New Permanent Faculty Hires - Position Management

Dean's Office contacts:  Ivy Mason-Sharrah and Susan Miller

• New permanent faculty hires - position management
  • Creating a search
  • Managing a search
  • Extending an offer
  • Workday processing
• New Postdoctoral Scholar or Artist in Residence
• New joint faculty
• Advertisement template
• Interviews and campus visits guidance, AY2021-2022
• Outside chair/director searches
• College Council review
• Chair/Director’s letter
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Hiring non-U.S. citizens
• Permanent residence (aka "green card")

For legal and fiscal management reasons, it is important to follow this sequence in the search for, and appointment of, new faculty for permanent positions (all faculty hired based upon a competitive search).

1. Once the hiring plan has been approved by the Provost, the Dean’s office will initiate a Position Details case (via Interfolio) and it send it forward to the unit to provide additional details (walkthrough coming soon).
2. The department will submit the proposed advertisement via email to the appropriate Divisional Dean and Susan Miller. Specific statements must be contained in the advertisement – see the Generic advertisement for a faculty position for guidance.
   • With your ad, please include a provisional list of search committee members for the Divisional Dean to review.  
3. Once approved by the Dean, the advertisement must be submitted via Interfolio for official approvals (see the Create a Position user guide for details).  
   • NOTE: It is College policy to list a diversity statement as a candidate application requirement on all searches.
   • NOTE: Pay close attention to the information detailed in the user guide, especially the Internal Notes section, as the field names don’t always align with the information that OAP would like provided.
4. Once the ad is approved in Interfolio, it must still be posted to either the Chronicle of Higher Education online or a national print journal to meet posting requirements. Other discipline specific postings are encouraged.
   • PRO-TIP: As soon as the advertisement is posted in the Chronicle of Higher Education online, print the ad to PDF (ensuring the URL is clearly visible) and save it.  If it was posted in a print journal, request a copy of the tear sheet or a PDF of the posting that clearly shows the journal name, volume, and date. This will be a required part of the documentation when a hire is made.

1. Follow diversity, equity, and inclusion procedures through advertising and recruiting.  
2. Assign and update position and application statuses as the search progresses: Follow the OAP guide for managing searches. 
   • PRO-TIP: Assign disposition codes to each applicant as they are eliminated from consideration, using the codes from this matrix. All applicants must be assigned a disposition code before the preferred candidate can be hired and/or the search can be closed.
3. Discuss with the Divisional Dean before interview visits are arranged.  The department is encouraged to arrange for the Divisional Dean to meet with candidates who visit the campus. 
   • Limited travel support may be available from the Dean's Office for faculty candidate visits (see Travel and Interview expenses); otherwise all costs associated with a search are the responsibility of the unit.
4. Send to the Divisional Dean a report of the search/selection procedures, the faculty vote, and the files of the proposed candidate and the second choice. In order to gain approval, the file must demonstrate that all appropriate procedures have been followed, that the candidate's record meets the College's high expectations for faculty members, and that the candidate's teaching and research interests reflect the agreed-upon strategic priorities of the department and the qualifications listed in the advertisements.

1. Obtain approval from the Divisional Dean to extend an offer and submit a draft of the offer letter. Before an offer can be made, it must be approved by the Divisional Dean and Ivy Mason-Sharrah. 
   • See the Forms and Samples section for different offer letter templates.  
     • PRO-TIP: Always use the templates for drafting offers, rather than re-using offers from previous years, as the links and language are updated frequently. 
   • If an offer letter is revised, it must be submitted again for approval.  
   • NOTE: If the position will or may have unsupervised access to children under sixteen, developmentally disabled adults, or other vulnerable populations, follow provisions of the Washington State Child and Adult Abuse Information Law by ensuring that the successful candidate is aware that their employment is contingent upon successfully passing a background check.  For more information, refer to the OAP web page.
2. If the new appointment is at or above the level of Associate Professor (including research, affiliate, and clinical appointments), submit the candidate's documentation for review and approval by the College Council.  This should be done before an offer is made.  
   • See the College Council review of a new appointment form for a list of required documentation, which should be sent to Julianna Jones in the Dean's Office.
3. Send the approved offer letter to the candidate with a CC to the Divisional Dean and Ivy Mason-Sharrah. 
4. Once an offer has been accepted (or if the search is declared failed), close the search in Interfolio. 
   • NOTE: It is important to do this as soon as the final candidate has accepted, or the search is declared failed, as it ties into the hiring report that we submit to the Provost. 
5. Once the accepted offer has been received by the College, they will initiate the Final Details of Hire process via Interfolio and send it to the unit for final details (walkthrough coming soon).

