vacancies. Filling vacancies through the search process assures that the University maintains compliance with Federal and state affirmative action legislation in addition to offering assurance that units are hiring the most qualified candidates. However, a limited number of appointments may be made without going through standard search procedures.

The requirement to conduct an academic search, in the absence of extraordinary circumstances, applies to all of the following appointments:

A. Senior Faculty Administrative positions with the following titles:

Dean
Director of School

B. Regular Faculty positions:

Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor

C. Specialized Faculty Positions (Research, Teaching, and Clinical):

Instructor or Senior Instructor
Lecturer or Senior Lecturer
Visiting and Adjunct Positions
(including Visiting or Adjunct Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor positions)
Please Note: Teaching/Research Associates titles require a search, but please consult Illinois Human Resources to make sure the title is appropriate before proceeding.

D. Academic Professional positions (without faculty appointments):

Regular
Visiting

Appointments Eligible for a Search Waiver or Direct Appointment

Every effort should be made to advertise, post, and evaluate applicants for vacant positions. Additionally, promotional opportunities should generally be filled through a competitive process. Search procedures have been developed in order to ensure an open and competitive process to fill position vacancies. Filling vacancies through the search process assures that the University maintains compliance with Federal and state affirmative action legislation in addition to offering assurance that units are hiring the most qualified candidates. However, a limited number of appointments may be made without going through standard search procedures.

The requirement to conduct an academic search, in the absence of extraordinary circumstances, applies to all of the following appointments:

A. Appointments eligible for Search Waivers or Appointment Changes based on statutory and campus policy objectives Senior Faculty Administrative Positions with the following title:

1. Senior Faculty Administrative Positions with the following title:

Department Chairs:
Note: According to the University of Illinois Statutes, department chairs are appointed annually upon the recommendation of the Chancellor after consultation with the dean and with the executive committee of the department concerned. These requests will be approved by OAE.

2. Appointments included in Provost’s Communication No. 4, “Special Recruitments in Support of Institutional Priorities.”

TOP, Excellence, Dual Career appointments
Note: Compliance with Provost’s Communication No. 4 requirements serves as a search waiver and satisfies OAE requirements. No additional OAE HireTouch paperwork is required.

B. Appointments Eligible for a Search Waiver or direct appointment based on urgent departmental/unit needs that cannot be addressed through the normal search process (i.e., increased class enrollment at the beginning of a semester requiring an immediate teaching appointment).

1. Academic Hourly Positions:

Academic Hourly appointments are submitted for approval via the Academic Hourly Appointment Form.
Note: All academic hourly appointments require an academic hourly job description form approved by IHR after 9/22/2018 and less than three years old.

2. Temporary Specialized Faculty positions:

Temporary specialized faculty positions such as Visiting Professors and temporary appointments for lecturers and instructors
Note: These positions should generally be filled through an open and competitive process. When, however, urgent and unforeseen circumstances arise requiring the immediate filling of a vacancy to further the campus’ mission and objectives, a waiver may be requested. The waiver should generally be for a limited time (i.e., one semester) to address the immediate need. Please see Provost Communication 25 for additional information.

C. Appointments Eligible for an Appointment Change based on the unique talents, skills, and experience required for the position

1. Senior Faculty Administrative Positions with the following titles:

Associate Dean and Assistant Dean
Head
Associate Head or Assistant Head

Note: For senior faculty administrative positions, good faith efforts should include notifying all tenured faculty of the position opening and encouraging those interested to contact the appropriate individual. See Chapter 3.6 for additional guidelines on these positions. For appointment of a current faculty member to any of the titles above, please complete the Faculty Appointment Change form.

2. Special circumstances at the discretion of the Office for Access and Equity

Promotions and Titles Changes
Faculty Promotions
Faculty Promotions involving tenure-track (Assistant to Associate) and tenured (Associate to Full) positions are exempt from the search requirement.
Faculty and Specialized Faculty Appointment Changes
Appointment changes may be appropriate to promote specialized faculty (e.g. Lecturer to Senior Lecturer or Teaching Assistant Professor to Teaching Associate Professor) Please see Provost Communication 25 for additional information.
Note: Title changes involving specialized faculty titles (regular or temporary) to a tenure-track position are not exempt from the search requirement.

Academic Professional Appointment Changes (Promotions and Title Changes)
Appointment changes may be appropriate for changes in the status or title for academic professionals in the following circumstances:

Promotions of academic professionals when consistent with the principles of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action
Retention agreements in response to offers
The reassignment of an academic professional to another position with similar duties and similar rates of pay within the University
The transfer of an academic professional position, the incumbent, and the related salary from one unit to another if the heads of both units agree to such a transfer
Other situations as determined by the Office for Access and Equity

Appointment changes should be requested in accordance with Chapter 5.2.
More information regarding Appointment Changes for Academic Professionals

Exempt Positions
Exempt positions are those positions which do not require the conduct of a competitive search in accordance with these Guidelines and Procedures for Academic Appointments. The exemption, however, does not preclude units from filling a vacancy through an open and competitive process, at the unit’s discretion.

The following new hires and new appointments are exempt from the mandatory search requirement:
Faculty positions with “Emeritus” in the title
Postdoctoral Research Associates and Visiting Scholars
0% non-visiting (regular) appointments with or without an administrative increment; provided, however, the position is not a senior faculty administrative position, as defined in Chapter 1.1
Vacated administrative positions to be filled on a temporary basis with “Acting,” or “Interim” in the title
Note: See section 3.7 for guidelines for interim appointments.

Some reappointments may be exempt from the search process – consult the Office for Access and Equity for clarification

Summary of Key Roles

The Academic Search Process involves several key roles that support affirmative action, equal employment opportunity, and diversity initiatives:

The Office for Access and Equity is charged with overseeing and monitoring the compliance aspects of academic appointments and for promoting diversity of faculty and staff at Illinois.

The Office of the Provost has Provost Communications that address the academic search process. For example, Provost Communication No. 3 governs the appointment process and communicates those instances when prior approval is required from the Provost before a college or administrative unit may extend an offer of appointment. Provost Communication No. 4 addresses special recruitment initiatives related to diversity and excellence.

Illinois Human Resources (IHR) is responsible for supporting campus units with the hiring process, ensuring that Academic Professional positions meet the exemption requirements of the State Civil Service System through the Principal Administrative Position Exemptions (Job Description) form; and processing employee payroll information for hires, promotions, and terminations.

The College or Administrative Unit Executive Officer authorizes the filling of vacancies and has ultimate authority and responsibility for initiating all hires, promotions, and terminations within that college or unit. The College or Unit Executive Officer is also responsible for demonstrating and communicating the unit’s expectations for compliance with the Affirmative Action Program, as well as for promoting and supporting the unit’s diversity initiatives. They appoint the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer.

The Department Executive Officer is often delegated the responsibility for oversight of searches to fill vacant positions by the College or Administrative Unit Executive Officer. Departmental Executive Officers, in turn, may further delegate that oversight responsibility to the direct report for the position. The direct report should be the individual to whom the successful candidate will report once hired, and to whom the search committee forwards its recommendation for hire. This oversight may entail determining the composition of the search committee, providing guidance in terms of the criteria used to determine qualifications the successful candidate should possess, and interviewing candidates. Whenever possible, however, the direct report should not be a member of the search committee to avoid unintended undue influence on the search committee so that the advisory nature of the search committee can be maintained.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Officer (EEOO) is at the college/administrative unit level and is charged with oversight responsibilities and ensuring the consistent implementation of the University’s Affirmative Action Program and the unit’s diversity initiatives for faculty and staff across the college/administrative unit. The EEOO serves as chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Committee. EEOO and Vice Chair should facilitate college/unit level conversations with executive/administrative committees and meetings composed of directors/department heads about diversity.

