Faculty Recruitment

The position description and job posting should be drafted/updated in a partnership between the hiring manager, search committee (including search chair and search advocate) and unit/department head. The UHR Classification & Compensation specialist is also available as a resource and to review the completed draft. Like most systems, OSU’s system takes the position description (position summary, duties and qualifications) and adds application instructions to create the job posting. A position description is intended to serve as a management tool, while a job posting serves as a marketing resource; it is difficult for one document to perform both functions well. Here are specific strategies to write an inclusive position description that is more likely to appeal to a diverse candidate pool. See below section Posting and Recruitment for advertisement guidance.

• Disciplinary focus – make the scope as broad as possible while still meeting the unit’s needs:
  • The department welcomes all areas of specialization within [the primary field]
  • The position is defined broadly within [field A] and [field B]
• Position summary – Include the mission of the position and the terms of employment (rank, tenure status, 9-mo vs. 12 mo, etc.). Briefly summarize current department, college and institutional context and priorities, including the university’s strategic diversity and inclusion goals as articulated in the strategic plan and describe how this position will contribute to meeting those goals. If relevant to the position, considerations such as the following will increase the job’s appeal:
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration – OSU is seen as having low barriers to interdisciplinary work
  • Cohort hiring – people may be more likely to apply if they won’t be the only new hire, particularly if the cohort hire is part of an initiative to achieve a particular goal or goals.
  • Include language that is appealing to a broad range of candidates with a variety of backgrounds, identities, career paths and lived experiences, including groups that are minoritized in U.S. society. Keep the position summary as broad as is reasonable, paying attention to key words that may be negatively interpreted.
• Position duties - Cluster the duties into broad categories such as teaching, research and scholarship, outreach and extension, service, etc. Most positions include between three and five broad categories of duties; describing them in these clusters makes the position description more readable. Focus on the impacts the person in this position is expected to have (rather than just describing functions) and be certain to include impacts related to equity, inclusion and diversity. 

Each qualification should clearly support one or more aspects of the position as described. Write the threshold qualifications flexibly (“doctoral degree in discipline A, discipline B, discipline C or related field, OR doctoral degree in any field with relevant experience in X”) to include candidates who have pursued a variety of pathways.

• Required/preferred qualifications - Required qualifications are necessary for the appointee to begin working in the position; a candidate may not be hired unless they meet all required qualifications. Preferred qualifications predict better performance in the position. Too many required and preferred qualifications may reduce the percentage of applications from women, as research shows that women are less likely than men to apply if they aren’t certain they meet all the preferred qualifications. Review the preferred qualifications carefully – to sponsor an international faculty member for permanent residency OSU may need to demonstrate that the faculty member met all the required AND preferred qualifications in the original search.

• Language – avoid adjectives that may limit the appeal of the position – words like “superb,” “outstanding,” “unique,” “superior” and others may be off-putting to people with collaborative/high-context styles (which can be related to sex or cultural background). Use web resources such as Gender Decoder to scan your qualifications, job descriptions and ads for these potential impacts.
• Diversity qualification – OSU’s default diversity qualification reads “A demonstrable commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity.” If you have accurately described the expected equity, inclusion and diversity contributions and impacts in the position description, you can write more meaningful and less confusing qualifications to replace the default language. Applicants may assume that qualifications are listed in priority order, so be sure to notice the location of the diversity qualification(s) and correct as needed.

A screening matrix is a tool developed by the search committee to mitigate potential bias in the screening process by clearly and collectively defining screening criteria, identifying transferable skills, determining the relative weight of various criteria and designating the stage(s) at which each qualification will be assessed.

• The Screening Criteria Matrix is best completed before the job is posted, as the process of developing the matrix may point to needed adjustments in the job description.
• The Screening Criteria Matrix needs to be finalized by the screening committee before they begin their review of any applications.

