East Carolina University

15. The search committee interviews elected candidates. Phone interviews and off-campus interviews (at conferences, etc.) are acceptable for preliminary screening, but on-campus interviews with at least two candidates typically are required by OEOE.

16. After all candidates have been interviewed, the search committee submits, in writing, its recommendation to the departmental personnel committee. In many cases, the search committee solicits input from departmental constituents. (For example, in some units, all faculty and graduate students are asked to fill out evaluation forms for all candidates who had an on-campus interview.) The names of all acceptable candidates should be sent forward. If more than one candidate is deemed acceptable, the search committee should rank the candidates in terms of preference.

17. The personnel committee forwards its written recommendation to the department chair (or appropriate administrator).

18. The department chair forwards his/her written recommendation, along with the candidate’s credentials and the written recommendations of the search and personnel committees, to the Dean (or appropriate administrator) via the EPA Faculty Personnel Office.

19. In most cases, the unit administrator completes the process of offering the position and negotiating with the candidate.

20. The search committee should work with the EPA Faculty Personnel Office regarding electronic submission of the Compliance Report to the OEOE for approval.

21. The search committee sends final notification to all applicants.

EPA ADMINSTRATOR Search Procedures at-a-Glance

This section is intended to serve only as a checklist of search committee responsibilities for administrators at the level of the Departmental Chair or less . For more detailed information, please consult the subsequent sections of this guide.

The Dean notifies the unit personnel committee chair that an administrator position (i.e., Chair of Department) is vacant and needs to be filled through a search.

The search committee is established by the unit personnel committee, convenes, and elects a chair.

The search committee prepares and submits the position advertisement to the EPA Faculty Personnel Office.

The EPA Faculty Personnel Office forwards the advertisement to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (VCAA) or the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences (VCHS) for approval.

The search committee files the Office of Equal Opportunity and Equity (OEOE) Vacancy Notice through the EDAP system.

The Vacancy Notice is approved electronically by the appropriate Dean, OEOE, and the Department of Human Resources (HR). The originator is notified via e-mail of status/approval.

Upon receipt of approved advertisement from VCAA or VCHS and OEOE, the EPA Faculty Personnel Office will place ads for publication in appropriate media (e.g., professional society journals, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Daily Reflector, The News and Observer, etc.)

The search committee sends all applicants a link to the online Applicant Data Form and instructions on using the EDAP system to complete the form and confirms that the applicants will allow their application materials to be viewed by departmental faculty. Applicants also should be informed of any materials needed to complete their applications.

After the closing date or date upon which review of applications begins, the search committee screens applications and files a screening report using the EDAP system. After the Screening Report has been approved by OEOE, candidates may be contacted by the search committee. No interviews may be conducted until the Screening Report has been approved. NOTE: If a candidate is not a US Citizen or permanent resident, contact the Office of International Affairs for more information.

10. After candidates have been selected by the search committee for interviews, the search committee requests that the selected candidates provide the university with official transcripts.

11. The search committee prepares an itinerary for on-campus interviews.

12. Candidates are provided an information packet about ECU and Greenville as well as a sample I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) form and instructions. This packet is provided by the unit.

The search committee checks references thoroughly.

The search committee notifies department members, the current department chair (or appropriate administrator acting in that position), and the unit’s Dean of upcoming interviews and scheduled events.

The search committee interviews elected candidates. Phone interviews and off-campus interviews (at conferences, etc.) are acceptable for preliminary screening, but on-campus interviews with at least two candidates typically are required by OEOE.

After all candidates have been interviewed, the search committee submits, in writing, its recommendation to the departmental personnel committee. In many cases, the search committee solicits input from departmental constituents. (For example, in some units, all faculty and graduate students are asked to fill out evaluation forms for all candidates who had an on-campus interview.) The names of all acceptable candidates should be sent forward. If more than one candidate is deemed acceptable, the search committee should rank the candidates in terms of preference.

The personnel committee forwards its written recommendation to the department chair (or appropriate administrator acting in that position).

The department chair (or appropriate administrator acting in that position) forwards his/her written recommendation, along with the candidate’s credentials and the written recommendations of the search and personnel committees, to the Dean (or appropriate administrator) via the EPA Faculty Personnel Office.

