| Memo to: | All UH-Downtown/PS Holders | UH-Downtown/PS 02.B.02 | |
| From: | Max Castillo, President | Issue No. 1 | |
| Subject: | Professional Staff Employment Policy | Effective Date: 8/l/94 | |
| 1. PURPOSE | |
| This PS specifies the policy of the University of Houston-Downtown regarding the employment process of professional positions, with the exception of faculty. (A separate policy, PS 03.42, deals with the faculty employment procedures.) | |
| 2. POLICY/PROCEDURES | |
| 2.1 The hiring manager, after discussion with and concurrence of the appropriate administrative officers, will complete a Request to Fill Professional Staff Position (Exhibit A.) The request should include the title of the position, budget and position control numbers, anticipated starting date, justification for the position and impact on the department/unit's budget. Anticipated positions may be included. | |
| 2.2 In cases of financial hardship, the Hiring Freeze Committee may review all vacancies and ascertain the urgency of filling positions on an individual basis. | |
| 2.3 The Position Announcement section, as prepared by the hiring manager, should be stated in the form it will be publicized, giving position, title, starting date, required qualifications, request for resume, request for personal/professional references, closing date for applications, name and address of the person to whom correspondence should be addressed, and the statement assuring equal opportunity, regardless of race, sex, disability, or veteran status. | |
| 2.3.1 If the position is classified as security sensitive, the statement "Security Sensitive Position. Requires Complete Background Investigation" should be included in the position announcement. | |
| 2.3.2 If the position is pending final approval, the announcement should clearly state the position is anticipated. 2.4 In developing the Position Announcement section, the following guidelines are applicable: | |
| 2.4.1 The selection criteria should be stated in terms of required qualifications; | |
| 2.4.2 The deadline for applications should state whether it applies to postmark or receipt; | |
| 2.4.3 The application deadline should be set reasonably in consideration of documents required. The deadline may be stated in such a way that indicates an initial date with the provision that screening may continue until the position is filled; | |
| 2.4.4 The announcement must include the statement "University of Houston-Downtown is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer"; and | |
| 2.4.5 After the Position Announcement has been reviewed and approved, the ad contents may be modified to meet stylistic requirements of particular publications. | |
| 2.5 Since the announcement should generate an employment pool fully representative of both ethnic minority and women, as well as majority candidates, two things should be considered: | |
| 2.5.1 The distribution of the announcement should be planned so as to come to the attention of a broad-based, diverse constituency; and | |
| 2.5.2 Required qualifications should provide enough flexibility so that the employment pool is not narrowed to exclude a large number of ethnic minorities and women. | |
| 2.6 Search and Screening Committees are required for budget authorities, supervisory positions and other professional positions determined by the appropriate administrative officer. Professional positions not meeting this criteria will abide by the employment process outlined herein, except for sections .2.6.1, 2.6.2, and 2.7, which apply to search committees only. In this instance, applications will be screened by the hiring manager. In completing the Search and Selection Process section, the following guidelines should be followed: | |
| 2.6.1 The hiring manager will identify persons recommended to serve on the Search and Screening Committee and propose a method for selecting the committee chair. The Chair of the Search Committee can either be appointed by the hiring supervisor or elected by the committee; | |
| 2.6.2 The committee's composition should include as a minimum two professional staff within the relevant administrative unit and two professional staff outside the unit and be as ethnically diverse as possible. The hiring authority should not be part of the Search Committee; | |
| 2.6.3 The process by which the pool will be narrowed, the method by which transcripts will be acquired and references checked, and the procedure to determine which candidates will be interviewed should be specified. | |
| 2.7 When the proposed search and selection process is approved, the Search Committee will be appointed by the President. | |
| 2.8 Once the Request to Fill Professional Staff Position has been properly completed, the hiring manager will forward it through the proper channels for approval. Receipt of the fully executed request authorizes the hiring manager to proceed with the employment process by contacting the Search and Screening Committee and scheduling the first meeting. (If the position does not require a Search Committee, the hiring manager will proceed with the screening process after consultation with the Affirmative Action Officer.) | |