The EEO Vice Chair/Assistant to the EEOO plays a critical role in support of the search process. Such individual should be a senior administrator with significant human resource and search expertise. The individual will assist the EEOO with any of the responsibilities listed for the EEOO.

The Diversity Advocate is an individual designated on the search form by the department executive officer to serve for a particular search. The individual should be committed to being an advocate for diversity as a core component of diversity in the search process. For tenure and tenure-track faculty searches, the Diversity Advocate must be a tenured faculty member. For academic professional positions, the Diversity Advocate must be a member of the search committee or be available to attend all committee meetings.

The Search Chair is appointed to lead and direct the search process.

The Search Coordinator provides assistance to the search chair during the search process by processing forms, coordinating meetings, and assisting with human resource transactions.
Search committee members assist the search chair in the search process by reviewing candidates.

Role of the Office for Access and Equity

The Office for Access and Equity is responsible for all facets of the University’s Affirmative Action Program (AAP) and is, therefore, involved in search and appointment processes. The Office for Access and Equity also creates affirmative action reports which contain the annual placement goals for women and historically underrepresented minorities in job groups where underutilization is identified. Underutilization of minorities and women exists in a job group when the actual number of employees is less than the number that would reasonably be expected based on their availability in the workforce. There is also a 7% workforce utilization goal for individuals with disabilities and a 5.9% hiring benchmark for protected veterans. The Office for Access and Equity seeks to ensure that units become aware that their recruitment efforts in the search process should, whenever feasible, be geared towards addressing underutilization and increasing the diversity of the campus. Any inquiries related to the search process should be forwarded to accessandequity@illinois.edu.

Opening the Search – Search Form
The Office for Access and Equity issues final approval of the search plan as presented in search documents before the position can be posted and advertised (see Chapter 3).

Recruitment Assessment – Diversity of the Pool Report
The Office for Access and Equity provides a diversity of the applicant pool report by race, gender, disability, and veteran status to the Diversity Advocate, the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer, and the search chair.

Finalist Review – Finalist Notification Form
The Office for Access and Equity reviews the Finalist Notification Form to confirm required documentation is attached for compliance with Department of Labor regulations, to review affirmative action good faith efforts, as well as to compare the diversity of the finalist pool to the applicant pool. The diversity of the finalist pool is sent to the Diversity Advocate, EEO Officer, and search chair.

EEO Compliance Check and Closing the Search – Summary Form
The Office for Access and Equity reviews the summary form and verifies acceptance of the offer by the proposed appointee. The Office for Access and Equity closes the search as the final approver for the Summary Form. On the form, the process for evaluating all finalists and semi-finalists as well as the process for selecting the proposed appointee is discussed, as well as diversity and affirmative action good faith efforts.

Role of the Office of the Provost

Provost Communications describe the policies and procedures of the Provost Office related to the academic search process. (See https://provost.illinois.edu/policies/provosts-communications/).

Initiating Appointment Processes
The creation and/or use of new administrative positions with the title of: 1) Director; 2) Assistants to heads, deans, or directors; or 3) Assistant and Associate deans and directors require approval by the Provost prior to the initiation of any appointment process for that position.

Second Level Review
All regular academic appointments (those that are not designated as “visiting”, “acting,” or “interim”) regardless of the appointment percentage time “require prior approval at two administrative levels, including the level from which the appointment is proposed” (See Provost Communication No. 3, I. C.). Teaching assistants and research assistants are exempted, but teaching associates are not. Specialized faculty require two-level review for the initial appointment at a given rank, but not for renewals within rank. See Provost Communication No. 3.

In colleges divided into budgeted units/departments, appointments within the dean’s office must be submitted to the Provost for prior approval before an offer can be made (i.e., Associate Deans).
Deans of colleges without budgeted units, schools, and institutes (i.e., School of Labor and Employment Relations; College of Law; Graduate School of Library and Information Science; and School of Social Work) must seek prior approval from the Provost for all regular appointments.

Role of the College, Administrative Unit, or Department Executive Officer

Unit Executive Officers are responsible for promoting the objectives of the Affirmative Action Program and the campus’ strategic diversity initiatives.

The College or Administrative Unit Executive Officer appoints the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer and the Vice Chair
The College or Administrative Unit Executive Officer or delegate (i.e., the Department Unit Executive Officer or search chair) selects and appoints the search committee
For additional information regarding the committee charge, please see Hiring Official Charge Guidelines.

Role of the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer (EEOO) at the College or Equivalent Administrative Unit Level

The Equal Employment Opportunity Officer (EEOO) is at the college/administrative unit level and facilitates college/unit level conversations with senior leadership and executive/administrative committees about diversity. The EEOO is also responsible for oversight related to equal employment opportunity (non-discrimination) guidelines at the college or equivalent administrative unit level. In colleges/teaching units, the EEOO must be a tenured faculty member; in administrative units, the EEOO must be a senior administrator. For information regarding the expectations and responsibilities of the EEO officer, please see review the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer/Vice Chair Guidelines.

Opening the Search
The EEOO approves the search plan on the Search Form on behalf of the college unit, paying particular attention to the diversity of search committee and chair; the scope of the recruitment plan for affirmative action compliance and diversity outreach; and the use of broad required and preferred qualifications within the position announcement, as appropriate.

Diversity of Applicant and Finalist Pool Report
The EEOO, Diversity Advocate, and Search Chair are provided with a copy of the diversity of applicant and finalist pool report by the Office for Access and Equity. The EEOO is available as a resource to the Diversity Advocate and Search Chair to discuss the report.

Summary Form
The EEOO/College must review and approve the Summary Form prior to the issuance of an informal verbal or formal written offer to the proposed appointee. The college is responsible for forwarding the Summary Form to the Provost Office for second level review and approval when required.

Closing the Search
The EEOO or delegate should ask search committee members, the Diversity Advocate, the search chair, and the hiring official for ideas about improving the process, including an assessment of the effectiveness of recruitment strategies to identify underrepresented applicants.

Appointment Changes and Search Waivers
The EEOO should review all appointment change and search waiver requests for equal employment opportunity compliance.

Role of the Diversity Advocate at the Unit or Department Level

The primary role of the Diversity Advocate is to be an advocate for diversity as a core component of excellence in the search process. The Diversity Advocate must be identified on the search form. The Diversity Advocate must be a tenured faculty member for faculty searches. For academic professional searches, the Diversity Advocate must be a committee member or available to attend all committee meetings. For information regarding the expectations and responsibilities of the Diversity Advocate, please see review the Diversity Advocate Guidelines

Role of the Search Committee Chair

The Search Committee Chair serves as the leader of the search committee, coordinating the committee and facilitating the relationship between the committee and the hiring official for the search. For information regarding the expectations and responsibilities of the Search Committee Chair, please see review the Search Committee Chair Guidelines.

Role of the Search Committee Members

A diverse search committee will strengthen the pursuit of a highly qualified, diverse pool of candidates. Search committee members serve in an advisory role since the ultimate responsibility for hiring rests with the executive officer of the unit. For information regarding the expectations and responsibilities of the Search Committee Members, please see review the Search Committee Member Guidelines.

Role of the Search Coordinator

The Search Coordinator plays a critical role in the search process by coordinating the key roles in the search process, including the search chair, the search committee members, the Diversity Advocate, and the EEOO. Additionally, the search coordinator may often serve in a human resources capacity. The search coordinator also assists with assuring compliance by verifying the posting and distribution of position announcements in accordance with the approved recruitment plan; completing the appropriate forms for processing; and serving as a resource with respect to the search process and search status.

Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest may occasionally arise based on roles in the search process and on professional or personal relationships.

The conflict may arise from the following circumstances:

serving on a search committee and being asked to provide a reference for a candidate in that search;
deciding to become a candidate for a position while serving as a search committee member, or as the Diversity Advocate, or EEOO of that search.
The Search Committee is designed to be advisory to the Department Unit Executive Officer or delegate (i.e., the direct report for the position) in the recruitment and selection of qualified candidates to fill a position vacancy. Each role assigned in the search process is designed to work independently in support of compliance and college or administrative unit oversight objectives. When individuals perform multiple roles in the search process, there is the possibility that one or all of those multiple roles may be compromised or less effective.

