Rationale
The policy on Search Committee for San Francisco State University Administrators, Academic Senate Policy #F92-180 was last reviewed in 1992 and is out of date with the needs of our current academic community. This policy outlines a new method for creating Administrative Search Committees that necessitated a redraft of the Senate Policy #F92-180.
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 academic mission of the University. Given the inter-related nature of faculty and administrative responsibilities, and the need for coordination in carrying out these responsibilities, 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 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. 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 committees as appropriate.
ACADEMIC SENATE POLICY #S08-180
SEARCH COMMITTEES FOR SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS
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 an administrative 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 consistent with the positionŐs 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 or designee in consultation with the Executive Committee of the Academic Senate. Search 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 reporting to the administrator and most affected by the position, shall be represented on the Committee except for compelling reasons as determined by the President or designee in consultation with the Executive Committee.
5. The Provost and the Academic Senate's Executive Committee will jointly select faculty representatives to serve on search committees from a pool of candidates elected by the faculty.
1. At the beginning of each semester, the Academic Senate will seek nominations for the Administrative Search Committee Pool. In the event that the pool membership is insufficient to comprise a specific search committee, the Academic Senate will seek nominations for additional members.
2. 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.
4. Members in the pool must be willing to serve a two-year term.
5. Members may be reelected for an unlimited number of two year terms.
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 CommitteeŐs 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 D.1 below.
2. The Search Committee must be involved from the beginning of the search process. Normally, the Committee shall review the position description and qualifications, scope of the recruitment effort, timeliness, and advertisement of the position and make revisions as appropriate.
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 diligently search for qualified candidates from under-represented groups.
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; committee members will seek and review evaluative comments from those who have attended such meetings. Comments received shall become part of the basis for further deliberation and for selection of the slate submitted to the President or designee.
7. In consultation with the President or designee the Committee shall make extensive reference checks on all finalists.
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 or designee by the Search Committee.
9. If no nominee is acceptable to the President or designee, the President or designee 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.
10. 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.
Composition of the search committees shall vary by category as follows:
I a. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
The Committee shall consist of:
á A majority of faculty members, one member from each
college and the Library.
á Additional members of the administration as appointed by the President or designee.
I b. Deans of Colleges
The Committee shall consist of:
á A majority of faculty members from the college.
á At least one staff member elected from the college.
á Additional members of the administration as appointed by the President or designee.
á The committee chair shall be elected by the committee.
I c. Librarian of the University
The Committee shall consist of:
á A majority of faculty members with at least two faculty from the library.
á At least two staff members elected from the library.
á Additional members of the administration as appointed by the President or designee.
á The committee chair shall be elected by the committee.
Category II: Positions with Impact on Faculty
II a. Vice Presidents (other than 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
II d. Certain Associate Vice Presidents in Non Academic Affairs Areas (AVP for Student Affairs, AVP for Fiscal Affairs)
II e. Certain Executive Directors or Directors (Ex. Director of Disability Programs & Resource Center, Ex. Director of Academic Technology)
The Committee shall consist of:
E. ACTING ADMINISTRATORS
In cases where an incumbent administrator resigns, dies, retires, or is removed, or in cases where a search process fails, the President or designee 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 or designee, 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.
This policy replaces Senate Policy #F92-180.
***Approved by the Academic Senate at its meeting on May 13, 2008***