1. Create a new position in Workday for this hire.
2. Hire the successful candidate into the position created in step one and attach all required documents to the business process. For units whose payroll is processed by the Administrative Support Team (AST), submit all necessary documents and details to AST for processing.
   • For a list of required documentation, see the OAP Titles & Ranks page. Information on tenure, teaching, and research track appointments will be found under the Professorial Tracks heading. 
   • NOTE: The Interfolio search must be closed by the time the hire reaches the Academic Personnel Workday inbox.  If it is not, it will delay the hire being processed.  
   • PRO-TIP: Ensure that the hire is reviewed by the Board of Regents prior to the start date by entering the hire into Workday with sufficient lead time that it hits the Academic Personnel Workday inbox at least 23 days prior to the last Regents meeting before the hire date. 
3. Retain the files of all applicants according to the UW General Records Retention Schedule section entitled Search Committees for Faculty and Chairpersons.
4. Upload a copy of the hire documentation to DocFinity for the personnel file. 
5. Once the hire has been fully approved, the new faculty member will receive emails about setting up their UW NetID, accessing Workday and assorted onboarding processes – including filling out the I-9 employment eligibility form.

1. Create a new position in Workday for this hire.
2. Draft an offer letter.  Please note that there is very strict union language that must be used for postdoc offers - please see the AHR offer template for language.
   • Note: If the position will or may have unsupervised access to children under sixteen, developmentally disabled adults, or other vulnerable populations, or is security/safety sensitive, follow provisions of the Washington State Child and Adult Abuse Information Law by ensuring that the successful candidate is aware that their employment is contingent upon successfully passing a background check.  For more information, refer to the AHR web page.
3. Send the approved offer letter to the candidate.  Federal law requires all employers to verify and document the citizenship and employment eligibility of each new employee (using form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification), and the employing unit is responsible for advising applicants of this requirement.  See Appointments of non-U.S. citizens for specific requirements in this area.
4. Hire the successful candidate into the position created in step 3 and attach all required documents to the business process. For units whose payroll is processed by the Administrative Support Team, submit all necessary documents and details to AST for processing.
   Documentation requirements can be found for each title on the AHR titles and ranks page.
5. Once the hire has been fully approved, the new hire will receive an email about setting up their Workday account and will then begin to receive notifications for assorted onboarding processes – including filling out the I-9 employment eligibility form.

If a unit is hiring a new joint appointment or splitting an existing appointment into a joint, then the individual must hold two positions and corresponding academic appointments (one in each unit). Additional documentation is also required.

• Chair/Director's letter (from new appointing department) to Dean, reporting the faculty vote (including: for, against, abstaining, absent, and total number of eligible voters), voting rights within the new department, which department will be the primary department, and which department will have responsibility for tenure (or the % tenure split between the two departments)
• Concurrence from Dean/Chancellor of primary unit's school
• Letters of recommendation (3 preferred, 1 required)
• Joint appointment tenure (eligibility) agreement
• Joint appointment tenure (eligibility) allocation confirmation
• Memorandum of Understanding (a template is available in both Word and PDF formats)
• Supporting documentation, if deemed appropriate by appointing department

After the department has been granted approval to search via the search approval process in Interfolio, the proposed advertisement must be approved by the Divisional Dean and Susan Miller, and then submitted for AHR approval through Interfolio.  When creating positions and submitting ads through Interfolio, please follow the user guide closely.

Advertising Resources:

• Advertisement template
• Create a position user guide
• Common reasons for Interfolio ad send backs
• Creating ads for permanent residence sponsorship eligible positions
• Academic Personnel - Planning a hire

Due to current concerns related to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic and the corresponding risk to candidates traveling to/from campus from areas outside the Puget Sound region and Washington state, it is highly recommended that all faculty searches should be conducted remotely for the 2021-22 academic year or until significant change in public health guidance. This helps ensure the safety of candidates and equity in the search process.

Search committees are encouraged to share and utilize the College’s virtual tour platform as part of the search process. Resources related to interviewing and hiring in the virtual environment are available online.

Under exceptional or specific circumstances related to the search or nature of the position, in-person interviews may be requested by departments through the Divisional Dean. Such requests will be reviewed by the College’s Executive Staff. In those cases for which permission is granted, in-person campus visits should be reserved for candidates who are identified as finalists for searches - and candidates should be given the option for a remote interview if they express discomfort traveling to/from campus.  For those who have received an offer, in person recruitment visits may be requested.