In most cases, the unit administrator completes the process of offering the position and negotiating with the candidate.

The search committee should work with the EPA Faculty Personnel Office regarding electronic submission of the Compliance Report to the OEOE for approval.

The search committee sends final notification to all applicants.

The Search Process

The Search Committee

The search process begins with identification of a position vacancy in an individual unit. Generally, a search committee is then formed with the charge of conducting a search to recruit a qualified pool of candidates. Although the university does not have a requirement that search committees be used for hiring in every vacancy, the use of search committees is the general practice.

In each case, an effort should be made to include minorities and women on the search committee. Due to the relatively low number of minority faculty, minorities are not required on every search committee. However, for searches for high-level positions, such as Vice Chancellor, minorities and women are routinely appointed.

The search committee composition and appointment processes for EPA faculty and EPA administrators are somewhat different.

EPA Faculty: There is no single comprehensive policy for appointing individuals to serve on search committees to fill teaching or research faculty positions. Some unit codes include procedures and guidelines for appointing search committees. Appendix D of the Faculty Manual specifies that the unit’s personnel committee is in charge of searches; hence, the search committee is a subcommittee of the personnel committee and must be selected (voted for) by members of the personnel committee. Further, all members of the search committee must be voting faculty members (as defined in Appendix D of the Faculty Manual). Generally, search committees are comprised of four to six members and are charged with recruiting a qualified pool of candidates for the position. In most units, the search committees handle the position notification/ advertisement, gather materials from the pool of applicants, handle all legal paperwork (e.g., OEOE forms) associated with the search process, select finalists from the pool of applicants, organize campus visits, and make hiring recommendations to the unit personnel committee. All faculty members as well as the academic unit administrators participate in the interview process. Best practice suggests that all faculty members be given an opportunity to interact with the candidates and be invited to attend all presentations and that before search committees makes recommendations, all members of the department be given the opportunity to submit an evaluation and a ranking of candidates. These advisory evaluations and rankings are given to the search committees for their consideration. Search committees make their recommendations to the unit personnel committees. The unit personnel committees review the search committee recommendations and, forwards ( in agreement or not in agreement) recommendations to the unit administrator. Additional information regarding the selection and appointment of new faculty members may be found in Appendices C and D of the Faculty Manual.

EPA Administrators: Administrative officials (exclusive of the Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, the Vice Chancellor for Research, the Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs, the Vice Chancellor for Student Life, the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Advancement, the Director of Athletics, and their assistants) whose direct concern is academic matters are hired under the guidelines of Appendix L.

The immediately superior administrative official will convene a search committee which will be formed in the following manner:

§ The officer will designate a committee of at least three to five persons. Women and minorities should be represented on the search committee as appropriate. The hiring authority should not be a member of this committee. On average, three to five members are sufficient for most search committees; however, larger numbers may be appropriate when filling positions that have significant campus impact. Please keep in mind the larger the committee the greater the logistical challenges in meeting and scheduling interviews. As a result, larger committees tend to extend the time frame for completing the search.

§ At least three-fifths of this committee will be faculty members belonging to the entire constituency of the office to be filled, elected by secret ballot by a majority of the members of that constituency present and voting at a meeting called for that purpose by the convening officer.

§ The remainder of the committee will be chosen from permanently tenured faculty members or administrators in a manner designated by the appointing officer. (Please refer to ECU Faculty Manual Interpretation #I05-20.)

This search committee shall:

§ make sure new official meets all established criteria listed in advertisement,

§ solicit and screen applicants for the position, and

§ submit to the appointing officer one or more nominees. The committee shall determine by secret ballot that the candidates are acceptable to a majority of the permanently tenured faculty of the school, department, or college.

The appointing officer may accept the committee's candidates or may reject all of them. If the appointing officer should reject them, the committee must produce an additional candidate or candidates.

Specific guidelines for convening a search committee for the appointment of administrators can be found in Appendix L of the Faculty Manual.

