PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS
Hiring Procedures
In an effort to ensure equal opportunity and affirmative action in UMass Dartmouth's hiring decisions, the Office of Equal Opportunity, Diversity and Outreach (Office of EODO) monitors the hiring process through a comprehensive, step-by-step procedural selection screening procedure.
The hiring procedures are updated for all positions, and steps are being taken to implement new procedures for all job categories within the University. The new procedures were created to decentralize the process, and to give each vice chancellor's area and/or college more responsibility and involvement in the University's efforts to conduct fair, equitable and legal searches, while also focusing on diversifying its workforce in cases of underutilization of protected class individuals.
The vice chancellors and deans designate EEO Liaisons, who are charged with ensuring that the search is conducted in accordance with the appropriate rules and regulations, and serve as conduits between their area and the Human Resources and EODO. The EEO Liaisons receive training on how to conduct an appropriate and legal search.
The University developed a process to strengthen its focus and communication in order to better achieve the EEO/Affirmative Action goals. In order to compensate for restricted financial resources, the deans and vice chancellors meet with the Chancellor and decide, based on their knowledge of their budgets and other information for the year, which positions will be filled during the upcoming year. Based on those projections, the Assistant Chancellor for EODO will consult with the deans and vice chancellors about which of those projected vacancies fall into underutilized job categories, and, have a good chance of being filled by a minority or woman based on the availability of qualified minorities and women in the recruitment area. Once those positions are identified, they are classified as "positions of opportunity," and as such, they are closely monitored from the very beginning to make a good faith effort. By taking this approach, the University is able to focus its resources and recruitment efforts on those EEO/Affirmative Action initiatives that have the greatest chance of being successfully achieved.
Aspects of the job search that are reviewed by the appropriate college or vice chancellor's area EEO Liaison for adherence to EEO/Affirmative Action criteria include the following: job announcements; interview questions; selection procedures; and selected semi-finalists. Justification based on objective, job-related criteria must be given for the selection or non-selection of interviewed candidates.
Generally speaking, the steps involved in the hiring process are as follows. The department/unit head or other departmental official submits a Position Authorization Form to Human Resources and develops a position description and announcement. Human Resources will get the necessary signatures, and will inform the designated EEO Liaison once the approvals have been obtained. The associate vice chancellor assigns a tracking number and monitors the search process. If it has been determined that it is a position of opportunity, then the dean and/or vice chancellor should contact the Assistant Chancellor for EODO to discuss recruitment strategy and timelines.
Once job applications are received, the department mails each applicant an Ethnic and Sex Identification and Referral Information form, which the applicant may, if he/she voluntarily chooses, complete and return to the Office of EODO.
In an effort to ensure gender and racial diversity, the departmental official submits a list of names of possible search and screen committee members to the EEO Liaison. The appropriate EEO Liaison forwards the list to the Office of EODO. The Office of EODO informs the EEO Liaison of any issues and steps to be taken to ensure that the proposed search and screen committee reflects sufficient diversity to further the aims of this program.
Once the search and screen committee is formed, they meet with the designated EEO Liaison and the Appointing Authority. The EEO Liaison monitors the search as it progresses to ensure that it is conducted in a lawful manner consistent with the established procedures. The Appointing Authority is the person who will be making the final hiring decision, only after all approvals have been acquired, and he/she will inform the search and screen committee of the qualities he/she is looking for in the position. If, when applications have been submitted, the number of qualified underrepresented individuals in the applicant pool is substantially smaller than what would be expected for that job group based on the relevant recruitment area, the Office of EODO shall assist the search and screen committee in determining additional means through which the numbers may be increased, and may recommend that the position be posted again or that recruitment efforts be refocused or expanded.
The search and screen committee develops a list of job-related screening criteria to review the applications and, while utilizing these criteria, generate interview questions that identify strengths and weaknesses of the interviewed candidates. The EEO Liaison reviews the interview questions. The search and screen committee screen the applicants to generate a list of semi-finalists whom it wishes to interview. The EEO Liaison forwards the interview list to the Office of EODO. Interviews shall start after the Assistant Chancellor for EODO or designee approves the list. If it is a position of opportunity, the Assistant Chancellor for EODO reviews the pool with the utmost concern to have as many qualified protected class individuals as possible. If the representation of protected class individuals in that list falls short of what would be expected based on their availability in the relevant recruitment area, the Office of EODO may require the search and screen committee to take a look at additional candidates and/or to review other recommendations.
Once the interviews have been completed, the search committee produces a list of finalists based on identified job related strengths and weaknesses of all of the interviewed candidates. The list of finalists shall consist of a minimum of two candidates to be forwarded to the Appointing Authority, via the EEO Liaison, with a summary of strengths and weaknesses of the identified candidates and other required documentation. The Appointing Authority meets with the search and screen committee to discuss the finalists, and he/she may wish to interview them. The Appointing Authority selects a single finalist who will be offered the position. The Appointing Authority then completes the Hiring Recommendation Form and forwards it to the area vice chancellor, attaching the resumes of interviewed candidates, the strength and weaknesses summary, the interview questions used, and an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Assurance Form.
Offers cannot be made until all approvals have been received. A search has failed if the search and screen committee or the Appointing Authority does not choose to recommend a candidate for hire. A failed search can be reopened only after the Human Resources Director, the Appointing Authority and the Search Chair have made an assessment.
