II. The Search Process

• Goals of the Professional and Scientific Staff Selection Process
• Roles and Responsibilities of the Search Committee
• Developing the Recruitment Plan and Advertising the Position
• Applicant Self-Identification Forms

A. Goals of the Professional and Scientific Staff Selection Process

• To attract a diverse array of highly-qualified applicants to The University of Iowa
• To provide all applicants an equal opportunity to apply and compete for professional and scientific (P&S) positions at The University of Iowa
• To encourage promotional opportunities for existing P&S staff, particularly for women and racial/ethnic minorities in the areas where they are presently underrepresented
• To take affirmative action to address any areas of underrepresentation of women or racial/ethnic minorities in the ranks of the University’s P&S staff
• To take steps to achieve the targeted indicators for the employment of women and racial/ethnic minorities in the professional and scientific ranks as identified in The Iowa Promise

B. Roles and Responsibilities of the Search Committee

Search committees can effect change in the composition of the workforce through the recruitment, selection, and hiring of staff.

Search Committee Composition

• Committee members should have relevant knowledge about the responsibilities and requirements of the vacant position
• It is helpful for a committee member to have supervised the vacant or similar positions
• The committee should reflect the diversity of the campus; to achieve this goal, it may be necessary to include a member from related departments or units or a graduate student on the search committee
• The committee chairperson must hold a position at the same or higher level than the vacant position
• Each appointee should have adequate time to devote to search committee duties

Charge of the Search Committee

• Understand the University’s strategic plan, The Iowa Promise, as well as applicable equal opportunity/affirmative action and diversity goals
• Develop the recruitment plan to enlarge the applicant pool with women and minority applicants, particularly where underrepresentation exists
• Evaluate applicants fairly based on the qualifications advertised in the position announcement
• Be cognizant of unintentional bias that may overshadow the search committee’s perceptions of candidates
• Create an open and welcoming environment and establish positive rapport with candidates during the interview
• Maintain confidentiality about search committee proceedings
• It may be appropriate to arrange for candidates to meet with diverse University constituencies so that candidates can gain a more direct sense of the community with which they will work and live

Responsibilities of the Search Committee Chairperson

• Ensure that the search committee charge is understood and implemented
• Serve as a liaison between the committee and the hiring department
• Facilitate all committee meetings
• Coordinate administrative support
• Ensure that appropriate records and meeting minutes are maintained
• Perform all regular duties of a search committee member
• Perform other duties as requested by the hiring department

Responsibilities of Search Committee Members

• Assist in identifying and contacting potential applicants
• Attend all scheduled committee meetings
• Screen applicants and select candidates for interview
• Participate in the interview process
• Check applicants’ references
• Perform other duties as assigned by the chairperson

C. Developing the Recruitment Plan and Advertising the Position

Developing the recruitment plan is one of the most vital aspects of the search process. Including a broad spectrum of strategies in the plan will yield a more diverse pool of qualified applicants.

As noted in the University’s Operations Manual (Section III, Chapter 9.5), searches for professional and scientific (P&S) positions which are 50% full-time equivalency or greater and extend for one year or more require an affirmative action search.

1. Preparing the P&S Requisition/Recruitment Plan

P&S Requisition/Recruitment Plans are electronic forms created in the Hire@UIOWA application (accessed through the Human Resources Employee Self-Service website) and routed through Workflow.

Essential components of the recruitment plan include:

• Names of all individuals serving on the search committee
• List of all advertising resources to be utilized
• Copies of all advertisements, letters, position announcements, professional contacts, and mailing lists
• Approval signatures from the departmental executive officer and collegiate dean/vice president (via Workflow)
• Approval of advertisements and position announcements by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity at the beginning of the search process, prior to publication or distribution of position announcements

To create a P&S Requisition/Recruitment Plan:

• Log in to the Employee Self-Service website using your HawkID and password
• Click the HR Applications tab
• Under the Systems tab, click Hire@UIOWA to enter the HR Web Transaction System (please note that the training manual, which includes detailed instructions for completing the form, can also be accessed from this web page)
• Click Faculty/P&S Requisition/Recruitment Plan
• Follow the instructions as provided in the Training Manual
• Within the Requisition/Recruitment Plan there are Help buttons which provide additional details about each field on the form
• If you need additional assistance, please send an e-mail to eod-search-help@uiowa.edu or call 335-0705

 2. Advertising Requirements

The scope of advertising required for P&S positions is based on two criteria: (1) underrepresentation within the job group and (2) the pay grade of the position.

Positions in job groups that are underrepresented for women or racial/ethnic minorities in the University’s current workforce require advertising targeted toward the underrepresented group. Refer to the Underrepresentation Reports on the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity website for a list of job titles determined to be underrepresented for women and/or minorities. Targeted recruitment resources are also available on the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity website. There are three levels of advertising for P&S positions: local, regional and national. For positions that are half-time (50% full-time equivalency) or more for one year or more:

• Pay grades 1 through 8 require local advertising (e.g., Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Quad Cities, Eastern Iowa or other metropolitan areas in Iowa)
• Pay grades 9 through 11 require regional advertising (e.g., metropolitan areas in the Midwest outside the state of Iowa)
• Pay grades 12 and above require national advertising (e.g., metropolitan areas throughout the U.S.)

