POLICY ON SEARCH COMMITTEES FOR

SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS

Academic Senate Policy #F92-180

RATIONALE

This document recognizes that faculty and administrators at San Francisco State University aspire toward the same goal: that of maintaining excellence in carrying out the mission of the University. Given the inter-relatedness nature of faculty and administrative responsibilities, and the need for coordination in carrying out these responsibilities, we this policy endorses the principle that faculty should play an essential role in the selection of San Francisco State University administrators, especially those involved in making decisions directly affecting the quality of faculty life and/or academic programs.

The procedures that follow are designed The purpose of the policy is to ensure full consultation with faculty and clear delineation of responsibilities in the process of selecting San Francisco State University administrators. especially those involved in making decisions directly affecting the quality of academic programs. While we recognize that the ultimate responsibility for the appointment of administrators rests with the University President, we also recognize that the faculty must have the opportunity to select their representatives, deliberate as necessary, and make recommendations as provided below, with the assurance that those recommendations will receive serious consideration and will normally be accepted. Students and staff should be represented on all such committees. committees as appropriate.

Draft POLICY ON SEARCH COMMITTEES FOR

SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS

This document recognizes that faculty and administrators at San Francisco State University aspire toward the same goal: that of maintaining excellence in carrying out the mission of the University. Given the inter-relatedness nature of faculty and administrative responsibilities, and the need for coordination in carrying out these responsibilities, we this policy endorses the principle that faculty should play an essential role in the selection of San Francisco State University administrators, especially those involved in making decisions directly affecting the quality of faculty life and/or academic programs.

The procedures that follow are designed The purpose of the policy is to ensure full consultation with faculty and clear delineation of responsibilities in the process of selecting San Francisco State University administrators. especially those involved in making decisions directly affecting the quality of academic programs. While we recognize that the ultimate responsibility for the appointment of administrators rests with the University President, we also recognize that the faculty must have the opportunity to select their representatives, deliberate as necessary, and make recommendations as provided below, with the assurance that those recommendations will receive serious consideration and will normally be accepted. Students and staff should be represented on all such committees. committees as appropriate.

A. Mission of the Search Committee

1. The mission of the search committee is to recruit ,obtain, seek information about, screen interview, and recommend candidates for the position in question.

2. Before a search begins for a position that is new, or has been reclassified or re-titled, the President or designee, in consultation with the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate, shall determine the need for faculty representation on the search committee appropriate category of faculty representation, consistent with the positions’ impact upon faculty, students and staff.

3. The basic composition and size of a search committee for an administrative position will vary according to the nature of the position and shall be determined by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate. Committees should be constituted to reflect the balance and diversity appropriate to the search, including ethnicity, gender, rank and professional expertise. The faculty shares the responsibility for such diversity and balance. The views of the unit concerned should be sought regarding the job description and composition of the Committee.

4. The unit in question, i.e., The unit reporting to the administrator and most affected by the positions, shall be represented on the Committee except for compelling reasons as determined by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee.

5. Faculty representatives shall be selected by campus-wide election except where otherwise stated. The Faculty may establish specific criteria for nomination as appropriate.

6. Members of the Committee hall not be candidates for the position., Should a Committee member have a conflict of interest with regard to the selection process, that person must resign from the Committee. Should this be a person selected through the Academic Senate election process, the person having received the next highest number of votes shall be seated as the replacement.

B. Procedures for Serving on the Administrative Search Committee Pool

1. At the beginning of each semester, the Academic Senate will seek nominations for the Administrative Search Committee Pool.

2. When a sufficient number of nominations have been made, the Academic Senate will conduct an approval vote of the faculty for those who have been nominated. Any nominee receiving at least 50% plus one of the votes cast will be elected to the Administrative Search Committee Pool.

3. Members of the pool retain the right to decline service on any particular search. Members elected to the pool can remove themselves at anytime, however to return to the pool they would need to be reelected.

4. Members in the pool must be willing to serve a two-year term.

5. After serving for two consecutive years members of the pool may be reelected for another 2-year term.

C. Guidelines for Consultation

1. The President or Vice President shall convene the first meeting of the Search Committee, shall indicate the budget for the search and deadline for the Committee’s final report; the President or Vice President may appoint the Committee Chair with the concurrence of the Committee, except in Category I searches as defined in section D1 below.