Therefore, when possible, the Department Unit Executive Officer and/or the direct report/supervisor should avoid serving on the search committee to maintain the appropriate advisory role of the search committee; to preserve the integrity of the search process; and to avoid the appearance of undue influence.

An actual or perceived conflict must be managed to maintain the integrity of the search process. The potential conflict must be disclosed to the College or Administrative Unit Executive Officer and the Office for Access and Equity in writing. The Unit Executive Officer should then ask the EEOO (in consultation with the Office for Access and Equity) to determine the appropriate strategy for managing the conflict. Management strategies may include:

Disclosure to the search committee;
Recusal from decision-making authority;
Limiting access to HireTouch during the search;
Assigning a key role to another individual during the search to avoid overlapping roles; and/or other strategies, as appropriate.

The campus uses an electronic employment system called HireTouch™ for the academic search process. HireTouch allows for the centralized management of information related to employment transactions. “Job Aids” for HireTouch (i.e. instructions for usage) are contained in separate documents located within the system and on the Office for Access and Equity website: https://oae.illinois.edu/hiretouch.html.

HireTouch is used to process Job Description forms, Search form, Finalist Notification form, and Summary forms, Appointment Change forms, Academic Hourly Appointment forms, and Search Waiver forms, as well as others. The system also serves as a Job Board and the site where vacant positions are posted. It is used by candidates to apply for vacant positions, complete the EEO form, and submit their required applicant documents. See Appendix C for sample forms.

Step 1 – Complete the Job Description

In addition to Executive Order 11246, the academic appointment process at Illinois is also subject to the EEOC Uniform Employee Selection Guidelines. These guidelines address the requirements of Federal law prohibiting employment practices which discriminate on grounds of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. These guidelines apply to selection procedures which are used as a basis for making employment decisions, such as the qualifications and requirements for employment as listed in position announcements. The use of any selection procedure which has an adverse impact on the hiring, promotion, or other employment or membership opportunities of members of any race, sex, or ethnic group is considered to be discriminatory and inconsistent with those guidelines. Position announcements must be written to focus on the core elements for job performance, minimizing the likelihood of potential bias and adverse impact on underrepresented candidates during the candidate review process.

All Academic Professional positions must be established in accordance with campus guidelines. If the position is new, a Job Description Form must be submitted through HireTouch. The Job Description is a job description for the position. When refilling a vacated Academic Professional position or request an appointment title change, a new Job Description is required if:
the position requirements have changed;
position duties have significantly changed; or
the Job Description has not been updated in the last three years.
A Job Description less than three years old can be uploaded into HireTouch. If the position’s Job Description is more than 3 years old, a new Job Description must be created and submitted to IHR electronically through HireTouch. Duties and qualifications established in the Job Description are used in the position announcement and search ad, therefore the Job Description must be comprehensive.

Please contact the appropriate College or Administrative Office or Illinois Human Resources (IHR) at 333-6747 or https://humanresources.illinois.edu for additional information and assistance with Academic Professional positions and the Job Description process.

All faculty positions require a job description. When possible, the search committee for a faculty position should be solicited for input on the job description and position announcement to ensure that the position announcement is consistent with the needs of the unit and will be designed to solicit a large, diverse pool of candidates.

Step 3 – Create the Position Announcement from the Job Description

The unit must be able to ensure that the announcement will generate a sufficient pool of diverse applicants. Both the “short ad” and the complete announcement must be reviewed by the Office for Access and Equity.

There are 11 required elements of a full-length position announcement:
Location of position, which includes both:
Name of the department or unit, and
“University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign” or other physical location of the position
Rank and/or title:
For all academic professional positions, the title on the approved Job Description must be used, with the addition of “Visiting” or other modifiers designating temporary status as necessary.
Faculty searches may be “open rank,” though consideration must be given to assessing the method of review to ensure that similarly qualified applicants will be in the appropriate applicant pool.
The announcement must include notification that successfully satisfying a criminal background investigation is a requirement for employment.
See Campus Administrative Manual (CAM) Section IX C-44.
Contact Illinois Human Resources for more information.
A statement of duties:
The statement of duties should be consistent with the duties described in the Job Description for Academic Professional positions.

Basic qualifications:
The Internet Applicant Rule addresses the criteria by which submissions of interest for an available position are evaluated. The “basic qualifications” listed in a position announcement must focus on the core elements for job performance and should not use criteria that could potentially result in bias against underrepresented candidates during the candidate review procedure. To avoid the potential for bias, the qualifications must be:

Non-comparative features of a job seeker (e.g. three years of experience is acceptable; “being one of the top five” among the candidates in years of experience is not acceptable);
Objective (e.g., a Bachelor’s degree in accounting is acceptable, but not “a technical degree from a good school”); and
Relevant to performance of the particular position
The qualifications listed should match those described in the Job Description for Academic Professional positions. For faculty and faculty administrator positions, it should indicate the tenure status.
Minimum degree requirements should be stated. All Academic Professionals must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.
There are extraordinary circumstances wherein individuals of unique and exceptional skills may not possess a bachelor’s degree. In those instances, a degree waiver may be sought through Illinois Human Resources after approval from the EEOO if there are no other similarly qualified individuals in the candidate pool who meet the minimum degree requirement.
To ensure a diverse applicant pool, the minimum requirements should be broad rather than specific. For example, require a “B.S. degree” rather than a specific “B.S. in Physics.” To allow flexibility, the following statement may be used: “Individuals working toward a Bachelor’s degree may be considered, but the degree must be obtained by the starting date.”
Review the required number of years of experience (1-2 years vs. 3-5 years vs. 5-7 years). To allow maximum flexibility in evaluating applicants, the type of experience and skills should be defined, rather than a requirement for a particular number of years of experience.
Preferred/desired qualifications may also be listed.
Searches may be designated as “Internal” (to campus or to unit) and limited to those with current Illinois affiliation — that is, individuals who are currently employed on the Champaign-Urbana campus. Internal Searches are exempt from external advertising requirements. All applications must be reviewed. If a candidate is determined to be external to the university, that candidate should not be reviewed further unless the scope of the search is revised. Internal searches require justification.
Searches may also be restricted to individuals participating in the Campus Relocation Program or other similar programs administered by Illinois Human Resources. Participation in the appropriate program would be a minimum requirement for the position.
Salary statement:
If a salary range is stated, the unit cannot negotiate or hire beyond that range.
To allow flexibility, the announcement may state that the salary is negotiable, commensurate with experience or competitive.
Appointment status:
Indicate if the position is regular or visiting.
Indicate the percent time of the appointment.
If the possibility of changes in the appointment status is anticipated, the following qualifiers will generate the broadest pool, and thus, provide flexibility in making these changes:
For visiting positions, use “Position may become regular at a later date.”
For part-time positions, use “Percent time may increase at a later date.”
Proposed starting date:
The proposed starting date is required.
To allow flexibility, the announcement may state that the starting date is “as soon as possible after the closing date,” or “negotiable after the closing date.”
Application materials:
Indicate the materials that should be submitted for consideration.
Suggested materials include cover letter, resume, writing samples or portfolios, and a statement of teaching philosophy, research interest, or commitment to diversity.
On-line application will require name and contact information for [number of] references.
A link to the Illinois job board at jobs.illinois.edu (or some other forwarding URL) must be listed.
Closing date for receipt of candidate materials:
This is the date by which applications must be received for review.
Examples of closing date statements that provide the greatest flexibility:
“In order to ensure full consideration, applications must be received by [date].”
“Full consideration will be given to applications received by [date].”
If interviews will commence before the closing date, the announcement must state:
“Applicants may be interviewed before the closing date; however, no hiring decision will be made until after that date.”
Guidelines for calculating an appropriate closing date are discussed in Chapter 3.4 (b) (5)—Search Plan.
The “Full consideration” date allows individuals to continue to apply while the review process begins.
Unit contact information:
Name along with a phone number or email address of the search contact is required.
A mailing address or website address to view additional information about the department or position is optional.
Required statements:
Campus’ commitment to diversity and Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Policy after the introductory paragraph of the advertisement: The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or veteran status. For more information, visit https://go.illinois.edu/EEO.
Notice of Background Check policy: The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer. Convictions are not a bar to employment.
E-verify statement: As a qualifying federal contractor, the University of Illinois System uses E-Verify to verify employment eligibility.
The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment.
Requirements for short ads
In order to alleviate high print advertising costs, units may use shortened announcements that refer applicants to the Illinois Job Board for more information.
Required elements for the short ad: rank and/or title; closing date; statement of campus Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Policy; link to full position announcement, and the background check statement.
Acceptable uses of the required statement for short print ads include:

“The U of I is an EEO Employer/Vet/Disabled”
“Illinois is an EEO Employer/Vet/Disabled”
“The University is an EEO Employer/Vet/Disabled”

Step 4 – Develop the Search Plan

Units must develop a search plan (documented through completion of the Search Form) that will increase the likelihood of generating a qualified and diverse pool of applicants. The search plan includes (a) the selection of an appropriate length of posting, and (b) the use of traditional and nontraditional recruitment efforts. See Appendix A for a chart of required sources and search plan requirements.

Search Scope
External Search – All searches must be posted externally unless permission has been granted by OAE to conduct an internal search. External searches are posted to the University of Illinois job portal and many other websites and sources that we currently have relationships with. For more information, contact the Office for Access and Equity1. External Search – All searches must be posted externally unless permission has been granted by OAE to conduct an internal search. External searches are posted to the University of Illinois job portal and many other websites and sources that we currently have relationships with. For more information, contact the Office for Access and Equity

External Search with Additional Recruitment – External searches with additional recruitment are posted to additional sources compared to the above. These sources include, but are not limited to, the targeted email offered by HigherEdJobs.com. These postings may carry a fee that will be charged to the department. Contact Illinois Human Resources for more information.

Internal to Campus searches target qualified current employees on the Champaign-Urbana campus. Internal Searches are exempt from external advertising requirements. Candidates external to the University should not receive consideration unless the scope of the search is revised and external advertising sources, including special recruitment sources, are utilized. Internal searches require justification.

Internal to Campus searches can also be limited to individuals participating in the Campus Relocation Program or other similar programs administered by Illinois Human Resources. Please refer to Illinois Human Resources for program qualifications and requirements. Internal searches require justification

Internal to College/Unit searches can be requested under special circumstances. These include reorganizations within a department involving the reallocation of many positions, as well as promotional opportunities that are to be provided to current employees in the department where the total number of employees in the department will not be increasing. Internal searches require justification

Search Length
Minimum three or four week searches are suggested for tenure-track and tenured faculty vacancies.

Two to four week searches may be appropriate for non-tenured specialized faculty and senior-level, mid-level, and entry level academic professional vacancies.

The minimum search time is calculated from the date the position is first approved and appears on the jobs.illinois.edu Academic Job Board in HireTouch. For the majority of searches, two weeks is the minimum posting period.

An open or rolling search (up to one year) in which applications are accepted throughout the year may be used as necessary with prior Office for Access and Equity approval.

Under special circumstances an expedited search may be approved (less than two weeks). Please contact the Office for Access and Equity to discuss prior to submission of the search request.

Mandatory Recruitment
See Appendix A for guidance regarding required and automatic postings. In the following pages you will find information regarding all of the currently utilized required and automatic recruitment sources and resources.

Units may choose to place ads and seek recruitment source suggestions from the University preferred advertising vendor. (See https://oae.illinois.edu for recruitment assistance). Copies of all print and online advertisements that are not automatically posted must be collected by the search coordinator and uploaded into HireTouch as part of the search documentation.

For all external searches (AP and Faculty), the following recruitment resources must be utilized:

HireTouch Job Board (Automatic)
www.HigherEdJobs.com. (Automatic) In support of the campus’ affirmative action good faith efforts, open positions will post automatically with HigherEdJobs and the “affirmative action” posting which allows the site to send the posting to individuals who have elected to receive vacancies from employers actively recruiting candidates in accordance with affirmative action plans or diversity plans. The Diversity and Inclusion Email is a weekly email newsletter sent to registered My HigherEdJobs users. The Diversity and Inclusion Email recipient list is exclusively owned and maintained by HigherEdJobs.com.
IllinoisDiversity (www.illinoisdiversity.com) (Automatic) – In support of the campus’ affirmative action good faith efforts, open positions will post automatically with Illinois Diversity. The Illinois Diversity Job Network is a network of local diversity employment web sites committed to connecting employers with qualified, applicants of all backgrounds.
In addition to the above, the following recruitment resources are required for all Faculty searches:

Big Ten Academic Alliance Doctoral Directory (previously CIC) – STEM Fields only (https://btaa-pai.btaa.org/Directory/) – The Big Ten Academic Alliance Doctoral Directory is a listing of doctoral degree recipients who are members of groups underrepresented in higher education and who are alumni of the universities of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation. The Directory is designed to increase the visibility of doctoral alumni who bring diverse perspectives and experiences to higher education. The Directory is a searchable online database which Diversity Advocates and Search Committee Chairs should review and reach out to any potential candidates whose qualifications correspond to the required qualifications for the position.
Southern Regional Education Board DSP Scholar Directory (https://dspdirectory.sreb.org) The Scholar Directory is a database that showcases more than 1,000 accomplished doctoral scholars and successful Ph.D. recipients who are committed to pursuing careers in the professoriate. The database offers faculty and research recruiters an economical way to reach a diverse group of people. It includes access to: vitae, profiles, research and scholarship areas, as well as other information for all doctoral scholars and Ph.D. recipients who have attended the Institute on Teaching and Mentoring, the largest gathering of minority Ph.D.s and Ph.D. candidates in the nation. Contact OAE for login information.
Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois (DFI) Program Directory (https://www.ibhe.org/dfigraduates.html) The goal of DFI is to increase the number of minority full-time tenure track faculty and staff at Illinois’ two and four year, public and private colleges and universities. African American faculty constitute five percent and Latino faculty three percent of all faculty at Illinois colleges and universities. This level or representation is much lower than the diversity found in Illinois’ student enrollment and state population. The DFI Initiative works to increase the number of minorities with master’s and doctoral degrees by providing financial assistance, based on demonstrated financial need, for students to complete graduate degrees. In addition, the program administrators work with higher education institutions to offer workshops and pursue other outreach opportunities to meet the goals and objectives of the Initiative. Contact OAE for login information.
Supplemental Special Recruitment Efforts
All searches (other than internal to unit) should utilize special recruitment efforts or methods which target members of the designated classes, including U.S. military veterans and persons with disabilities as well as members of historically underrepresented groups. A proactive recruitment plan should be used, including:

Consulting the University advertising vendor (currently Shaker Recruitment Advertising and Communications) for recommendations of diversity recruitment advertising media, including minority and women-focused professional journals and job registries.
Establishing working relationships with similar departments at institutions or non-academic agencies with substantial numbers of women and historically underrepresented minorities.
Evaluating candidates at professional meetings and societies.
Acquiring names of potential candidates from women and historically underrepresented minorities currently at Illinois.
Contacting relevant professional and academic associations for the names of potential candidates from members of special caucuses for women and historically underrepresented minorities.
Consulting the Big Ten Academic Alliance Doctoral Directory, which lists individuals from the “Big Ten” schools and the University of Chicago. These Directories are updated on an annual basis.
Inviting women and minority scholars from other institutions to participate in department-sponsored symposia and visiting appointments.
Using a personal approach to contact potential candidates who have been identified or nominated.
Sending announcements to departments at other universities and following up with a personal contact or phone call to inquire about potential candidates at those institutions.
Identifying members of designated classes who are currently candidates for advanced degrees at this institution who show promise of outstanding academic achievement. (While some units maintain strong policies barring consideration of their own graduate students for vacant positions as a safeguard against academic inbreeding, and while these policies are nondiscriminatory on the surface, the affirmative action goals and objectives of a unit might best be met by means of occasional but judicious exception to these policies).

