Procedures for Recruiting Faculty

Before reviewing the procedures which govern the recruitment and selection of full-time members of the faculty, it is important to recall with all of the persons who will be engaged in all or some part of the process that the interview materials, the private discussions about the merits of all or any candidates, and the conclusions of a search process (beyond the simple facts that a search is completed or cancelled) are strictly confidential. In no circumstance should candidates who were part of a short list, or who visited the campus as applicants, be informed or counseled about the merits or problems with their candidacies.

The procedures outlined below are intended to provide guidance for the recruitment and selection of full-time members of the faculty. * Such procedures have generally proved serviceable in the past, but improvement or refinement is still possible. Any suggestions that might increase the likelihood of finding and securing the best possible candidates for the College are welcome.

* Since part-time faculty are not recruited nationally, all the procedures listed here do not apply. Such appointments are arranged by the Dean in consultation with department chairpersons.

The Department Chairperson notifies the Dean of the Faculty of any impending vacancy as soon as it becomes evident. After discussion with the Dean, the Department Chairperson writes a position request and a "position announcement." The request and position announcement are reviewed by the Dean’s Advisory Council. Department chairs will need to plan for sufficient time for this review to occur. No reviews can occur from June through August. The position announcement serves as the basis for advertising the vacancy. All full-time vacancies are advertised.
Unless otherwise established in consultation with the Dean, the Department Chairperson will chair the search committee and take the initiative in seeking candidates. The search committee will normally consist of three to five faculty, including at least one faculty member from outside the department. In addition, the same two to three students should be involved in the on-campus interviews of all candidates for a particular position. The President, the Provost, and the Dean are ex officio members of all search committees. As the search proceeds, the chairperson of the committee should keep the Dean apprised of important developments.
It is important that all departments make a special effort to seek out minority candidates and/or female candidates. Graduate schools with a high proportion of minorities (see list at the end of this section) should be contacted and followed up with personal calls whenever possible. Faculty should develop and use personal contacts and networks to identify prospective minority and/or female candidates. Several current databases listing such candidates may also be consulted in the Dean's Office.
Accomplishment of Berea's special goals and compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act make it important that:
1. Prospective candidates be given as complete an understanding as possible concerning the kind of college Berea is. Thus, the position announcement, the President's "Letter to Prospective Candidates" and selected brochures should be included in the first mailing.
2. We make clear in all public announcements that Berea recognizes a special responsibility to seek and give full consideration to candidates who are women or members of ethnic and racial minority groups. The statement most commonly used to make this point is "In keeping with the College's inclusive Christian tradition and its emphasis on the dignity and worth of all people, Berea College embraces and values diversity through encouragement of applications from women and members of minority groups."
3. All individuals who express an interest in a vacancy should be given equal consideration. Thus the same information (e.g. curriculum vitae, application letter, names of references) should be requested from all interested individuals.
4. All files of individuals who express an interest in a vacancy need to be maintained for five years. Such files should be maintained in the department.
All candidates should receive from the chair a prompt acknowledgment of their inquiry. Text which includes at least the following points is recommended:

As Chair/Director of [name of program] I am acknowledging receipt of your application materials for [name of the vacant position]. I note that at this time [your application materials are complete] or [that we have not yet received (list missing materials: curriculum vitae, application letter, and/or names of references)]. The deadline for submission of all materials is [indicate date].

Before such acknowledgements are made, the Chair/Director must be certain that he/she is accurate in determining that an application is complete, or in the case of an incomplete application, that the listing of deficiencies is appropriate. An applicant could be prejudiced by inappropriate advice and later seek to hold the College responsible for such an error.

Following initial screening, those no longer being given active consideration should be so advised by the chair and thanked for applying. This letter of advisement should be cordial but neutral. The following text is recommended:

As Chair/Director of [name of program] I wish to inform you that your application for the position of [name the position] is no longer under active consideration. I thank you for your interest in Berea College.

Those still under consideration should receive a personal letter or phone call from the chair, affirming Berea's interest in their candidacy. That contact can also be used to solicit additional information about the candidate and to provide information about the College or the position. It is generally desirable to ask the most promising candidates to respond in writing to the information about the College. One purpose of such a statement is to demonstrate understanding of Berea's character and special purpose.
According to the timetable established by the chairperson and the Dean, the search committee should select the five to eight most favored candidates. The dossiers for each of those selected should be forwarded for examination by the Dean. The Dean and the chairperson will then discuss the candidates before anyone is invited for an interview. A complete dossier normally consists of curriculum vitae, transcripts, letters of recommendation and all correspondence with the candidate.
The invitation to visit the campus will generally be issued by the Dean’s Office after consultation with the chairperson. The Dean's Office will inform the chairperson of the date and time of arrival and departure. Candidates will generally be asked to spend one and one-half days on the campus.
1. The Dean's Office will make arrangements for (1) overnight accommodations at Boone Tavern, and (2) interviews with, the Provost and the Dean. Generally, we will try to schedule an hour interview with the Dean at the beginning of the visit and at the conclusion of the visit.
2. The chairperson of the search committee should develop an itinerary to be distributed to the candidate and members of the committee. This itinerary should arrange both formal and informal meetings between the candidate and members of the committee. These meetings may be scheduled individually or in groups of two. Committee members should meet with the candidates for about an hour each. Whenever the position includes teaching responsibilities in general education, an interview should also be arranged with the Director of General Education. A copy of the itinerary and candidate's papers should be forwarded to the Dean, the Provost, and the President prior to the visit.
  