At the application stage, request only those materials that are necessary for the initial review of applications. Typical faculty applications include:

• Application letter
• Statement of research interests
• Statement of teaching philosophy
• Diversity and inclusion statement – requiring a stand-alone document or a statement that is a specific component of the application letter can help attract candidates interested in helping to build an inclusive work environment and signals that commitment to diversity and inclusion will be considered in the hiring decision. Since this is an emerging practice, it’s a good idea to explain what is expected from this statement in the application instructions and relate these to the diversity/equity/inclusion impacts described in the duties.

The recommended application process typically does not include:

• Transcripts (especially official transcripts) – these can be costly for the candidate to obtain and may be over-analyzed by committee members

• Reference letters – unconscious implicit bias has been demonstrated to be a factor in how letters of reference are written. Further, requesting letters of reference may discourage some candidates from applying as they fear “wearing out” their referees. If the committee believes that reference letters are necessary:
  1. Consider only asking for written references for semi-finalists
  2. Use caution in making use of written references. Consider factors that might cause screening committees to over-read a reference letter (i.e. writing style, prestige of referee) or to over-interpret the meaning of a statement.
  3. Do not assume that something is a weakness simply because it is not identified as a strength in a reference letter; follow-up with telephone reference checks.

Depending on the college, the dean, associate dean, or other hiring official may wish to review the job posting and search plan for adequacy before it is sent to University Human Resources.

The advertisements for the position are developed from the position description and should reflect the diversity and inclusion considerations you have already planned within the context of the search committee. You may develop several versions of the ad – a brief one for expensive print publications, a longer one for less expensive and/or web publications and an even longer one for email distribution. Consider specific language so as to be maximally inclusive (see above Position Description section). At a minimum, all ads must include:

• Conditions of employment - rank, tenure-status, 9/12 month appointment type,
• Instructional responsibilities, if any (in case an H1-B visa is sought)
• Minimum threshold requirements
• Application deadline and link for more information
• OSU’s Equal Opportunity tagline. Although a brief tagline option is available for paid advertising, longer taglines may be more effective in recruiting a diverse applicant pool. 

The search committee develops the advertising plan for the search, in collaboration with the hiring official. Considering the aforementioned venues for disseminating the ad (e.g. within Before the Search), an effective faculty advertising plan should include:

Broadcast advertising:

• Disciplinary organizations and listservs, including affinity group caucuses
• The EOA Recruitment Resource Guide listserv
• Print publications, including those targeted to members of underrepresented groups
• Online job sites targeting the discipline, higher education and or diversity

Network recruiting:

• Upstream recruiting database – if faculty have already engaged in “upstream recruiting” committee members should contact prospective candidates individually by phone to invite them to apply.
• Referrals from colleagues – Committee members reach out individually to colleagues at other institutions (particularly those with a more diverse graduate student enrollment) to request names and contact information for promising potential candidates.
• Open- access resources – explore publicly-available, discipline-specific resources such as conference proceedings, academic journals, department websites, lists of postdocs and fellowships, lists of grant recipients, etc. to identify potential prospects. Once prospects are identified, committee members contact them individually (by phone) to invite them to apply.

The search committee chair may request demographic data on the applicant pool from UHR or EOA. 

• Demographic data received while the posting is actively open may reflect that the outreach to underrepresented groups appears to working
• The demographic data while the posting is active could also reflect that the desired or expected demographic distribution is not represented in the applicant pool and a shift in outreach methods/locations may be needed to achieve the expected diversity

Screening occurs at multiple stages throughout the search and selection process, after each round of information-gathering is completed. The guidance below applies to initial application screening, screening after phone/video interviews, screening after site interviews and screening after reference checks.

When internal or “known” candidates are included in the pool, unique opportunities for bias and conflict of interest arise. Since as human beings we can’t “un‐ know” what we already know, our thoughts about some candidates can undermine the goal of an equitable search. As a committee, engage in discussion about conflicts of interest or known applicants prior to any applicant review.