Step 5 – Complete the Search Form

Security and HireTouch access
The search chair, search committee members, diversity advocate, EEOO, and search support staff will need access to HireTouch to complete and review forms and/or to review candidate information. Prior to completing the search form, it is helpful to have a list of these individuals and to be sure that they have appropriate security from the Unit Security Contact to access HireTouch. A job aid is available at https://oae.illinois.edu for Unit Security Contacts.

HRF, Job Description, and Search Form
The information on all three forms should be consistent, including the title of the position, the duties and qualifications, and the term of the appointment (full or part time, visiting or regular).

Close Date
Units may choose to set a designated close date that will remove the job from the HireTouch Job Board just before midnight on that date. If it is removed from the Job Board, no individuals will be able to submit their information, unless they began the submission process prior to the position being removed from the board. Units may instead choose to use a “full consideration” date (leaving the “close date” field blank on the search form) and decide to let the position announcement remain on the job board in order to allow for late applications. Review of late applications must include all late applications received up to your cut-off date.

Search Committee
See Chapter 2: Key Roles for information regarding committee member and the Diversity Advocate roles.

Approvals
The Search Approval Form cannot be processed without approvals from the appropriate individuals, or the showing of authorization to approve on behalf of those individuals by appropriate designees.
Approvals are required from the following positions/offices:
College/EEOO for review and approval on behalf of the dean/department head.
The Office for Access and Equity
Advertising Deadlines:
It is the responsibility of the unit to be aware of the advertising deadlines throughout the search approval process. The Office for Access and Equity recommends submission of the Search Form no less than three (3) days before the advertising deadline. Early receipt is important in the event that changes or additional information on the position announcement are necessary for clarification. Note: external advertising cannot take place until the search is approved by the Office for Access and Equity and placed on the Job Board. All external advertising must utilize the version of the position announcement approved by the Office for Access and Equity in its entirety, including changes to position announcement language or submission deadlines/procedures designated during the Office for Access and Equity review/approval process.

Position Posting
After the Search Form is approved, the search contact will receive an email from the Office for Access and Equity (accessandequity@illinois.edu). The position announcement will automatically be posted on the University’s Academic Job Board. The search contact should inform the Search Chair, Diversity Advocate, Unit Executive Office, and the College EEO that the search has been approved. Copies of all external ads placed must be uploaded into HireTouch at the conclusion of the search process for compliance purposes.

Requests for Voluntary Disclosure of Equal Employment Opportunity Information
The University is required by federal law to request and maintain data on the racial/ethnic identity and gender status of all employees and applicants for employment. In addition, we are required to give candidates an opportunity to self-identify as an individual with a disability and a protected veteran. Submission of the information requested from applicants is voluntary. These data provide the University of Illinois and the federal government with information necessary to monitor the University’s compliance with equal employment opportunity requirements. This information is collected through HireTouch but is retained in the Office for Access and Equity and is not forwarded to the hiring unit.

The request for voluntary self-identification is Step 2 of the Applicant Process in HireTouch. The campus’ compliance with these requirements is automatic through the use of the HireTouch system.

Guidelines for Senior Faculty Administrator Positions

The appointment of senior administrators at the rank equivalent to Deans or higher and for Directors of Schools and Heads of Departments at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign should, if at all possible, be made in ways that are consistent with the general principles of faculty governance that underlie and are expressed in the University’s Statutes. Whenever possible, these appointments should be done through the use of the search process. In circumstances where a search is not feasible or is precluded by departmental policies, a search waiver may be used to make the appointment. Even when a formal search will not be used to fill the appointment, notice of the appointment availability should ideally be communicated via email or other means of internal written communication to all faculty members who are eligible for consideration for the appointment to allow them the opportunity to express their interest in being considered.

Because the goal is to appoint the best candidate, administrators making the appointment through use of a search waiver or the search committee conducting a campus search should go beyond simply acting upon identification of interested faculty through submitted applications and nominations. Potential candidates of special merit should be actively solicited and fair, objective consideration should be given to all candidates whether internal or external to the unit. In addition, procedures should be developed and followed that both promote openness to information and provide necessary confidentiality. This means:

(a) Prospective candidates should be afforded the opportunity to provide full application materials, regardless of the route by which the candidates come to the attention of the committee;
(b) A variety of appropriate means for obtaining necessary information from and about candidates should be employed;
(c) High standards of confidentiality should be adhered to for all candidates;
(d) Special safeguards for protecting the candidacy and reasonable interest of those candidates with extraordinary confidentiality requirements should be employed; and
(e) Decisions about all candidates considered at a particular stage of the search process should be based on similar forms of information and similar evaluative practices.
When a search is to be conducted, it is suggested that the chair for administrative appointments be an individual outside the unit, possibly in a related field. A search committee – appointed on the basis of consultation with the appropriate elected executive or advisory committee – should be central to the search process from initiation through acceptance of an offer.

The search committee may be involved in developing the position description. They will assist in identifying candidates and securing documentation concerning each in a manner consistent with the principles of fairness and affirmative action; selecting and participating in interviews of all finalists for the position, including any who might emerge after the initial group is identified; and consulting with the appointing administrator regarding the appropriateness of extending an offer to any among the group of finalists.

Moreover, the committee and the appointing administrator are expected to work together throughout the search process. They are also expected to consult closely when establishing criteria for the selection of candidates and evaluating candidates for whom offers are being seriously contemplated, and at times when it may appear desirable to broaden the search or to change it in some way.

Guidelines for Interim Appointments

The standard practice for filling vacant positions is to conduct a broad search to attract the best-qualified candidates and to comply with affirmative action and equal opportunity guidelines. When a position is vacant, and the college/unit needs to fill the position for a limited period of time (up to six months) preparatory to a full search, the college/unit may make an acting/interim appointment of an existing University of Illinois employee. The college/unit should undertake the following steps:

announce the opportunity within the college or unit and give a date by which letters of interest must be submitted;
indicate that an open recruitment will occur in the future to permanently fill the position;
interview interested employees who are best qualified;
consider diversity objectives when selecting the temporary replacement;
inform the temporary replacement that he or she has a right to return to his or her permanent position at the end of the acting/interim appointment

Note: It is suggested that, when possible, “acting” and/or “interim” designations are not assigned to individuals who may potentially be interested in the vacancy, in order to preserve the fairness and equity of a subsequent search process.

Search Firm Procedure
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Procedure for Using a Search Firm (effective 7/1/13)

In compliance with Illinois Law, 110 ILCS 305/80, the use of search firms at the University of Illinois is limited to searches for the President of the University and when the President and Board of Trustees demonstrate a justifiable need. Accordingly, searches involving a search firm shall conform to one or more of the following criteria:

Search for the President of the University;
When the position is at a level of seniority that requires strict confidentiality in the initial stages and a level of interaction with potential candidates is required that current staff cannot appropriately provide;
When the position requires extensive recruiting and networking due to a highly competitive market, as well as to create a diverse candidate pool;
When the potential candidates are in a specialized function outside traditional areas of higher education.