Examples of acceptable advertising media include print media (newspaper, journal advertisements, publications of professional organizations), web sites, listservs, and professional contacts. See Advertising Resources.

3. Strategies to Enhance the Diversity of the Applicant Pool

It is vital that the hiring department and search committee devote time to developing strategies to enhance the diversity of the applicant pool. Some strategies include:

• Developing a broad knowledge of the applicable marketplace and where to target the search to yield a diverse applicant pool
• Considering non-traditional advertising venues
• Consulting with current women and racial/ethnic minority staff to identify successful strategies and to obtain referrals for diverse prospective applicants
• Maintaining ongoing professional contacts with colleagues at other institutions to solicit nominations of well-qualified women and minority applicants
• Advertising positions in a variety of publications and with professional organizations that reach diverse populations
• Personally inviting women and racial/ethnic minorities to apply for position openings
• Identifying women and racial/ethnic minorities in highly specialized fields and inviting them to recruit other women and minorities
• Soliciting the names of prospective applicants from caucuses of women and racial/ethnic minorities within relevant professional and academic associations
• Reviewing applicant pools from prior searches to identify promising women and minority applicants for current or future searches
• Utilizing the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity’s listing of Targeted Recruitment Resources (See Advertising Resources.)

4. Diversity Leadership Requirements for Executive, Administrative, and Managerial Positions

Each member of the University community contributes to the development and maintenance of a healthy academic and working environment in which diversity is valued. Executive, administrative, and managerial positions have a unique responsibility for promoting a fair and equitable environment. Effective April 2005, The University of Iowa implemented a new policy, Diversity in Employment Guidelines, in support of the diversity goals and strategies stated in the 2005-2010 strategic plan, The Iowa Promise. A checklist (pdf) for assessing candidates' diversity skills in accordance with this policy can be found here.

The policy states that position descriptions and announcements for senior leadership positions must include job-related experience with and/or commitment to diversity as a required qualification. These guidelines apply to all open positions for executive, administrative, and managerial staff at pay grade 12 or higher in the professional and scientific classification system, as well as to faculty appointments with significant administrative responsibilities.

Including the diversity leadership requirement in the position description and announcement informs candidates of the University's commitment to diversity and encourages them to be forthcoming about such experience during interviews. In addition to soliciting prospective candidates, the language serves to communicate the University's mission to the general public.

Samples of language that may be used to satisfy this requirement follow. This information is also posted on the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity website.

• Demonstrated commitment to promoting a diverse environment
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of affirmative action and equal opportunity
• Demonstrated commitment to human rights and equality Demonstrated experience promoting a diverse workforce/academic environment
• Demonstrated knowledge of effective strategies for working with diverse faculty, staff, and students
• Demonstrated experience working effectively in a diverse environment
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity in the educational community

For further information, please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity at 335-0705 (phone), 335-0697 (text phone), or diversity@uiowa.edu.

5. Use of the Internet in Position Announcements

Electronic media are increasingly used in job searches by employers and job seekers alike. Examples of primary electronic media include listservs, bulletin boards, job banks, websites, and job boards of associations and organizations serving professionals in fields relevant to the requirements of the position. When advertising electronically, you may provide a link to the website where your department’s job postings are listed. See Advertising Resources.

D. Applicant Self-Identification Forms

As required by federal regulations, The University of Iowa requests information from job applicants to monitor and report on equal employment opportunity and affirmative action programs. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity accommodates this policy with the Applicant Self-Identification Form.

Submission of this information is voluntary. The information will not be shared or used in making employment decisions. If applicants choose not to answer these questions, they will not be excluded from consideration for employment.

As described below, the medium used for the Applicant Self-Identification Form varies depending on when the requisition/recruitment plan was created and whether the department has the applicant’s e-mail address.

For Requisitions Created Before April 13, 2005:

Departments must mail a paper copy of the Applicant Self-Identification Form to each applicant, along with a postage-paid return envelope addressed to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity. The form and envelope may be sent along with your letter acknowledging receipt of the application.

The Applicant Self-Identification Form is available on the University’s Electronic Forms website under “Equal Opportunity and Diversity”. To order additional envelopes as needed, call the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (335-0705).

For Requisitions Created Between April 13 and July 10, 2005:

The Workflow approval notice for the Requisition/Recruitment Plan includes a link to an online version of the Applicant Self-Identification Form. Departments in turn send this link to applicants who provided their e-mail address.

If an applicant did not indicate an e-mail address, the department must send a paper copy of the form along with a postage-paid return envelope addressed to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (as described above for requisitions created before April 13, 2005).

For Requisitions Created On or After July 11, 2005:

With the implementation of the University’s online application system for P&S positions, applicants are now invited to provide their self-identification information within the application system. Therefore, it is not necessary for departments to send either the paper version or the link to the electronic version of the Applicant Self-Identification Form to the applicants.

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