  In preparing the itinerary, please keep in mind that campus visits can be tiring. Try to provide candidates one or two breaks during the day; time to gather one's thoughts may be especially important before making a presentation.
3. Some of the other arrangements to be considered include the following:
  1. Transportation arrangements to and from the airport are to be made when necessary. It is understood that the chairperson of the search committee will make such arrangements. College cars should be used when available; use of private cars will be reimbursed.
  2. When possible, it may be desirable to begin the on-campus schedule with an informal gathering consisting of available members of the search committee/department/Dean of the Faculty. If this or any other gathering involves a meal, the College will provide reimbursement of the expenses for the candidate and no more than two others.
  3. All candidates should be given the opportunity to meet with a group of two to four students informally, perhaps with lunch at food service.
  4. A formal presentation to a class or a mixed group of students/faculty should be arranged at a mutually convenient time. The chairperson of the search committee should discuss the forum and topic of the presentation with the candidate in advance of the visit. The purpose of the presentation should be to give the candidate an opportunity to demonstrate teaching ability, including responding to questions concerning the topic.
  5. Candidates invited to the campus should be informed that we would be pleased to have their spouses accompany them to Berea. The College will provide lodging and meals for the spouse, but we cannot pay for the spouse's transportation. Spouses who do accompany the candidates generally appreciate being informed of the campus tours and special events of interest. If there is any possibility that they may be interested in College housing, advance arrangements should be made for them to meet with the administrator at Facilities Management in charge of rental property.
  6. Upon the candidate's arrival, it is usually helpful to provide a campus map and College catalogue (if not already received). All requests for reimbursement of candidate expenses should be presented to the Dean's Office.
After all candidates to be interviewed have visited the campus, the chairperson will solicit the views of the search committee. The chairperson, the Dean, and the Provost will then confer and, when they have agreed on a candidate, forward a recommendation to the President.
Agreement having been reached, the Dean will complete negotiations with the candidate and forward an invitation letter.
After the candidate accepts the offer, the Dean acknowledges acceptance.
Once a search is complete and the Dean of the Faculty has made the appointment, the Chair or Director should notify formerly active candidates that the search is concluded and an appointment made.   The following text for these letters is recommended:
As Chair/Director of [name of program] I wish to inform you that an appointment has been made for [name of position]. Your application is no longer under consideration.   I thank you for your interest in Berea College and for your visit to Berea's campus.

There is a great temptation in writing such letters to include words and phrases like "I regret to inform you…" or "It was a very difficult decision…" or "You are a very qualified candidate, but…"   These gestures are well-intended but can be (and have been in some cases) distorted by unsuccessful candidates. Such statements should always be avoided.
If the search is cancelled, the Chair or Director should notify formerly active candidates that the search has been cancelled. The following text is recommended for these letters:

As Chair/Director of [name of program] I wish to inform you that the search for [name the position] has been cancelled. The position is not being filled at this time. Your application is no longer under consideration. I thank you for your interest in Berea College and for your visit to our campus.

Graduate Schools Ranking High in the Number of African American Doctoral Degrees Awarded for All Disciplines Combined

Nova Southeastern University
Capella University
Argosy University-Sarasota Campus
Howard University
Jackson State University
United Theological Seminary
Argosy University-Atlanta Campus
University of Maryland-College Park
Walden University
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Texas Southern University
Clark Atlanta University
University of Southern California
Florida State University
Temple University
South Carolina State University
Alliant International Univ.-San Diego
University of Georgia
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Teachers College at Columbia University
Ohio State University-Main Campus
University of Florida
Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Morgan State University
Wayne State University
Florida A&M University
University of Phoenix-Online Campus
CUNY Graduate School and University Center
Harvard University
Loyolo University Chicago
University of California-Los Angeles
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Auburn University Main Campus
University of California-Berkeley
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Georgia Southern University
Fielding Graduate University
Michigan State University
Louisiana State University and A&M College
Alabama State University
Stanford University
Purdue University-Main Campus
Texas A&M University
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Emory University
Wilmington University
University of Memphis
University of Kentucky
Mississippi State University
The University of Texas at Austin
George Washington University
The University of Tennessee
University of Illinois at Chicago

Source: Diverse: Issues In Higher Education analysis of U. S. Department of Education preliminary data for 2006-07 as reported in the July 10, 2008 issue, Vol. 25, No. 11.