| 2.9 The Affirmative Action Officer or designee shall attend the first meeting of the search committee to discuss affirmative hiring practices and the employment process to be followed. The first meeting should be scheduled before any applications are reviewed. | |
| 2.10 As part of the screening process, a file will be created for each applicant and a checklist maintained on each applicant's required documentation. A letter will be forwarded to each applicant acknowledging receipt of the application and listing the documentation required. A Data Card (Exhibit B), which specifies the University's adherence to equal employment opportunity will be enclosed for transmittal to the Affirmative-, Action Officer. | |
| 2.11 The Search Committee will recommend three to five candidates, not in rank order, for the hiring authority to interview. | |
| 2.12 The hiring manager and Search Committee Chair will consult with the Affirmative Action Officer, to insure minority representation in the interview pool, prior to initiating interview requests. Positions which are still pending should be held at this point until permission to fill is obtained. 2.13 When the candidates to be interviewed are determined, the hiring manager will prepare the Interview Request for Professional Staff Candidate (Exhibit C) for each applicant to be interviewed. | |
| 2.14 Final approval for conducting the interviews will rest on the appropriate Vice President or equivalent line officer. To be considered for an interview, the applicant's file must include the following: | |
| 2.14.1 The candidate's resume, | |
| 2.14.2 Three current letters of recommendation and/or documentation of telephone conversations with references; and | |
| 2.14.3 Official transcripts, copies of transcripts/certificates, or telephone verification of degrees. | |
| 2.15 Interviews should be scheduled with the appropriate supervisor, appropriate Vice President or equivalent line officer, a representative of Human Resources, the Search Committee and interested faculty and staff. A visit to Human Resources for pre-orientation should be included unless there are time constraints. | |
| 2.16 After all interviews are completed, interviewers are responsible for contacting the Search Committee Chair with their comments. The Search Committee will meet with the hiring manager to discuss the candidates interviewed, review their strengths and weaknesses, and recommend the best qualified applicants. If no candidate is acceptable, the Search Committee, after discussion with and concurrence of the hiring manager, will recommend the next appropriate action. | |
| 2.17 The hiring manager, after discussion with and concurrence of the appropriate administrative officer, will decide upon the primary candidate. Prior to making a job offer to the candidate, a background investigation will be requested from the Chief of Police, if the position has been classified security sensitive. If the applicant clears the background check, he/she may be considered eligible for employment with the University of Houston-Downtown. Otherwise, the hiring manager shall review the applicant's criminal history and arrive at a hiring decision. For additional information, refer to PS 02.03, Security Sensitive Positions Policy. | |
| 2.18 Prior to making an unofficial offer to the primary candidate, the President must be consulted through the respective Vice President. | |
| 2.19 When the unofficial offer is accepted, the candidate's original file will be forwarded to the appropriate administrative officer. The formal appointment documents will be prepared and the complete file forwarded to the appropriate Vice President or equivalent line officer and, subsequently, to the President for approval. The candidate's file should include the following documentation: | |
| 2.19.1 Offer Letter (Exhibit D); | |
| 2.19.2 Personnel Recommendation Form (Exhibit E); | |
| 2.19.3 Personnel Action Request (Exhibit F); | |
| 2.19.4 Applicant Flow Form (Exhibit G); and | |
| 2.19.5 All other documentation stipulated in 2.14. | |
| 2.20 The official offer will be made by the President. When the offer letter is signed and returned to the President's Office by the candidate, the original letter is added to the candidate's file and forwarded to Human Resources. 2.21 The personnel item is prepared for the Board of Regents agenda by the Human Resources Manager. 2.22 Files of candidates not interviewed, including copies of the completed Applicant Flow Form will be forwarded to Human Resources to be kept on file for the length of time required by law. | |
| 2.23 Files of interviewed candidates, a copy of the position announcement, employment process forms, and the committee appointment letter will be forwarded to Human Resources to be kept on file for the length of time required by law. | |
| 2.24 A summary of the efforts to identify qualified minority candidates and files of outstanding minority applicants, including those possibly suited for consideration by other search committees, will be forwarded to the Affirmative Action Officer to generate a minority employment pool. | |
| 3. REVIEW AND RESPONSIBILITIES | |
| Responsible Party (Reviewer): Vice President for Administration Review: Biennial Reprint of original policy statement. Signed original on file in the President's Office. |