Search Logistics, Ethics, and Legal and Institutional Considerations

Search Logistics

Cost: Departments are responsible for the costs associated with their searches, so budgetary matters must be considered. This primarily includes the cost of advertising and bringing candidates to campus for interviews. In addition to reviewing the application packets, search committees can use phone interviews or conference calling to further narrow the pool of candidates, thus reducing the number of candidates invited for on-campus interviews and associated costs. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Equity (OEOE) administers the Minority Presence Initiative, a small pool of funds which provides monetary assistance with the recruitment of minority faculty. This program brings minority scholars to the university to interact with faculty and staff, which is intended to attract more of these individuals to our positions. Units interested in applying for Minority Presence funding should submit to OEOE a detailed written request for review. The Division of Academic Affairs also offers funds to be used to increase diversity in the recruitment of candidates. For more information on either of these initiatives, contact the appropriate office.

Timeline: The deadline for completion of the search process must be considered, along with the recruitment period and the required time to prepare for the search. In general, the university requires that applications for teaching faculty positions be held open for a minimum of 30 days from the beginning of the search. Many EPA administrator positions generate a very large number of applicants; therefore, applications for these positions and any other non-teaching faculty positions are required to be held open for a minimum of only 14 days.

Scope: Most search committees use the nation as their recruitment area. However, some positions may be more appropriately searched for within a specific region or within the university. For internal searches, the minimum search time period is 14 days. There are specific guidelines on where the position must be posted, and all other procedures must be followed. Note that a national search does not exclude internal candidates; furthermore, internal candidates should receive neither preferential nor detrimental consideration in national searches.

Ethical Considerations

There are two categories of ethical obligation in faculty and non-teaching EPA personnel searches: legal and institutional policies must be followed because candidates have a primary moral as well as a legal and institutional right to equal treatment under both the law and institutional policies; and candidates have a secondary moral interest in, moral expectation for, and perhaps even moral right to be treated decently in all aspects of the search process. For example, candidates should be communicated with adequately, treated similarly during the search processes, and, in general, respected as persons. While the law and institutional policy covers most of these areas, such policies do not necessarily cover all such areas. For example, no law or institutional policy forbids one candidate to stay overnight in an ECU employee’s home while the other candidates in the same search stay in hotels; still, such a variation in treatment ought not occur.

Legal Considerations

Pre-selection of candidates: It is very important to note, particularly in the spirit of equal employment opportunity, that candidates should not be pre-selected for interviews or employment recommendation. The person offered the position should be the most qualified candidate as identified by the search committee. Do not use searches as merely a formal means to hire a candidate who has already been “pre-selected.” If there is a strong candidate for the position, he or she should naturally out-perform those in competition for the job. Although not standard for every search, if there are any “red flags” in the selection of candidates that come up during the review process, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Equity may request applicant CVs or resumes for further audit and review.

Inter-institutional Recruitment Policy: The UNC System Code includes procedural regulations for instances in which ECU recruitment efforts yield a candidate from another institution in the UNC System.

Advertising the Position

Prior to beginning any advertising or recruitment initiatives, the EPA Vacancy Notice must be completed and submitted via the EDAP system by the search committee and must be approved by the Office of Equal Opportunity and Equity to ensure that the recruitment plan is appropriate and consistent with the guidelines set forth by the Affirmative Action Plan. For more information on completing this form, please see “More on EEO Documentation” found on page 16 of this guide. All positions for which applicants are recruited must be advertised. Word-of-mouth recruitment alone does not satisfy the requirements of the Affirmative Action Plan because this method has traditionally resulted in exclusion of minorities and women from consideration for positions.

Preparing the Vacancy Announcement

The search committee should review the job functions, duties, and qualifications as set out in the current position description, if one exists, and modify as necessary. If a position description does not exist, one should be developed by the department chair in consultation with the faculty and approved by the dean. Search committee members should understand the conditions of the position in terms of its responsibilities, specific expertise, and qualifications being sought in the applicant. The position description should include a clear statement of the essential functions, duties, and responsibilities of the position. It should also state the required qualifications as well as any preferred qualifications. For example, a required minimum qualification might be a master’s degree; however, applicants with a master’s degree plus higher education administrative experience may be preferred. These essential functions and qualifications advertised must be followed closely when considering candidates. In addition, any requirements specific to the position classification should be included in the announcement. Please contact OEOE for more information on these requirements.

Aside from specific information concerning the nature of the position, essential functions, and requirements, the vacancy announcement should include the following information:

· the statement “ECU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action University that accommodates individuals with disabilities. Individuals requesting a disability accommodation should call ECU Disability Support Services at 252-328-6799 (Voice/TTY/Relay).”