2. The Search Committee shall be involved from the beginning of the search process. Normally, the Committee shall develop review the position description and qualifications, scope of the recruitment effort, timeliness, and advertisement of the position.

3. At the time the position is formally advertised, the Committee shall inform the campus community of the position description and application deadline dates, and invite applications and nominations.

4. The Committee shall operate under the University’s Affirmative Action Policy diligently to seek search for qualified candidates from under-represented groups. as specified in that policy.

5. All Applicants, regardless of prior association with the University, shall be evaluated by the same criteria, and be given equal consideration and treatment by the Search Committee throughout the screening process. Applicants shall not be either excluded or included solely because of their geographical proximity to San Francisco State University.

6. The Committee shall provide opportunity for members of the University community to meet with candidates invited for interviews, and shall follow this by actively seeking evaluative comments from those who have attended such meetings. Comments received shall become part of the basis for further deliberation and fro for selection of the slate submitted to the President.

7. In consultation with the President or designee the Committee shall make extensive background checks on all finalists. and may decide whether or not to conduct on-site visits to each finalist’s place of employment.

8. The Search Committee shall seek full consensus of its members on the recommendation of the final slate to the President or designee. However, any name submitted on the final slate must receive at least a majority vote of approval from the Search Committee. Whenever possible, a minimum of three nominees shall be recommended to the President by the Search Committee.

9. No person shall be appointed who has not been recommended by the Search Committee.

10. If no nominee is acceptable to the President, the President shall, in consultation with the Search Committee, Academic Senate Executive Committee and the unit affected, (a) ask the Search Committee to submit a new slate, or (b) begin the search process again.

11. Any appointment with tenure in an academic department shall be made only after an evaluation and tenure recommendations by the appropriate department, as provided by the University policy on retention and tenure.

12. The committee shall keep the University community informed of its activities and shall submit a final report to the President or designee, who, within limits of confidentiality, will report to the Academic Senate Executive Committee on its efforts.

B. D. Composition of the Search Committee

Composition of the search committees shall vary by category as follows:

Category Ia: Deans of Colleges Category 1 Position(s) with Most Direct Impact on Faculty

Ia. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

The committee shall consist of

· A majority of faculty members, one member from each college and the Library.

· Additional members of the administration as appointed by the President.

Ib. Deans of Colleges

The Committee shall consist of:

· An elected A majority of faculty members from the unit.

· At least one staff member elected from the unit.

· Additional members of the administration as appointed by the President

· The committee chair shall be elected by the committee

Category Ic: Librarian of the University

The Committee shall consist of:

· An elected A majority of faculty members with at least two faculty from the unit.

· At least two staff members elected from the unit.

· Additional members of the administration as appointed by the President.

· The committee chair shall be elected by the committee.

Category II: Position(s) with Most Direct Significant Impact on Faculty

II a. Vice President from Academic Affairs.( other than the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs)

II b. Academic Associate Vice Presidents.

II c. Deans of Faculty Affairs, & Professional Development, Undergraduate Studies, Graduate Studies and Extended Learning

The Committee shall consist of:

· The search committee(s) for the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall consist of 1) an elected a majority of faculty members,

· one member from each college and the Library, and 2) members appointed by the President. Additional members of the administration as appointed by the President

· The committee chair shall be elected by the committee

Category III: Positions with Significant Impact on Faculty

III a. Certain Associate Vice Presidents in Non Academic Affairs Areas (EX. AVP fro Student Affairs, AVP for Fiscal Affairs)

III b. Certain Executive Directors or Directors (Ex. Director of Disability Resources Center, Ex. Director of Instructional Technology)

The Committee shall consist of:

· A majority of faculty members

· The committee chair shall be elected by the committee

Faculty shall have significant elected representation and, however selected, shall constitute a majority on search committees for the following positions:

Vice Presidents (other than Vice President for Academic Affairs)

Dean of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development

Dean of Undergraduate Studies

Dean of Graduate Studies

Dean of Extended Learning

Associate Vice President for Academic Program Development

Associate Vice President for Academic Resources

Associate Vice President for Research & Sponsored Programs

Executive Director of Computing Services

Director of Academic Relations

Category IV: Positions with Impact on Faculty

Faculty shall have elected representation on Search Committee for the following positions:

Dean of Students

Director, Disability Resource Center

Director, Educational Opportunity Programs

Director, International Programs

Director, Human Resources

Chief, Public Safety

Dean, Human Relations

University Comptroller

Director, Academic Services

Director, Affirmative Action

Director, Audio Visual/Instructional Television Center

Before a search begins for a position that is new, or has been reclassified or re-titled, the President or designee, in consultation with the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate, shall determine the appropriate category of faculty representation, consistent with the positions’ impact upon faculty, students and staff.

2. The basic composition and size of a search committee for an administrative position will vary according to the nature of the position and shall be determined by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate. Committees should be constituted to reflect the balance and diversity appropriate to the search, including ethnicity, gender, rank and professional expertise. The faculty shares the responsibility for such diversity and balance. The views of the unit concerned should be sought regarding the job description and composition of the Committee.

3. The unit in question, i.e., the unit reporting to the administrator and most affected by the positions, shall be represented on the Committee except for compelling reasons as determined by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee.

4. Faculty representatives shall be selected by campus-wide election except where otherwise stated. The Faculty may establish specific criteria for nomination as appropriate.

5. Members of the Committee hall not be candidates for the position., Should a Committee member have a conflict of interest with regard to the selection process, that person must resign from the Committee. Should this be a person selected through the Academic Senate election process, the person having received the next highest number of votes shall be seated as the replacement.

C. Guidelines for Consultation

1. The President or Vice President shall convene the first meeting of the Search Committee, shall indicate the budget for the search and deadline for the Committee’s final report; the President or Vice President may appoint the Committee Chair with the concurrence of the Committee, except in Category I searches.

2. The Search Committee shall be involved from the beginning of the search process. Normally, the Committee shall develop the position description and qualifications, scope of the recruitment effort, timeliness, and advertisement of the position.

3. At the time the position is formally advertised, the Committee shall inform the campus community of the position description and application deadline dates, and invite applications and nominations.

4. The Committee shall operate under the University’s Affirmative Action Policy diligently to seek qualified candidates from under-represented groups as specified in that policy.

5. All Applicants, regardless of prior association with the University, shall be evaluated by the same criteria, and be given equal consideration and treatment by the Search Committee throughout the screening process. Applicants shall not be either excluded or included solely because of their geographical proximity to San Francisco State University.

6. The Committee shall provide opportunity for members of the University community to meet with candidates invited for interviews, and shall follow this by actively seeking evaluative comments from those who have attended such meetings. Comments received shall become part of the basis for further deliberation and fro selection of the slate submitted to the President.

7. In consultation with the President or designee the Committee shall make extensive background checks on all finalists and may decide whether or not to conduct on-site visits to each finalist’s place of employment.

8. The Search Committee shall seek full consensus of its members on the recommendation of the final slate to the President. However, any name submitted on the final slate must receive at least a majority vote of approval from the Search Committee. Whenever possible, a minimum of three nominees shall be recommended to the President by the Search Committee.

9. No person shall be appointed who has not been recommended by the Search Committee.

10. If no nominee is acceptable to the President, the President shall, in consultation with the Search Committee, Academic Senate Executive Committee and the unit affected, (a) ask the Search Committee to submit a new slate, or (b) begin the search process again.

11. Any appointment with tenure in an academic department shall be made only after an evaluation and tenure recommendations by the appropriate department, as provided by the University policy on retention and tenure.

12. The committee shall keep the University community informed of its activities and shall submit a final report to the President or designee, who, within limits of confidentiality, will report to the Academic Senate Executive Committee on its efforts.

D. Acting Administrators

In cases where an incumbent administrator resigns, dies, retires, or is removed, or in cases where a search process fails, the President shall, in consultation with the Academic Senate Executive Committee and the unit involved, appoint an acting administrator for a term not to exceed one year. When the position has not been filled through usual procedures within that year, the President, after consultation with the Academic Senate Executive Committee and the unit involved, may re-appoint an acting administrator. For an interim appointment to become permanent, a search must be conducted following the procedures set forth in this policy.