Faculty Search and Recruitment

The following steps provide a short outline of what is required during the recruitment process. These steps must be followed even when the faculty position is non-tenure track. Required forms are located on the Faculty Search and Recruitment Resource page. For detailed information, see The SMU Model for Search and Recruitment".

• STEP 1. Complete and submit the FACULTY RECRUITMENT REQUEST FORM (See Appendix B) and the FACULTY RECRUITMENT PLAN (See Appendix C). These documents may be submitted electronically to accessequity@smu.edu. Note that the PLAN includes the Position Announcement/Advertisement (See Appendix D); the list of proposed search committee members; advertising plans, and date of scheduled meeting with IAE to discuss the search. One print ad in a national publication is required for tenure and tenure-track positions. An electronic copy of the final ad (must be in Microsoft Word format, 500 words or less) must be sent to accessequity@smu.edu. IAE will post the ad with the Texas Workforce Commission to comply with Federal regulations. The Provost and IAE must approve step 1 before each search begins.
  
  
• STEP 2. Send an APPLICANT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LETTER (see Appendix L) to all candidates and include the link to the request for data that goes to IAE. This data is mandated by Federal regulations and aids in monitoring the search in terms of SMU’s Strategic Plan.
  
  
• STEP 3. Before interviewing, complete and submit the ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEW REQUEST FORM (See Appendix N). This form can be submitted electronically to accessequity@smu.edu. Before extending an offer, complete and submit the FACULTY PERMISSION TO HIRE FORM (See Appendix Q). This form is submitted to the Provost’s Office.
  
  
• STEP 4. For each candidate, each member of the search committee must complete and submit an APPLICANT INTERVIEW EVALUATION FORM (See Appendix P) or its equivalent, which Form is submitted to the search committee chair. A file of all hiring documents is to be retained in the respective department/division office. *Variance to this procedure must be requested in writing through the Office of the Provost.

A unit will normally use the procedures described in Policy 6.7 or the Model Faculty Search and Recruitment Guidelines to recruit faculty. Yet, situations may arise in which a full search, or indeed any search at all, is not appropriate.

Examples are:

1. The requirements for certain positions are sufficiently specialized that they can be filled by only a limited number of scholars, all of whom are known to the professional community;
2. An opportunity arises to recruit a scholar of great eminence;
3. A department or school wishes to enrich its curricular offerings by temporarily appointing distinguished visitors from other institutions for a semester or year;
4. A department or school may have the opportunity to recruit a qualified member of an underrepresented minority group;
5. It may occasionally be necessary to offer an appointment to the spouse of a prospective faculty member;
6. The recruitment of a professor may require appointing others because they form an established research team;
7. The receipt of a grant may be contingent upon assembling an appropriate research team in advance of its award; and
8. The outstanding achievements of some members of the research supporting staff may merit an internal promotion or reclassification to faculty status.

In addition, unforeseen circumstances that prevent a unit from conducting a full search may warrant a temporary appointment that normally does not exceed one year:

Examples are:

• Unexpected leaves, late resignations, other terminations and deaths of faculty members may produce vacancies that must be filled on short notice;
• Unpredicted increases in enrollment may force a school or department to appoint additional full-time faculty at the start of a semester; and
• Delays in the award of grants and contracts may require that work begin shortly after the receipt of funding.

Variances from standard procedures may be acceptable in these and similar situations. However, the circumstances that occasioned them and the procedures actually followed must be reported as a part of the approval process. The AVP for Institutional Access and Equity retains the right to recommend against an exception to the standard search requirement when the exception does not appear to be justified. In doubtful situations, a dean, chair, or other responsible officer should consult with the Provost and the AVP for Institutional Access and Equity before selecting the candidate and submitting the variance forms requesting permission to make the appointment without conducting a regular search. Regardless of the reason for search exceptions, the faculty of the home unit must discuss and record a formal vote on each case.

1. The Faculty Recruitment Request Form and the On-Campus Interview Request Form and their respective attachments can be submitted electronically to accessequity@smu.edu.
2. The following statement may be used in an ad and was included in the template (see Appendix D) to address the possibility of appointing a candidate at a higher level: “While an appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor tenure track is anticipated, extraordinary candidates at all levels will be considered.”
3. If a search has been unsuccessful or closed without a hire, the search committee chair should submit a summary of the search to IAE and the Provost’s Office. A new Faculty Recruitment Request Form will need to be submitted when the position search is reopened.
4. For clarification, a list of required components for advertisements was added to the ad template.
5. Faculty search committees may wish to utilize videoconferencing during the faculty search and recruitment process. IAE has researched the availability of locations on campus that possess the technology and capability of hosting interviews using videoconferencing. Joe Jackson, Manager of AV and Classroom Technology Support, will assist you with reserving the room and determining which location will serve you in the best way possible. Joe can be reached at 8-4277 or jacksonj@smu.edu.
6. The On-Campus Interview Request Form (see Appendix N) was updated to capture diversity data on employees and applicants for employment who self-identify as two or more races.
7. A brochure for candidates that highlights SMU’s benefits for full-time faculty is available at Benefits. For more detailed benefit information, please visit SMU Human Resources. In addition, a brief summary that illustrates the potential Emeriti savings advantage for retirement health care expenses can be found.
8. The list of Additional Recruitment Resources was expanded to include guidance on interviewing strategies and local diversity resources.

1. The recruitment guidelines apply to all full-time faculty positions including those that are nontenure track. All full-time positions, including those listed in University Policy 6.24 (except visiting faculty), should follow the search and recruitment guidelines.
2. Search committees must be diverse in terms of gender and race.
3. The Applicant Acknowledgement Letter (see Appendix L), which contains the link to the online Applicant Data Request Form, must be sent to all candidates to request data as required by law.
4. Faculty composition of the department on the On-Campus Interview Request Form (see Appendix N) should include all faculty members, including lecturers, and others as identified in University Policy 6.24.
5. The On-Campus Interview Request Form should be submitted to IAE before obtaining the Dean’s signature, so IAE can provide applicant diversity data to the Dean.
6. The On-Campus Interview Request Form must be completed and approved before commencing interviews.
7. The Faculty Permission to Hire Form must be completed and approved before extending an offer.
8. For positions that do not go through the regular recruitment process (i.e., visiting faculty) and the department wants to place an ad, all advertisements must follow the University’s ad requirements (see Appendix D).