· the statement “Proper documentation of identity and employability are required at the time of employment.”

· the cut-off or beginning screening date (For example, “Screening of applicants will begin November 15, 2005, and will continue until the position has been filled.”) A beginning screening date is usually preferred to a cut-off date. Teaching faculty positions must be advertised for a minimum of 30 days and non-teaching EPA positions must be advertised for at least 14 days before screening can begin

· a list of what should be included in the application package (see next section)

· the name and contact information of a person to whom the application should be submitted

The following information is optional in the vacancy announcement:

· a link to the web sites of the unit and the university (recommended)

· the name and contact information of a person to contact for more information about the position (if different than the person to whom the application should be submitted)

· anticipated salary range (will only be posted at request of department)

The Application Package

The vacancy announcement should list what should be included in the application package. This may include a cover letter, curriculum vitae or resume, names of references or letters of reference, portfolio or writing samples, etc. For example, “Applications should include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information of three work-related references. In the cover letter, the candidate should describe specific skills and experience relevant to this position.” The vacancy announcement should clearly specify the name and contact information of the person to whom the application package should be submitted.

Where to Advertise

University guidelines do not specify particular publications for position advertisements, but the vacancy should be advertised in at least one appropriate publication (typically professional journals) of the appropriate discipline and, preferably, two. When appropriate (e.g., fixed-term positions), local and regional publications are acceptable. In general, faculty positions are advertised in the academic journals most widely read by professionals in that discipline. This might include the Chronicle for Higher Education, Science, and/or other professional publications specific to the particular discipline in which the search is being conducted. Advertisements in web-based media are acceptable.

Other recommended advertising options include:

· the discipline’s professional association’s minority or women’s caucus

· national meetings

· other institutions with programs in the discipline

· electronic postings via a variety of academic advertisement web sites

· electronic discussion lists

· word-of-mouth recruitment (in particular, calling colleagues to request the names of possible minority and female candidates.)

In making decisions about where to advertise, it is important to consider those groups which are underutilized in the most recent analysis (see Utilization Analysis results in the Affirmative Action Plan). If some women or minorities were underutilized in the most recent analysis, it is important to ensure that recruitment strategies are employed that will reach these underrepresented groups.

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Equity maintains statistical information on the number of degrees conferred by discipline, type of degree, race, gender, and institution of higher education. This is very helpful reference information for search committees who may want to contact specific higher education institutions directly. In addition, OEOE posts all EPA faculty and administrator vacancy announcements on the East Carolina University web site and on HigerEdJobs.com.

Multi-position Recruitment

Some departments routinely need to fill more than one position of the same type and request to draw from the same pool of applicants to fill these positions. This is permissible for up to five positions per applicant pool if the multiple positions have the same qualifications and requirements. The number of positions to be filled from this search should be specified, if possible, on the vacancy notice. If not, the wording of multi-positions is appropriate.

Also, in cases when an applicant pool for a search for a single candidate yields two or more exemplary candidates and these candidates increase diversity within the university or department, a department or unit head may request special permission from OEOE to hire two or more of the candidates, provided the salary line(s) and other pertinent resources are available in the department or unit. For more information, please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Equity.

Open Rank Recruitment

Because of recruitment challenges, some departments request to advertise a position as “open rank” to allow a degree of flexibility in the hiring decision. Open rank means that the position can be any rank (i.e. assistant professor, associate professor, or professor) or classification within a particular type of appointment (i.e. fixed-term, tenure-track, or tenured). For example, a position could be advertised as a tenure-track position/open rank, which would allow hiring either at the assistant, associate, or full professor level, or as a fixed-term/open rank, which would allow hiring at any of the appropriate fixed-term titles. Advertising a position as open rank within the same type of appointment does not require special permission, but the person hired must meet all minimum requirements of the position as advertised.

Open Rank and Open Appointment Type Recruitment (clinical areas only)

In the extenuating and unique circumstances relative to the clinical areas on campus, a department may be granted permission to advertise a position both as open rank and open appointment type. For example, the department could advertise a position as “tenure-track or fixed-term and open rank.” Please note that this is only permissible for the clinical areas in the Division of Health Sciences, due to the unique needs of that area. This represents a deviation from the standard search and requires special permission from OEOE via the Special Permission Form.