• Disclose relationships and/or prior knowledge: Known applicants including potential conflicts of interest should be disclosed and discussed prior to any applicant review.
• Conflicts of interest occur when a search committee member has a personal interest in a particular candidate’s success—the member may stand to benefit or experience disadvantage from that candidate’s selection--or if there is any other factor that might compromise the member’s objectivity in evaluating that candidate. When a conflict of interest is identified, it is ideal for the member to recuse themselves from the search if possible. If that is not possible – for example if that member is the only subject matter expert in the department – the committee must determine another way to mitigate the conflict. The appearance of favoritism or negativity towards particular candidates in a search can make it hard for the successful applicant to be accepted in the position, even when there is no impropriety in the actual selection process.
• Known candidates do not necessarily constitute a conflict of interest unless the situation meets the description of conflict of interest above. When a candidate in the pool is known to one or more committee members, it is expected that the committee members will make every effort to give them the same treatment as other candidates in the pool.

Committee members should commit to not disclosing information about known candidates from outside the application or interview process. If relevant factual information about a known candidate does not show up in the screening or interview process, it’s likely that the same gap is present for other candidates as well. Rather than sharing the specifics about the known candidate, strategize about how to address the apparent gap in the process—that is, discuss how you can systematically request appropriate information about that topic for all candidates still under consideration. Though it is not recommended, should the committee determine that some critical information must be shared after the first interviews, they must limit themselves to relevant and factual information obtained from a credible and reliable source. When such information is used to screen a candidate in or out, comparable information should be sought for other candidates at this time as well. Exception: factual information that might disqualify a candidate from consideration should be shared privately with the search chair and hiring official. For example, if a candidate was dismissed from a recent job because they were found to have engaged in prohibited activity such as sexual harassment, discrimination, violence in the workplace, etc., in most cases it would not be appropriate for the candidate to advance.

• Protect the reputations of internal candidates: People are sometimes reluctant to risk their reputations by competing for an internal vacancy. If they are not selected, they are sometimes seen as “failures.” Do everything you reasonably can to keep their applicant status confidential until the on‐site interviews. If an internal candidate is not advancing to on‐site, they may wish to withdraw rather than be eliminated.

The Screening Criteria Matrix, described above in the Position Description section, is intended to mitigate potential bias in the screening process by clearly and collectively defining screening criteria, identifying transferable skills, determining the relative weight of various criteria and designating the stage at which each qualification will be assessed.

• The search committee chair should utilize the Screening Criteria Matrix and keep track of each committee members’ reviews at all stages of the search.

Ideally, all committee members review all applications. However, if the pool is too large, the chair can divide applicants between committee sub-groups. Most often, two or more committee members should review each application. Where there is substantial disagreement between reviewers, an additional reviewer may be added.

The screening process should begin with a thorough review of the Screening Criteria Matrix. Ensure the committee shares an understanding of what each qualification means and why it matters; how it relates to the position and to the other qualifications; transferable skills related to each qualification and how to recognize qualifications and related transferable skills. Next, applicants should be reviewed independently by all committee members to identify those who meet minimum and required qualifications. Importantly, all committee members need to:

• use the Applicant Screening Form or spreadsheet and the Screening Criteria Matrix to complete their review;
• adhere to the decisions made by the committee and reflected in the Screening Criteria Matrix; 
• apply the criteria consistently to all applicants;
• identify applicant strengths and areas for improvement as well as any questions they may have;
• keep the forms/spreadsheets to submit to the Search Chair.

Qualifying veterans will be identified by Human Resources in the Applicant Disposition Workbook. Follow the OSU Veterans’ Preference procedure to ensure that veterans’ rights are met.

Keeping a diverse pool of qualified candidates is important at this stage and screening committees should focus on ‘screening in’ rather than ‘screening out’ candidates. When an applicant meets the minimum measurable qualifications, it is recommended that each committee member then evaluate their application by looking for all the reasons to advance, before beginning to document shortfalls. Try not to develop a preference for any one applicant during the application review.

• For each applicant that meets measurable minimum qualifications, look first for all the reasons to screen them in before considering reasons to screen them out.
• Document strengths and reasons to interview before evaluating weaknesses or areas for development.
• Identify applicants’ transferable skills, i.e., relevant skills that have been developed in various settings.

Applicant grouping, should not occur until either the Full Consideration Date or the Final Closing Date (if no “full consideration date” was published)

When reviewing applicants, all and only requested materials included in the application should be considered. If an applicant submits additional materials beyond those requested, the committee should forego reviewing those materials.