To request authorization to use a search firm, please prepare the following information:

College and Unit conducting the search
Title of position and unit and college of position searching for
Name of search firm requested
Detailed justification for use of a search firm

The College/Administrative Unit should send an email with the above information to the following:

Provost (for colleges and academic units) and to the relevant Vice Chancellor (for administrative units) for preliminary review and recommendation prior to submission to the Chancellor
The Provost or Vice Chancellor will email their recommendation with the information required above to the Chancellor’s Office
The Chancellor will review the recommendation and determine whether engaging a search firm is appropriate
If the recommendation is approved by the Chancellor, the Chancellor will request approval from the President
If approved by the President, the President’s response will be sent to the Chancellor, copying the Office for Access and Equity (accessandequity@illinois.edu)
If approved, at the conclusion of the search (once all expenses have been accounted for), the College/Administrative Unit will provide the Office for Access and Equity (accessandequity@illinois.edu) the contract and all related purchase orders

A college/department may only engage in a search firm after receiving approval from the President. The above is in addition to and does not supersede requirements set forth by the Office of Business and Financial Services.

If a search firm will be used, the contact information should be indicated in the designated area of the Search Form under the section “Proposed Recruitment Methods” so that the Office for Access and Equity may coordinate with them to ensure that the procedure for submission of candidate information and collection of EEO data can be established in accordance with the Office for Access and Equity reporting requirements.

First Search Committee Meeting

In general, the search committee should meet in order to discuss the relevant items below. No search committee member should review candidate submissions until after this initial discussion and the distribution of the evaluation criteria by the search chair.

Review of Policy and Campus Guidelines
The appointment process for Academic positions is governed by a number of state, federal, and University-specific requirements, including the Affirmative Action Program for federal contractors. Before candidates are reviewed, committee members should be aware of the campus’ compliance obligations and campus commitment to diversity and excellence. Doing so increases the likelihood that the search will be conducted in a manner that employs “best practices” and helps ensure that the ultimate appointment will be made in accordance with administrative, legal, and regulatory requirements.

University Policy on Non-Discrimination
The search committee should review the University Policy on Non-discrimination. Refer to CAM Section IX/B-1 (https://cam.illinois.edu/policies/hr-48/).
All Search Committee members, including the chair, are required to review the Search Process Overview for Search Committee Members and Diversity Advocates presentation at https://oae.illinois.edu/. The chair should discuss the Guidelines for the Search Process at the first meeting.
Search committee members are also required to review the Diversity.edu online program prior to posting of the position announcement.

Review the University of Illinois Guidelines for Pre-Employment Inquiries
All Search Committee members, including the chair, should review this document located at https://oae.illinois.edu/academicsearch.html. Also, any other individuals who will be interviewing the finalists should review this document.

Discussion of Diversity and Affirmative Action Plan for underrepresentation
The Affirmative Action Program and the unit’s diversity plan should be reviewed, noting if the position for which the search is being conducted is in a job group that has underrepresentation of women and/or minorities. Data is available from the Office for Access and Equity at https://oae.illinois.edu/.

Key Role Discussion
If possible, the Diversity Advocate and/or EEOO should be introduced and the nature of their roles explained.

Committee Charge
The charge to the committee should be issued by the Department Executive Officer (or designee). See Hiring Official Charge Guidelines for more information.

Search Timeline
A timeline for meetings and review of candidate submissions should be discussed.
The search committee should decide how applications and nominations received after the closing date will be handled.

Selection Criteria
Selection criteria provide an objective way to measure each applicant’s level and quality of education, experience, knowledge and skills as they relate to the specific duties of the position. These criteria are used to determine who will be interviewed and ultimately referred to the department executive for appointment. It is important to develop written criteria, based on the position description, before beginning the review of candidate submissions. Establishing uniform written criteria before candidate review begins indicates a commitment to following equitable search and selection procedures. The criteria must focus on the core elements for successful job performance in conformance with requirements of the EEOC Uniform Employee Selection Guidelines.

In developing selection criteria, the criteria should be measurable, objective, and free of bias (having no adverse impact on designated class applicants).
Selection criteria should be based on minimum requirements as stated in the position announcement.
Procedures and any ratings or assessment scales to be used in the process must be established as part of the selection criteria.
A copy of the selection criteria and any rating sheets or worksheets utilized must be included in the documentation in HireTouch.
The search committee chair should ensure that each search committee member understands and uses the screening criteria, rating scales, and procedures. Such evaluations or discussions, however brief, provide clear guidance to the committee. The resume screening process is undoubtedly the most crucial phase of the search process.
The Diversity Advocate should be available as a resource for questions relating to the screening criteria.
Appendix B-1 and B-2 contain examples of administrative and faculty evaluation sheets.

References
Obtaining references: The search committee should determine how references will be obtained for candidates. The manner in which these references are gathered should be consistent and conducted systematically for all candidates in the same group. Each contact should be documented.
Contacting references: The search committee should determine how references will be contacted. When telephone references are solicited or received, a written record of the conversation should be kept in the same manner as the letters of references are kept. Pursuant to the Illinois Personnel Review Act (820 ILCS 40/10 (a)), employees do not have the right to inspect reference letters. The reference called should be informed that their conversation will be part of the permanent record. Refer to the CAM (Section IX/C-1.1) regarding letters of reference or notes taken during a telephone reference check.
Unlisted references: The search committee should determine how unlisted references will be handled and documented. The best course of action is to ask the candidates for their permission to contact someone not on their reference list. If permission is denied, it is acceptable to ask why or to inform the candidate that the denial might be considered as pertinent information. It is important that all candidates are treated fairly and equitably.

Review of Applications

Definition of “Applicant”
An applicant is an individual who has submitted the required documents for consideration pursuant to campus policy by uploading the information into HireTouch in accordance with the procedures in the position announcement. Candidates who do not submit their documentation in accordance with all of the requirements listed in the position announcement or with another procedure approved by the Office for Access and Equity should not be reviewed and should be marked as “Incomplete Application” for their applicant status. In conformance with requirements for the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Office for Access and Equity should be contacted for candidates requesting accommodation in the submission of their candidate materials.

Screening of Candidates
Using the written selection criteria referenced in Chapter 4.1(F), the search committee should review and evaluate all submissions of interest that meet the requirements of an applicant. To ensure trust in the fairness of the search process, the screening process cannot be arbitrary or give the appearance of being so. Disagreements within the committee and challenges from unsuccessful applicants can raise questions about how the committee reached its decision. Thus, it is important that the screening process be documented. The use of written evaluation criteria aid in this documentation and provide a consistent basis for elimination or advancement of the candidate to the next level of the search process.

Interview Procedures
Search Committee Instructions
The executive officer or designee should provide clear instructions about the role of the search committee in the interview process.

Guidelines for Questions
Before interviewing is done at either the search committee level or at the unit level, it is important to review the guidelines for “Pre-Employment Inquiries” (https:// oae.illinois.edu). Candidates should be asked similar questions, thereby allowing comparative judgments to be made while ensuring that crucial job-related information is obtained. All interviews should, barring unique circumstances, be conducted under reasonably similar circumstances, and all candidates should be given similar opportunities to meet the same set of colleagues.

Applicant Status Codes
Based on the collective decision of the search committee after the initial resume screening and candidate evaluation process, appropriate applicant status codes should be assigned in HireTouch. The codes are:

New (Auto-assigned by system for candidates that clicked “apply” but did not start the application process)
In Process (Auto-assigned by system for candidates that began but did not complete the application)
Application Submitted (Auto-assigned by system upon completion of the application)
Application Complete (This code is assigned by department to signify all requirements of application have been met)
Not reviewed (the committee did not review submitted information)
Incomplete Application
Does Not Meet Minimum Qualifications – Education/Degree
Does Not Meet Minimum Qualifications – Experience/Skills
Meets Minimum Qualifications – Lacks Preferred Education/Degree
Meets Minimum Qualifications – Lacks Experience/Skills
Semi-Finalist (Screening/Phone Interview/etc)
Finalist and/or On-Campus Interview
Withdrew
Offer Pending (Summary form started with intent to proceed with offer)
Declined Offer (Candidate received written offer but did not accept)
Offer Accepted (Candidate accepted written offer, start date established)
Note: “Declined Offer,” and “Offer Accepted” codes will need to be used as part of the Summary Form process in Chapter 4.5A.