Positions with Tenure

The initial hire of a faculty member or administrator with tenure in an academic department is an issue for that department’s tenure committee and should be addressed according to policies in Part IV of Appendix D.

Deviations from the Standard Search Process

There are, on occasion, extenuating circumstances that make it necessary to deviate from standard recruitment procedures. With special permission from the Office of Equal Opportunity and Equity, waivers may be granted for the following types of searches:

An abbreviated search allowing a teaching position to be advertised fewer than the standard 30 days or a non-teaching position to be advertised fewer than the standard 14 days before screening can begin.
With a waived search, permission is granted to hire a specific individual without advertising due to extenuating circumstances in a situation where a search would normally be required.
An internal search may be requested when a search committee or department has knowledge of strong candidates who are already employed by the university and posts the position such that only candidates internal to the university are allowed to apply. This type of search should normally result in two or more candidates. (See “Posting Requirements for Internal Searches” below.)

Posting Requirements for Approved Internal Searches

A standard search requires recruiting on a national level; however, occasionally there are instances in which search committees recognize that there are individuals currently employed by the university who would be both uniquely and highly qualified candidates for a vacant position. In this case, the search committee may request special permission to conduct an internal search. The position announcement for searches that have been approved by OEOE for internal recruitment should be posted as follows:

· in hard copy in the departmental office

· in hard copy in the dean's office

· in hard copy in the divisional office

· verbally at department and college/school/divisional meetings

· electronically via the ANNOUNCE or ECU Official email systems

· electronically on department, college, and/or division web sites with the “INTERNAL POSTING” statement

OEOE will post the position announcement on the ECU web site with the statement “INTERNAL POSTING: Open only to candidates currently employed by East Carolina University.”

An internal search, like a national search, should result in at least two candidates’ having the equivalent of an on-campus interview. Consult the “Ethical Considerations” section on page 7 of this guide for more information on conducting a fair internal search.

Receiving and Screening Applications

As applications are received, please promptly acknowledge receipt with a letter from the chair of the search committee. All candidates should be informed how the process will proceed and when they may next expect to hear from the committee. Included with this information must be a link to the Applicant Data Form which requests statistical information for EEO reporting purposes. The link to the online form, as well as instructions for completing it via the EDAP system, should be sent to every applicant. OEOE closely monitors the return rate of applicant data forms per position vacancy and engages in vigorous follow-up with search committees to ensure that a form for each candidate is submitted. Information on the distribution of our applications by race and sex for all EPA positions must be reported annually; without the information from Applicant Data Forms, OEOE has no mechanism to compile such a report.

While applications are being accepted but before their review begins, the committee should develop a rating instrument for screening candidates. There is no predetermined or formal university rating system for candidates. The instrument developed by the committee should be specific to the position and include established written selection criteria that are objective and relate to the requirements or qualifications of the position as stated in the advertised vacancy announcement. Care should be taken not to include criteria that are not part of the position announcement. All candidates should be reviewed on the same criteria.

After the deadline for accepting applications or the date to commence screening, the committee begins the screening process. Using their developed rating instrument with selection criteria, the search committee reviews the credentials of the applicants and identifies those it wishes to interview.

If only one candidate is deemed acceptable for an interview, the search committee can ask OEOE for special permission to interview only one candidate if there are compelling reasons to modify standard procedures.

Interviewing

It is important to note that any type of interview (whether via phone or in person) is technically considered an interview. Therefore, no interviews should be conducted via phone or in person until the Screening Report has been submitted to OEOE and approved. (See page 16 for explanation of required EEO documents.) Normally, at least two applicants must be interviewed on-campus for each position advertised. If only one candidate is deemed acceptable for an interview, the search committee may ask EEOE for special permission to interview only one candidate if there are compelling reasons to modify standard procedures.

After the Screening Report is approved, the search committee may proceed with the interview process. No additional paperwork needs to be submitted until the committee is ready to submit the Compliance Report unless the position is being listed as ongoing or open until filled. In that case, an initial Screening Report should be submitted after the beginning screening date and another Screening Report should be submitted later to include only those who applied after the initial Screening Report was approved. All candidates interviewed (including by any phone and on-campus interviews) who are not selected must be listed on the Compliance Report, along with the appropriate reason for elimination.