When evaluating qualifications for an applicant is complete, the committee selects the qualification category that most closely matches the applicant’s overall qualifications. Four possible categories are:

1. doesn’t meet all minimum qualifications
2. meets all minimum qualifications
3. meets all minimum qualifications and some preferred qualifications
4. meets all minimum qualifications and most preferred qualifications.

Sometimes, a sub-group has substantial disagreement about an applicant. In these cases, the disagreement is resolved by assigning an additional reviewer to evaluate the applicant or by bringing the difference of opinion back to the larger committee for review. Members bring their completed forms to the committee meeting.

Screening decisions should reflect the priorities and stages identified in the criteria matrix. Screening reasons should be detailed, accurate, job-related and specific to each applicant. This information should be recorded directly into the Applicant Disposition Workbook (ADW) as the screening decisions are being made. A completed ADW is required before a hire can be made, so updating the workbook as decisions are made will reduce confusion and delay at the end of the process.

Remind committee members that all records from the search must be saved. Records include handwritten and electronic notes, emails, committee members’ Applicant Screening Forms and documentation from the committee meeting. Typically these are collected by the search chair or search admin at the end of the process for archiving (until the end of the records retention period). If the records are not collected, it is the responsibility of the individual search committee members to retain them for three years.

The Search Chair may obtain a demographic update from HR Business Partners, the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access or the Search Advocate Program Director and reviews the screening impact with the search committee to evaluate how underrepresented groups, including people of color, women and veterans, have fared.

If screening produced a strong negative effect on a particular identity group, the committee explores whether particular qualifications or criteria are responsible. If so, the committee considers whether criteria could be defined more inclusively to mitigate this impact and re-screens all applicants eliminated by the earlier criteria.

University searches can take a long time. It is therefore important to keep candidates updated about their search status. Be courteous and communicate warmly with candidates; if a candidate has been screened out and will not be added back under any circumstances, it is appropriate to send them a “regrets” email informing them that they are no longer under consideration. Candidates who are being held in reserve rather than advancing to the next round of interviews may also be notified that, although they have not been selected to advance at this time, the committee would like to continue considering their applications in case additional interviews are scheduled. Candidates who are screened out at the application stage should be notified by email; those who are screened out at the remote or site interview stage should be notified by phone and finalists who are not selected should be notified by telephone with a written confirming letter. As per above, be careful with language and provide as much of a personal touch to the correspondence as possible.

Throughout the interview stage, qualifications should continue to guide the work of the search committee. As interviews begin, candidates are also gathering information about the university and determining their level of interest in accepting a job offer should one be presented. Committees are wise to remember this and to continue their recruitment of all candidates throughout and beyond the interview stage.

• Compose interview questions based on qualifications about which the committee needs additional information, focusing on the highest priority qualifications identified in the criteria matrix for evaluation at this stage.
• Evaluate candidate responses based on qualifications and criteria outlined at the outset of the search
• Debrief each candidate interview promptly afterward to reduce opportunities for bias to build through the passage of time and the interviews of other applicants.
• Do not ask questions, formally or informally, related to protected class status. Examples include: national origin, family status and age. For a full list consult Discrimination at Work
• Continue to recruit the candidate by attending to their needs. Answer any questions they have and provide flexibility throughout the interview process to meet a variety of needs.
• Communicate early and clearly with candidates about interview format and scheduling.

Phone and video interviews present an added challenge for meaningful connection. Intentional planning and interactions can enrich interactions and enhance the level of information shared.

