Appendix B. Searches

          Authorization of Searches for Full-time Faculty

             The authorization process for a search for a full-time member of the instructional staff begins with a petition from a department or program to the Provost that a search be opened. The petition should reflect discussion among the full-time faculty concerning those aspects of its educational mission of highest priority or in greatest need of enhancement and should be consistent with the planning and goals identified in the department's latest Periodic Program Review or Comprehensive Program Review. The discussion should provide for an ample opportunity to define educational aims and clarify pedagogical priorities. The petition should contain a draft of an advertisement and specify clearly the sub-discipline(s) of the search, accompanied by a summary of the department's analysis of its personnel needs. It should also indicate what consultation has taken place with counterpart departments or programs at Columbia, and what effect the position would have in terms of field coverage by Barnard and Columbia faculty.

             Upon receipt of a departmental petition, the Provost consults with the Faculty Planning Committee. The Faculty Planning Committee refers to the Planning Profile and ascertains how the petition relates to lines which have been designated in the Profile. If a line is open, the FPC moves on to a discussion of the merits of the petition on need and area, and makes a recommendation to the Provost and President. If there is no designated line, the FPC considers it as a request to modify the Planning Profile, for which additional justification is required.

             Upon the recommendation of the FPC and Provost, the President decides whether a search may be initiated. If approval is given, the Provost notifies the Chair that planning for the search may begin.

2)          Planning for the Search

             Upon authorization, the Chair develops a search plan for approval by the Provost. Elements include: identification of the search committee and the process to be used by the department to arrive at a pool of finalists and the desired candidate; proposed copy for advertisement of the vacancy; a list of the professional journals where the ad will appear; indication of additional methods of advertising (e.g. job listing services of professional organizations; letters to highly-rated departments in the field; personal calls to leaders in the field; ads in generic publications such as the Chronicle of Higher Education); a budget request for the projected advertisement and travel/housing costs; and a projected timetable. The Chair should refer to the checklist at the end of this document for further details on the search plan and search process.

             A department may choose to constitute a search committee as all the tenured members of the department, a selected sub-group of the tenured members, or some combination of tenured and non-tenured professorial faculty. Inclusion of one member of the tenured faculty from an allied department at Barnard is expected.

             In describing the process the department will use, there should be an indication of how the counterpart department at Columbia (if there is one) will be involved. Minimally there must be consultation with the Columbia Chair during the final selection process and before a recommendation to hire is made to the Provost. Where appropriate, Columbia faculty may serve as members of the search committee.

             The plan for the advertising should address how the department's plan will ensure the furthering of the College's effort to diversify its faculty. The ad copy should contain the language: Barnard College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from women and individuals from underrepresented groups.

             The ad copy should specify what the candidate should supply; at a minimum this should include: a letter of interest; a complete curriculum vitae; and names, addresses and phone numbers/e-mail of three to five references. The candidate's letter should address experience and future plans in teaching and research. Departments may wish to specify that the candidate request referee letters to be sent to the department by the deadline date. The ad may refer to a set deadline date or may state that the review of materials will begin on XX date and the search will continue until the position is filled.

             The budget request should indicate the costs expected from ads in the selected publications and listing services, and an estimate and itemization of travel and entertainment costs for the finalist pool.

             Upon approval of the search plan and budget, the Chair proceeds with the agreed-upon process. The Provost's Office will post the ad copy on the College's web site.

3)          Handling of Applications

             A complete file of all applications received should be maintained and kept for at least one year following the successful completion of the search. Receipt of applications should be acknowledged via e-mail or a letter in a sealed envelope. As applications come in, they should be reviewed and data extracted so that the Chair can, at the end of the search, complete and certify the College's EOE form, available in the Office of the Provost.

4)          The Pool of Finalists and Campus Visits

             Candidates on the short list will be asked to submit representative scholarly material as well as material attesting to their teaching ability. The latter may include teaching evaluations, sample syllabi, sample exams and a statement of their approach to teaching.

             In addition to an interview with the search committee, the schedule of the candidate's visit to campus should include some form of public presentation, some mechanism to solicit the opinion of representative students and a meeting with the Provost. A brief tour of campus is encouraged. The public presentation should be announced campus-wide and to the corresponding Columbia department (if any). Some departments ask the candidate to make two presentations: to give a standard "job" talk on their research and to teach a class. If the search is for a senior candidate, a meeting will be scheduled with the provost and the President.

5)          Making the Final Selection and Offer

             The chair of the search committee is responsible for debriefing those who met the candidate. The department then constructs a proposed final ranking of the candidates who were interviewed, and the Chair discusses the ranking with the Provost. If agreement is reached on the selection of the first-choice candidate and rank ordering of the other finalists, the Chair and the Provost discuss the salary and other prerequisites the Chair is authorized to offer to the candidate. The Chair then calls the candidate and makes an offer.

6)          Letter of Appointment

             The Provost should be notified as soon as the Chair has obtained a verbal acceptance of the offer and confirm the precise conditions of the offer. The Provost will issue the formal letter of appointment that will specify the rank, salary, term and other conditions of the offer. The candidate will then be asked to signify acceptance of the offer by returning a signed copy of the Provost's letter and to furnish the Provost's Office with proof of the receipt of the terminal degree, e.g. copy of the diploma, statement from a dean or registrar that all thesis and degree requirements have been completed, etc.

7)          Searches for Full-time Visiting Faculty

             Searches for full-time visiting faculty should be as broad as possible given the length of time available for a search. If there is an expectation that the visiting appointment will exceed one year, the search should conform to the procedures outlined above for full-time faculty on continuing appointments.

8)          Logistical Matters Discussed at Meeting with Chairs of Departments with an Active Search

•        Phone interviews to screen pool
•        Travel to professional meetings to interview
•        Interview location
•        Travel of candidates to campus: Number; Saturday stay over; Putting up candidates = Landmark/Union
•        Interview questions

9)          Sample Search Timeline

             March               Submit request to FPC for authorization to conduct search

             April-June         After FPC authorizes, submit search plan to Provost

             June-Sept          After Provost approves search plan, publish job ad in journals, list serves, etc., specifying deadline for applications (typically between Oct 1 and Nov 1).

             Oct-Nov           Send acknowledgements to applicants. Convene search committee to review application and develop short list; solicit further information for applicants on short list.

             Dec-Feb           Select finalists, schedule campus visits, rank finalists after visits, and confer with Provost on making an offer.

Last Updated 3/1/06