The Interview Process

The purpose of the interview process is two-fold: it allows the search committee to gather the information it needs to determine which applicant has the greatest promise of performing well in the position and it allows the applicant to learn more about the position and form impressions of ECU.

The search committee should decide ahead of time what questions will be asked of each applicant so that common information can provide a basis for fair comparison. Be sure that these inquiries are related to the job standards and qualifications. In general, search committees should avoid any inquiry designed to elicit information regarding race, color, ancestry, sex, age, religion, or disability. For specific information about questions that should or should not be asked, please see “Guidelines for Non-discriminatory Interview Questions” found on page 19 of this guide.

Although the interview is the search committee’s opportunity to learn about the candidate, interviewers must be vigilant that no inappropriate inquiries are made. While questions about some areas, such as marital status or children, are not illegal per se, they are almost never job-related. The burden of proving that an applicant was not rejected on the basis of information from these inquiries rests with the university. Therefore, no matter how congenial the interview or how laudable the intentions behind the question, these inquiries by any ECU employees as interviewers are highly inadvisable because they render the university vulnerable to costly legal actions.

If candidates initiate questions about non-position-related topics, such as employment opportunities for spouses or childcare, note these questions and seek to find answers or to refer them to the appropriate authority. Do not make commitments to the candidates in these areas.

Professional Conferences

Conversations with potential candidates at professional conferences should not be considered formal interviews, especially if not all search committee members are present. Still, the “Guidelines for Non-discriminatory Interview Questions” should be considered in this interaction. Instead of formal interviews, use the opportunity to inform potential candidates of openings at the university and to answer their questions. If deemed suitable, potential candidates should be encouraged to submit their application materials for consideration in a particular search.

Phone Interviews

Search committees may choose to conduct phone interviews for the purpose of reducing the number of highly qualified candidates identified in the initial screening to a pool of two or three candidates who will be invited to campus for an interview. However, phone interviews are not to be used in lieu of the requirement to interview two candidates on campus.

On-campus Interviews

Bringing candidates to the university for on-campus interviews is a critical component of the search process. It is important that all candidates leave our campus with positive impressions of ECU, whether or not they are our top choice. For specific information on planning a welcoming as well as informative on-campus interview, please see “Things to Consider for On-Campus Interviews” found on page 21 of this guide.

Campus interview schedules frequently include meetings with several people or groups, a campus tour, and some time between scheduled activities. During these “gaps” in the agenda, it is important to remember that all of the activities that occur during the visit or any time prior to an offer being made are a continuation of the interview itself. A candidate does not have to be sitting down in a conference room for a conversation to be considered part of the interview; therefore, search committees should be very mindful in these situations to avoid eliciting information that could be used in a discriminatory manner.

Concluding the Search

Selection of a Candidate

After the search committee completes the interviews and decides who to recommend for the position, the EPA Compliance Report should be completed. For more information on completing this form, please see “More on EEO Documentation” on page 16 of this guide. The reasons for elimination for those interviewed but not selected for the position must also be included. The form will be reviewed by OEOE and HR to ensure that the final selection process conforms to the procedures outlined in the East Carolina University Affirmative Action Plan. Once the Compliance Report has been approved by both offices, the search committee can make a recommendation for a job offer (pending Board of Trustees approval, when required). The ECU One Form should be completed at this time and forwarded to OEOE for approval. The offer of employment should not be made by the hiring authority until the Compliance Report has been approved by the EEO Officer and Department of Human Resources.

If the first choice candidate does not accept the offer, an offer can then be made to the second choice candidate. If the second choice candidate does not accept the offer, an offer can be made to the third choice candidate. If no acceptable candidates accept the offer, the search is deemed unsuccessful.

Maintaining the Search File

In accordance with state law, recruitment files must be maintained for a period of three years. The hiring authority, as the responsible party for the search, is the owner of the file and is responsible for maintaining the recruitment file throughout this duration. The application and other records for the individual hired should be transferred to the appropriate personnel file when a person accepts a position. If no charge of discrimination has been filed, the following applications and records should be destroyed in-office at the end of the three years: those that are unsolicited for EPA positions or for applicants not hired for EPA positions three years after the vacancy is filled or the position closes. If a discrimination charge has been filed, maintain all applications and destroy in-office one year after the resolution of the charge.