• Determine what information is needed at this stage in order to inform on-campus interview decisions. Focus questions on qualifications that will assist in the decision-making process about which candidates to bring to campus. Begin with hospitality—introductions, a little information about what it’s like to work in this unit, etc. followed by broad, open-ended question such as “tell us about your interest in this job.”
• Begin with the same questions for all applicants. Any follow up questions should be to further clarify the original question or to seek more depth of information about the qualification to which the original question refers.
• All candidates should be notified in advance if the interview will be recorded. Interview recordings are subject to the same records retention requirements as all other materials related to the search.
• Ensure that candidates have access to all technology and accommodations needed for them to participate successfully in the interview.
• If not recording, assign someone to serve as detailed note-taker so other members can maintain eye-contact with the candidate. It’s important for the note-taker to use the language of the candidate’s response rather than paraphrasing, as paraphrasing can change the meaning or impact of the answer.
• Make allowances for technological realities of remote interviews. 
  • On phone interviews, explain the silence created by note taking
  • Always introduce all committee members present
  • Avoid decisions about an applicant’s preparedness or ability to connect because of technical difficulties; be mindful of the time delay created by technologies.
• Whenever possible, interview all applicants in a common format; never require different formats of candidates. If you offer video interviews to all candidates but one elects to choose a phone interview, do not hold this decision against them and keep in mind the additional connection you may have experienced with candidates who chose video interviewing simply because of the format. To minimize implicit bias, candidates may be invited to keep their video off—thus candidates may read non-verbal cues from the committee, but the committee is not distracted by appearance, first-impressions, or background distractions.
• Keep the number of interview questions reasonable for the duration of the interview. For a half hour interview, 3-5 or questions are reasonable including an opportunity for candidates to ask questions at the end.
• Explain your timeline and next steps to each candidate at the end of the interview.
• Debrief after each interview and be sure to schedule time for both breaks and debriefing.

On campus interviews are often jam-packed with access to the candidate for multiple stakeholders. Remember to allow time for the candidate both to gather the information they need and to take the breaks. Ensure that feedback is solicited in a meaningful and structured way and that once campus interviews have concluded, the necessary criteria-based information has been gathered.

• Draft itineraries for interview visits and confirm with candidates, then distribute to candidates in advance. List who will attend events and where they will take place. A typical interview visit may include a search committee interview, individual or small-group short meetings with potential faculty collaborators or colleagues, interview with the hiring authority, a job talk and possibly a teaching demonstration attended by stakeholder faculty, staff and students and opportunities for candidates to seek the information they need. Other events can be added as necessary.
• For any teaching or presentation sessions, ensure the candidate has all the equipment needed and an opportunity to test it with their media, any accommodations are identified and addressed and that a uniform scenario is created for all candidates.
• For stakeholder sessions, provide forms that ask for their responses and evaluation based on the qualifications for the position which they will be able to evaluate through their experience of the stakeholder session. Do not simply ask for strengths and weaknesses. Ask that they include examples to support their assessment.
• Schedule time during the candidate’s visit that allows them to explore their own interests and needs. Offer to assist them in connecting with individuals or groups they may hope to meet. Candidates may be interested in anything from meeting with a real estate agent to connecting with identity-based groups on or off campus.
• Consider identifying other diversity hires to meet the candidate for meals or other informal sessions whereby the candidate can get a sense of what it is like from someone else who has been through the process.
• Schedule time for candidates to take a break, regroup, have a snack and or a beverage and use the bathroom. Consider additional needs candidates may have, such as a lactation break for nursing parents. Always remind candidates that they may seek reasonable accommodations to their interview schedule based on religion, disability, language, or as a survivor of domestic violence.
• Ensure that everyone who will participate in social events is well versed in what types of questions are inappropriate or could pose some legal concerns (see Inappropriate Interview Questions). For example, we should not ask about children, spouses, country of origin, religion, etc., but we may respond to any questions from the candidate on these topics. This guidance applies to the entire interview, social times included.

Reference checks are important because prior on-the-job performance is one of the best predictors of future job performance. Search committee members should gather broad, well‐balanced additional information about each candidate’s performance and potential. These provide an opportunity to research questions and concerns which arose from the application or during the interview.