Completing the Finalist Notification Form

A finalist for the position is a qualified applicant who is included in the list of top candidates. In general, finalists participate in the on-campus interviews for the position. Finalists may be interviewed by phone if budgetary or travel restrictions make an on-campus interview infeasible. Similar opportunities must be provided to all finalists. The decision to include an individual as a finalist should be based upon judgment of their comparative professional merit relative to the requirements specified in the job description. Only under unusual circumstances should the finalist list be restricted to one finalist.

The Finalist Notification Form facilitates a compliance review for non-discrimination and affirmative action compliance, particularly when a position has an affirmative action goal (or is underrepresented compared to peers for faculty).

The form provides the Office for Access and Equity with the opportunity to address any compliance issues with regard to the search process related to the selection of finalists or the diversity of the finalist pool. After review of the Finalist Notification Form by the Office for Access and Equity, the unit should conduct interviews. Once interviews are complete and a selection is made, the unit must submit the Summary Form – see 4.5 for additional information.

Required Documents
Written evaluation criteria
Copies of all ads placed during the search
Interview questions
List and assessment of Good Faith Efforts
Approvals
The following review is required for the Finalist Notification Form:

The Office for Access and Equity
If changes need to be made to a Finalist Notification Form after approval by the Office for Access and Equity, please contact us to discuss.

Changes During the Search

It is important that the unit (after appropriate approval at the college level) requests approval from the Office for Access and Equity before proceeding to implement any changes to a search in progress. Approval may be requested via email to accessandequity@illinois.edu.

Extending a search after the closing date has passed
If an extension of the search is necessary, contact the Office for Access and Equity to revise and repost the position announcement. Extension requests require a brief explanation.
If external advertising will be utilized, prepare a revised position announcement.
(The new announcement should match the initial position announcement (except for the date). “Extended Search” should be included in the heading or body of the announcement.
Minor changes to the text may be permitted; however, “revised and extended search” should be included in the heading or body of the announcement for substantive changes, including minimum or preferred qualifications. For AP positions, changes to duties or qualifications may require an updated Job Description form to be approved. Please consult IHR for guidance.

Additional Hiring
Changes in the search committee
Notify the Office for Access and Equity of any changes in the search committee so that we can add them to the Search Form in HireTouch. Changes that result in inconsistent review or treatment of applicants or that could result in a conflict of interest may not be approved.

Changes in recruitment sources
Notify the Office for Access and Equity of any changes in the list of recruitment sources. It is important to ensure that special recruitment efforts are not negatively affected by changes in recruitment sources.

Changes to position announcement
If, during the course of a search, the committee deems it necessary to substantially and materially alter the listed qualifications or responsibilities for the position, the search should be closed and a new search initiated.

Closing a search without an appointment
If the unit decides to close the search without an appointment, the “Closed Without a Hire Form” should be completed in HireTouch.

The Summary Form

At the conclusion of search committee deliberations, the Search Coordinator should initiate the Summary Form if the Finalist Notification Form has been reviewed by the Office for Access and Equity. The form documents the process of evaluating candidates and selecting finalists for on campus interviews and must explain why the proposed hire was selected over other finalists based on experiences, skills, qualifications, interview performance, and references. Additionally, a statement regarding the reason for non-selection for all other finalists not being offered a position must be provided.

The EEO Officer/College reviews the search process as reflected in the hiring justification for consistency with internal procedures and other policies to verify the use of appropriate non-discriminatory criteria in the evaluation of finalist candidates. The review should include verifying that qualifications of the proposed appointee are consistent with the position announcement; verifying the title is consistent with the position announcement. The review should also verify that the best-qualified candidate was selected. Verbal offers may be extended after EEOO/College approval (see Chapter 4.6(B) below). The unit should forward those appointments requiring second level review to the Provost’s Office. The Search Contact must upload the candidate’s acceptance of the offer and verify all candidate status codes in HireTouch. The Office for Access and Equity will conduct a final compliance review and close the search.

Review of proposed appointment
If they were not attached during the finalist stage, interview questions must be uploaded into the HireTouch Summary documentation for compliance with federal regulations. The Search Coordinator should consult with the EEO Officer of the college/administrative unit for any special requirements for submitting search and screening materials for EEO review.

Approvals
The following approvals are required for the Summary Form:

Department
EEO Officer/College
Search Contact/Department
Office for Access and Equity

Extending Offers

Appropriate approvals must be secured before any offer of employment is extended as a result of a search.

Extending an Informal Verbal Offer
A unit may extend an informal verbal offer after the EEOO/College approval of the Summary Form in HireTouch (or second-level Provost review, if required) provided that the EEOO procedures authorize the issuance of informal verbal offers.

Extending a Formal Written Offer
A formal written offer is a signed offer letter addressed to the proposed appointee. A formal written offer cannot be issued until 1) the Finalist Notification form is approved by the Office for Access and Equity and 2) the Summary Form is approved by the EEOO/College (or Provost Office for second-level review, when required) certifying that the search has been reviewed for fairness and compliance with equal employment opportunity regulations.
Provost’s Communication No. 2 “Offering Academic Positions” provides guidance on what should be included in the formal written offer letter. Note: The offer should indicate if the appointment is subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.
Acceptance of Offer
If the starting date, title, or salary agreed upon during negotiations after issuance of the formal written offer differs from what was originally proposed in the position announcement, these changes must be authorized by the Office of the Provost if its prior approval was required for issuance of the formal written offer. The Summary Form must be revised to reflect the negotiated offer.
Once the final formal written offer is made after negotiations are complete, a written acceptance containing all final terms of the hire must be returned to the hiring unit by the proposed appointee. A written acceptance can be as simple as the offer letter that includes a signature line for the appointee to indicate acceptance of the offer, or it may be evidenced by any written instrument (email, separately drafted letter, etc.) containing all material terms of the offer and returned to the hiring unit and signed by the proposed appointee.

Making the Appointment and Closing the Search

Upon receipt of the appointee’s written acceptance, the appointment is processed by completing the following steps:

Hiring unit uploads the acceptance letter into HireTouch and approves as the search contact, which then forwards the Summary Form to the Office for Access and Equity. The Search Contact must review all applicant status codes. “New,” “In Process” and “Application Submitted” applicant codes must be replaced with appropriate codes in Chapter 4.2D.
The Office for Access and Equity conducts a final review of the justification for hire. We also verify that the appointee accepted the offer and sends email acknowledgement approval to the Search Coordinator.
Hiring unit uploads the accepted offer letter in to the HR Front End for appointment processing. The Front-End transaction must include both the search number and the Office for Access and Equity approval email.
After the proposed appointee accepts the offer, the Search Coordinator should communicate to the remaining search candidates that an appointment has been made and the search has been closed. This notification may be done through the email function within HireTouch.

Requesting Appointment Changes and Search Waivers

Appointment changes and search waivers may be requested consistent with Chapter 1.2 and 1.3. The appropriate HireTouch workflow should be used (i.e., Faculty or Academic Professionals). Please contact the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885 or at accessandequity@illinois.edu prior to initiating an appointment change or a search waiver for consultation.