Vacancy Expiration

Position vacancy files that have not yet resulted in a hire will expire 12 months after being initiated with OEOE. The only exception is for those positions that are extremely difficult to fill (e.g. physicians); the expiration date on these positions can be extended via special request.

The hiring department will receive notification regarding expiring vacancies from OEOE. If the department would like to continue recruitment efforts for that position, it must begin the process again by submitting a new Vacancy Notice and re-advertising to meet the required time to advertise/recruit for the particular position.

2. EPA Screening Report

After the closing date or date upon which review of applications begins, the search committee screens applications and electronically submits the EPA Screening Report to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Equity and Department of Human Resources.

This form includes an alphabetized list of the applicants for the position and the names of those the committee wishes to interview. For those applicants who are being excluded from further consideration, a job-related reason for the exclusion must be stated. Also note whether the applicants meet the minimum requirements for the position as advertised. Once this information has been reviewed and approved by both offices (OEOE and HR), the search committee may begin interviewing candidates. When an adequate pool of candidates meeting the requirements of the position description is generated, it is expected that the search committee should interview a minimum of two candidates. If only one candidate is deemed acceptable for an interview, the search committee can ask OEOE for special permission to interview only one candidate if there are compelling reasons to modify standard procedures.

Please note that applicants should not be interviewed until the Screening Report has been signed by both OEOE and HR. If the position was advertised with a specific closing date (a date upon which review of applications begins is preferred), the search committee cannot continue accepting applications after this date.

After the approved date listed in the advertisement, the search committee may begin screening applicants. If so advertised, the committee also will continue accepting application packets until the position is filled. This is particularly helpful if the position is difficult to fill. In this situation, the committee should submit the initial screening report after the approved screening date. The names of any additional applicants should be submitted on a revised screening report before the position is closed. For administrative documentation purposes, please include only the names of new applicants, i.e. those whose applications were received after the initial screening report was submitted. Do not add the new names to the first list.

3. EPA Compliance Report

After the search committee completes its interviews and decides who should be offered the position, the EPA Compliance Report should be completed by the search committee.

On this form, complete the section on gender and ethnic identity (if known) of the candidates held in final consideration, the name of the first choice candidate (and second choice or choices, if applicable), a brief evaluation of candidate qualifications as related to position standards, and salary recommendations. The reasons for elimination for those interviewed but not selected for the position also must be included.

The completed form should be signed by the unit head and forwarded to OEOE and HR for approval. There, it will be reviewed to ensure that the final selection process conforms to the procedures outlined in the East Carolina University Affirmative Action Plan. Once the Compliance Report has been reviewed and approved by both offices, the search committee should make its recommendation for a job offer (pending Board of Trustees approval, when required; Board of Governors approval is required only for the appointment of a chancellor appointment). The offer of employment cannot be made until the Compliance Report has been signed and approved by the EEO Officer and the Department of Human Resources.

If the first-choice candidate to whom the offer is made chooses not to accept the offer, the second-choice candidate who was interviewed and deemed acceptable should be offered the position. If there is no acceptable second choice or if this candidate does not accept the offer, the search committee can select from other interviewed candidates or choose to interview other candidates on the compliance report.

After an offer is accepted, the ECU One Form is completed by the search committee chair and forwarded to OEOE for signature.

Guidelines for Non-discriminatory Interview Questions

The following is specific information about questions which may or may not be asked in an interview. The list is not exhaustive but includes those inappropriate inquiries most commonly made.

Inquiries about race or color

No inquiries about race or color are appropriate in an interview.

Inquiries about ancestry

Do not ask an applicant’s maiden name or where he or she was born.

Inquiries about sexual orientation or marital status

Do not ask whether an applicant is married or has other “arrangements.”
Do not ask about pregnancies (past, present, or future) or children.
Do not inquire about spouse’s name, occupation, or whether he or she is likely to be transferred.

Inquiries about age

Discrimination against applicants above age 40 is specifically barred by federal law. Do not ask the applicant’s age.