• When. Telephone reference checks can occur both before and after the site interview visit. If reference letters are solicited for semi-finalists or finalists, you should still plan follow-up phone checks to clarify any ambiguities. References are generally checked for finalists after site visits and final interviews and prior to making a job offer. Before contacting any references, contact the applicants to let them know 1) where you are in the screening process and 2) that you are about to begin contacting their references. Some applicants may not yet have informed their employers that they have applied for another position. 3) Ask if they would like to provide additional references. Let the applicant know if you plan to ask referees for any additional contacts. Be responsive if an applicant objects to having their references contacted and try to address any concerns they may have. Also notify candidates that you will be checking reference who are NOT on their list.
• Who. Referee selection. It’s important to speak with people who have been responsible for monitoring, assessing and documenting applicants’ performance—preferably people who have directly supervised or mentored applicants. These referees can speak to work quality and potential, reliability, areas of excellence, potential problems or areas for professional development and important job behaviors.
  1. Talk with a former supervisor as well as former colleagues, peers, direct reports and other professional associates. A former supervisor can speak specifically to an applicant’s quality and quantity of work, reliability, potential problem areas and specific job behaviors. Peers, direct-reports and colleagues can speak to their experiences working with the applicant from an equal or lower-power position within the organization.
  2. When possible, contact several past employers to explore consistent trends in the applicant’s past performance. Calling several employers will also help balance the information received and guard against making a decision based on opinions or information that may not be factual. It is important that the solicited information relates directly to the applicant’s ability to carry out the responsibilities of the job.

Reference calls must be planned carefully to maximize reliability, validity and effectiveness and to minimize bias risks.

• Whenever possible, schedule two people for each reference check. Different people may pick out different details or notice different nuances in a conversation.
• Decide what you will tell the referees about key responsibilities of the position you are filling.
• Use the Screening Criteria Matrix to select and design all questions.
• Structure questions around what you want to know.
• Use behavior-based questions to obtain details about how the applicant performed in specific situations that are relevant to the position you are filling and to explore questions that arose during the interview visit.
• Design broad, open-ended questions to learn about the applicant’s experience, ability and transferable skills that relate to the position. Remember, the information you seek must be directly related to the applicant’s ability to carry out the responsibilities of the job.
• Design specific questions to explore the applicant’s accomplishments, performance, potential, productivity and record of working with supervisors, colleagues/peers and subordinates.
• Design follow-up questions to gain clarification and get more information; you may also need to ask ad hoc follow-up questions as needed to clear up any confusion or ambiguity, particularly when the referee’s answers are very brief.
• Do not ask inappropriate questions which can raise an inference of potential discrimination. The same categories of inquiry that are prohibited in interviews are also prohibited in reference checks (see OHR-Search Excellence-Interviewing).
• If relevant, ask whether the referee would rehire the applicant and the reasons for their answer.
• Conclude with a request for any other information relevant to the applicant’s ability to be successful in the position.
• See Search Excellence or the soon-to-be released Search Committee Training – Search Compliance and Fundamentals and consult with your search advocate for additional information on:
  1. explanation of bias risks
  2. mitigation strategies
  3. types of references
  4. reference check question examples
  5. veterans preference employment policy

Create a reference checklist, or form, to a) keep inquiries consistently on-track, b) ensure coverage of the same topics with each reference for each applicant and c) capture appropriate record of each conversation. If you use a reference form, it should include:

• Your name
• Date
• Applicant name
• Position applied for
• Name, title and contact information for the reference
• Working relationship between the reference and the applicant and duration of that relationship
• Questions you plan to ask about each applicant, with room to note responses

The information received from references are a critical part of evaluating each applicant as a way to further assess candidates’ qualifications.

• It is better whenever possible to contact references by phone or email to schedule the reference call at a time that will work for all parties. This also gives the referee time to revisit any records about the applicant, especially if it has been a while since the applicant left that position.
• Make sure calls are made from a private location.
• Set aside enough time to engage in a thorough conversation.
• Make sure necessary information including the position description, applicant application and reference checklist are available.
• Don't make assumptions but rather recognize questions as questions without adding judgement.
• Request evidence from references – what the candidate said or did that caused them to form their judgements. 
• If the reference raises any doubts, additional references and follow-up interviews with the applicant should be scheduled.
• Information from a referee should be kept as confidential as the law will allow.

Information about onboarding and orientation is available on the New Employee Onboarding website.