The Dean's Office will assist a department when the search for a new chair or director is authorized to include candidates from outside the UW.  With permission, costs for advertisements, telephone calls, postage, etc. may be prepared by or billed to the Dean's Office.  Travel requests to bring prospective candidates here for interviews should be prepared by the Dean's Office.  In order to be reimbursed for expenses incurred during an interview visit, the candidate must fill out a travel expense voucher in the Dean's Office sometime during the visit.

The Dean's Office will reimburse the chair of the search committee for the entertainment expenses of one dinner with the candidate and the committee members.  Submit a receipt, candidate's name, date, etc. for this reimbursement.  Costs of departmental entertaining, such as lunches or receptions with faculty, should be paid from the unit's discretionary funds or by the departmental faculty members themselves.

All materials relevant to the search, including all applicant files, should be retained and turned over to the Dean's Office at the conclusion of the search.

If a proposed new appointment is at or above the level of Associate Professor or Associate Teaching professor, the department must submit the candidate's documentation for review and approval by the College Council (for regular tenured or research appointments) or by the Divisional Dean (for affiliate and clinical appointments).

For College Council review of a regular (tenured) or research appointment, these materials need to be sent in a PDF file to Julianna Jones in the Dean's Office.

• Checklist for new appointment recommendation, using the form New Appointment College Council checklist
• Curriculum vitae
• Bibliography
• Candidate’s letter of application for the position
• Chair's letter to Dean, reporting the faculty vote, chair's recommendation, description/evaluation of research, teaching, service
• Departmental review committee report, if produced
• Chair's letter from joint and/or adjunct department, if applicable
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness (student and collegial assessments, departmental evaluation)
• External evaluations (3-5 outside letters of evaluation)

Note that copies of the candidate's publications or creative works do not need to be submitted.

For Divisional Dean review of an affiliate or clinical appointment, send one original set and one copy of the same documentation listed above.

The Chair/Director’s letter must include the following items:

• Report of the faculty vote - This must include the date of the vote, the total number of eligible voters, the number in attendance, and how many voted yes, no or abstained, as well as the chair's independent recommendation.
• Title, salary, service period (9 or 12 month), percent of employment, term of appointment (if applicable), effective dates
• Indication that there was a search and that this person is best qualified of all applicants
• When and where person received degrees
• Overview of employment history
• Qualifications and special expertise
• Comments on teaching, research, and service
• How the appointment will benefit the department
• If a joint appointment: which is primary department, does person have voting rights in secondary department, how funding is split, percent of tenure (or tenure eligibility) in each unit
• If appointment is an Assistant Professor who has not obtained a Ph.D. and is therefore being appointed as "acting," a statement that it is the department's intention eventually to convert the appointment to a regular Assistant Professorship, given timely completion of degree
• If not a state-funded position, comments as to tenure eligibility (if applicable) and perhaps a statement as to if or when the person might be transferred into a state-funded position

The chair's letter cannot make reference (even a direct quote from a letter of recommendation) to the candidate's age, race, or visa status.

Each unit should continually examine its hiring procedures to assure that, for every vacancy, sufficient proactive steps are taken to recruit women and under-represented minorities.  For example, the search committee should specifically contact colleagues in areas where particular minority groups are concentrated in the population.  When minority candidates visit, arrangements should be made for them to consult with present faculty members from their ethnic group.  The Divisional Dean and the UW's Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action can provide advice and support for implementing these and other proactive recruiting measures.

The College also provides travel assistance for women and minority candidates where there is an identified under-representation on the faculty; see Interview expenses.

Departments conducting academic searches should advise candidates of required materials. All searches must require candidates to provide:

• Letters of reference
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• A statement from candidates describing their experience and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

For more information see the following University resources:

• Tools for evaluating applicants | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Handbook of Best Practices for Faculty Searches
• Best Practices "tool kit"
• UW Diversity Blueprint 2017-2021
• Administrative Policy Statement 46.2: Affirmative Action Program
• Executive Order 31, section 5.C-E: Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action

When hiring an individual who is not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, U.S. immigration laws require the employer to complete the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 within three days of the individual’s start.  This form needs to be completed in Workday as part of the onboarding process.  Failure to comply could subject the University to heavy civil and criminal penalties.

When a non-U.S. citizen is offered a full-time, professorial rank position, the employing department should submit a ticket to the Administrative Support Team's visa experts in order to start the visa process.  Immigration laws allow an alien to apply for an H-1B temporary visa and for permanent residence simultaneously.  At the time of employment, the candidate must have either (1) an H-1B visa, obtained by the department through International Scholars Operations even though processing for permanent residence has started, or (2) approval of permanent residence status.