Inquiries about religion

Do not ask what religion an applicant professes or what accommodation(s) would be required on the job to facilitate his or her religious practices.

Inquiries about membership in organizations

It is acceptable to ask about the applicant’s membership in professional organizations, but questions related to membership in any other type of organization should be avoided as this information has been used in the past to discriminate illegally.

Inquiries about health and physical status

Do not ask if the applicant is disabled or about the nature or severity of any disability. The Americans with Disabilities Act is quite specific about questions that may be appropriately addressed to job applicants and those that are prohibited. The rule of thumb is, first, do not ask anything about an applicant's physical or mental status that is likely to elicit information about a disability. Second, if it is known with certainty that the applicant is disabled, do not ask how he or she could perform anything other than the essential functions of the job. The essential functions of the job are its major responsibilities, not minor or occasional responsibilities. It does not matter if prohibited inquiries are well-intentioned or casual; they are still prohibited. For example, “friendly” comments like “My brother was wounded in Vietnam. Is that what happened to you?” should be avoided.

If the candidate should raise any of the issues listed above, the search committee should acknowledge the statement in a professional manner and then move on.

What may be discussed?

The duties and responsibilities of the job
ECU’s mission, programs, and achievements
Career possibilities and opportunities for advancement
Facilities available, available equipment, and amount of travel involved in the job
The applicant’s qualifications, abilities, interest, education, and experience

For more information or clarification of a specific issue, please call the Office of Equal Opportunity and Equity at 328-6804.

Things to Consider for On-CAMPus Interviews

Bringing candidates to campus for an interview is a critical component of the search process. In many cases, the candidates interviewing here are also applying for similar positions at other universities. So in essence, we are competing with other institutions in selecting the best candidates who are searching for professional employment.

Remember, while the search committee is interviewing the candidate, she or he is interviewing the university and program as well. The impressions that a candidate forms during an on-campus interview are powerful; frequently, it is the little things that make a huge difference. As a matter of fact, many ECU faculty and administrators state that they selected the university over other institutions because they felt the most welcomed here during the on-campus interview and perceived the working environment as the most positive.

It is important that a candidate leave the campus with a positive view of ECU, whether or not she or he is our top choice. The following are things to consider when bringing a candidate in for an on-campus interview to help create a positive impression. It is also important to remember in making arrangements that all candidates invited to campus for a search should receive equitable (comparable) treatment.

1. Plan and assist with travel arrangements, including making reservations at a local hotel.

2. Confirm with the candidate his or her arrival time in Greenville before he or she begins the journey. Extend an offer of any needed assistance for the trip and make sure the candidate has a contact number in case of problems or emergencies. The candidate should be given an opportunity to note any food-related issues, e.g. being a vegetarian.

3. If the candidate is arriving by air, make sure that someone is there to greet him or her at arrival and assist with luggage.

4. If the candidate is arriving by car, make sure he or she has clear directions to the hotel and that the reservation is in his or her name.

5. Having a welcome gift (perhaps an ECU-branded item) waiting for the candidate in the hotel room is a nice gesture. This makes the candidate feel planned for and welcome.

6. The agenda for the campus visit should be developed in advance of the candidate’s arrival and provided to the candidate at least one week before the interview. Give the candidate the opportunity to address any special needs that must be accommodated during the visit. At the beginning of the visit, a member of the search committee should make sure that the candidate has the agenda and understands it. This also provides an opportunity for the candidate to ask any last-minute questions. Also, the candidate should be made aware of any updates to agenda.

7. Make sure that the candidate has transportation to and from the campus. It is a nice gesture to pick up the candidate at the hotel and return him or her there after the interview.

8. Once on campus, the candidate should always be attended to. This includes being escorted from meeting to meeting and being introduced to the various appropriate people that he or she will encounter.

9. Remember that in all situations the conversation should be focused on the candidate. Sometimes it is tempting to “visit” with a colleague and forget about the candidate; this should be avoided.

10. Allow for bathroom breaks and water breaks as well as “down time” to reflect and relax.

11. Make sure that someone other than the candidate pays for his or her meals.

12. Giving the candidate a campus tour is always appropriate. Arranging a time with a local real estate agent is an appropriate way for candidates to see Greenville and find out about current housing options.