Faculty and Specialized Faculty Appointment Change and Search Waiver Requests
Search waiver requests in accordance with Chapter 1.2 should be processed in HireTouch using the appropriate workflow for the new appointment:

If a new appointment is requested to a faculty position, the Faculty Search Waiver Workflow should be used.
If a faculty member is requesting an academic professional appointment, the Academic Professional Search Waiver HireTouch workflow should be used.
Appointment change requests in accordance with Chapter 1.3(A) and (B) should be processed in HireTouch using the appropriate workflow for the new appointment:

If a specialized faculty member is requesting a visiting faculty appointment, the Faculty Appointment Change HireTouch workflow should be used. Note: Requests for appointment changes and search waivers should be accompanied by appropriate justification and documentation. The requests should include the resume/vita of the individual; a discussion of the individual’s qualifications for the position; and an explanation of the justification for a waiver of the search process. Items that should be addressed should include (but are not limited to):

For Search Waivers:
An explanation as to why a search is not feasible or possible
A description of the process used to determine that the appointee is available for the position and qualified for the position
A statement detailing the appointee’s relevant qualifications for the position
Information about all others who were considered and/or recommended, and why they were not selected
Any other information that can help clarify the exceptional or urgent nature of this request

For Appointment Changes:
For Promotions:
Describe how the duties and responsibilities of the appointee have evolved from those on the original job description to those in the job description for the new title
If you have a promotional policy, state clearly how this person meets the qualifications and criteria laid out in that policy
List any other individuals similarly situated (who have either a similar title, duties similar to the original job description, or qualifications similar to the appointee’s) and state why they are not being promoted at this time
Provide a justification for the salary increase (if requested). Please indicate specifically if those reasons include salary
For any change that is not a direct promotion, please provide information about the history and special circumstances surrounding the request.
For transfers, please make sure to state clearly that the title, position, and pay are all being transferred from one department
For any other special circumstances, please consult OAE before submitting this form

Academic Professional Appointment Change and Search Waiver Requests
Appointment changes and search waiver requests for academic professionals should be processed in HireTouch using the Appointment Change Workflow or the Search Waiver workflow.

The Campus Administrative Policy Personnel Policies: Section IX/C-16 addresses promotions for academic professionals which would be processed as appointment changes:

Illinois Human Resources (IHR) reviews and approves titles for new academic professional positions or title changes for positions with significant changes in job responsibilities. The format for submitting requests for titles for new or significantly changed academic professional positions is through a Job Description form.
Significant Change in Responsibilities:
Before changing an existing academic professional title and/or making major duties and responsibilities changes, a Job Description form must be submitted electronically in HireTouch. A determination will be made regarding the future status/title of the position and whether or not further approval must be sought.
Promotion of Academic Professional Employees:
Natural promotional lines or ladders for academic professional employees, e.g., assistant director to associate director within a unit, are sometimes appropriate to the work and needs of the unit. Where appropriate, the Campus encourages their establishment as a means of providing promotional opportunities to our best academic professional employees. (The existence of such lines does not require their use only for promotions – one has the latitude to hire a new individual if no one in the unit is well qualified for such a promotion.) Even where natural promotional lines or ladders do not exist or are inappropriate, academic professional positions can sometimes be upgraded to reflect both the needs of the unit and the capabilities of the individual involved.
Such upgrades could involve both a redefinition of the job to involve higher-level assignments and an upgrading of the title as well as the salary. Normally a Job Description is required. Both the development of lines or ladders and the upgrading of an individual job position with title change require two forms of review and action: 1) by Illinois Human Resources and 2) by the Office for Access and Equity. Illinois Human Resources reviews the Job Description and the Office for Access and Equity reviews the search plan or proposed waiver of search based on promotion. Please note that promotion should normally occur at the time of reappointment (i.e., effective August 16). Any requests for mid-year promotions with salary increases must be justified under extraordinary circumstances involving a clear change in duties, a salary inequity, or a counter offer.
The Office for Access and Equity will consider several factors (as appropriate) to review academic professional appointment change form requests:

Whether the unit has an internal promotion policy that has been reviewed and approved by the college/unit
Whether an internal to unit search may be appropriate to allow other potentially interested and qualified individuals to apply, particularly if there are other employees within the department/unit with similar titles, qualifications, and/or job titles
Whether the proposed change is consistent with the principles of affirmative action, equal employment opportunity, and diversity
Whether there is an Affirmative Action goal for the position’s job group
Whether the change will create the opportunity for a vacancy to be filled through a competitive search
Whether the salary increase affects the affirmative action plan salary equity
Whether the position involves an academic professional eligible for and participating in the Campus Relocation Plan or other similar programs administered by Illinois Human Resources
Whether the promotion involves a new position or is a change in the employee’s existing position
Note: Requests for appointment changes and search waivers should be accompanied by appropriate justification and documentation. The requests should include the resume/vita of the individual; a discussion of the individual’s qualifications for the position; and an explanation of the justification for the non-competitive process. If the request is based upon reorganization, the existing organizational chart and proposed organizational chart should be submitted. When possible, appointment changes resulting from reorganizations should be submitted at the same time for collective review and consideration. Items that should be addressed in the justification include (but are not limited to):

For Search Waivers (waivers for Academic Professionals are approved only under exceptional circumstances):
An explanation as to why a search is not feasible or possible
A description of the process used to determine that the appointee is available for the position and qualified for the position
A statement detailing the appointee’s relevant qualifications for the position
Information about all others who were considered and/or recommended, and why they were not selected
Information about other candidates should be included in nearly all cases except when the person is returning to a previously-held position
Any other information that can help clarify the exceptional or urgent nature of this request
For Appointment Changes: See Appointment Changes for Academic Professionals
Processing Appointment Changes and Search Waivers
Neither an informal verbal offer nor a formal written offer can be extended until the appointment change or search waiver is approved by the EEO, the Office for Access and Equity and the Office of the Provost (for budget approval). After final approval from the Office for Access and Equity, a formal written offer, which is a signed offer letter addressed to the proposed appointee, may be issued. Provost’s Communication No. 2 “Offering Academic Positions” provides guidance on what should be included in the formal written offer letter.

Note: The offer should indicate if the appointment is subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.
Once the final formal written offer is made, a written acceptance containing all final terms of the hire must be returned to the hiring unit by the proposed appointee. A written acceptance can be as simple as the offer letter that includes a signature line for the appointee to indicate acceptance of the offer, or it may be evidenced by any written instrument (email, separately drafted letter, etc.) containing all material terms of the offer and returned to the hiring unit and signed by the proposed appointee.

Upon receipt of the appointee’s written acceptance, the appointment is processed in HR FrontEnd by the hiring unit uploading the acceptance letter and including the appointment or waiver approval number.

Academic Hourly Appointment requests
Appointment forms for Academic Hourly employees should be processed in HireTouch using the Academic Hourly Appointment workflow in HireTouch. These appointments are to address certain specialized and urgent needs from departments in accordance with Illinois Human Resources’ policies (https://www.ahr.illinois.edu/employees/current/achourlies.html). The Office for Access and Equity is required to maintain sufficient documentation for these appointments.

The following apply to the Academic Hourly Appointment Form:

The Academic Hourly Appointment Form needs to be completed for all new hourly employees who do not have active Academic Hourly appointments in Banner/HRFE
Transfers or movement to another department, when the job in the home department is ending, may also require an Academic Hourly Appointment Form
The form needs to be accompanied by a job description form approved by IHR after 9/22/2018 and no more than three years old
Approval of form will need to occur before the hire starts
Appointments where multiple finalists were considered need to be accompanied by resumes or application documents for all other non-selected finalists, along with explanations for non-selection
Some Academic Hourly appointments do not require an Academic Hourly Appointment Form to be completed, including:
Appointments for individuals returning to work in an active job
Appointments for individuals with an existing active appointment in their home department which has not ended
If questions arise, please contact the Office for Access and Equity for guidance.

Maintaining Affirmative Action Pre-Employment Files

In compliance with Federal civil rights record-keeping regulations, the HireTouch System will be the primary means by which employment search files are retained.

Appendix A – Search Process Suggested Time Frames
Appendix B-1 – Sample Administrative Candidate Rating Form
Appendix B-2 – Evaluation Criteria