Information about services provided by the Office of International Services is available on their website.

Background Check

• Information about this process is available on the Background Checks website.

Educational Credentials Verification

• Information about this process is available in the Reference Checking & More section of the Search Excellence website.

Motor Vehicle History Check (unusual for faculty hires)

• Information about this process is available in the Motor Vehicle History Check FAQs on the Background Checks website.

Request from the hiring authority if an offer can be made. For many tenure-track positions this will require permission from the Dean.

Once this permission has been granted, the Hiring Official should contact the candidate and let them know that an offer letter is being prepared. If there will be a start-up package, this is the time to inquire about the candidate’s startup needs. Advise the candidate to request a generous but reasonable startup package, letting them know that the offer will likely be smaller. The candidate should indicate which parts of the startup are essential. In addition, if the candidate wants to count prior service for the terms of the appointment, that should be mentioned. The Hiring Official should state that the verbal offer is contingent upon review and approval of the offer by University Human Resources.

Invite the candidate to let you know about any dual career needs (but don’t ask about partnership status—only whether there are dual-career needs). Information about Dual Career hires (PDF)

The most successful dual-career hires occur when the initial hiring department takes an active role in helping the partner or spouse find appropriate employment. The department may request a CV from the significant other and explore job possibilities within OSU. If the job prospects are outside OSU, the department can facilitate connections between the significant other and possible job openings/employers. If there are possibilities within OSU, the department may request an interview for the significant other, involving both deans and department heads/chairs.

A reconciliation between the amount of money requested for startup and the amount available must be undertaken. Financial support typically comes from the department, the college and the Research office. The department will negotiate with the college and Research office to create the best package possible.

Create the offer letter with a detailed description of all elements that will be provided. Work closely with your UHR Strategic Partners and make sure you have their approval. The offer letter needs to be signed by the department and by the dean (if the dean is the hiring authority). 

Model Offer Letter:

The offer letter includes (but is not necessarily limited to) the following elements:

• Terms of appointment
• Decision date for tenure (if applicable)
• Prior service agreement and conditions (if applicable)
• Salary
• Summer salary support for initial years
• Release of teaching, for positions with a research component
• Equipment budget
• Personnel for support during startup
• Moving expenses

• The terms of appointment are non-negotiable.
• The decision date for tenure can be negotiated within reason. That negotiation depends strongly on the nature of the prior service. It is important for the candidate to understand what a reasonable balance is for prior work and work at OSU. Too much prior credit brings a risk for being denied tenure if negative evidence appears at OSU. One misstep can become costly.
• The salary range was set when the position was created. The candidate will almost always ask for the maximum of the range. Without prior service, one should not give the maximum. Assuming the salary range was set properly, going outside the range creates inequity problems within the group of current employees. A small concession can be useful, though, to signal that the candidate has been listened to. Sometimes when an increase to the offered base salary is not possible, the hiring unit may offer additional one-time-only funds for professional development, travel, etc.
• All other items are up for negotiation. It is important to make sure the offer is not too different from offers made in the recent past to current faculty members. But actual dollar amounts will depend strongly on the field of study, so direct comparison is not always possible.
• Startup costs are the biggest hurdle in fields where there is strong competition with highly ranked universities. Even when budgets will not allow a significant change in the base pay offer, other one-time inducements (such as professional development funds, additional course release, etc.) can help the hiring unit close the deal with the candidate in a competitive market.

During negotiations, candidates may not always know how to ask questions. They might have received advice that leads to behavior that can be interpreted as pushy or overly demure. When a candidate comes back with questions for more, do not respond immediately. The best answer is to thank them for the feedback and tell them that you now need to discuss this with your supervisor, which is often true. Give them a timeline when you will get back to them and follow up on that timeline. By avoiding an immediate response you also avoid automatic reactions that could hinder the negotiations.

Identity-related norms and socialization can affect a candidate’s comfort in seeking to negotiate at this stage. Those same norms can cause us to unintentionally respond differently to the same negotiation strategies depending on candidate identity. The hiring manager should work to recognize and address differential responses to and judgments of candidates. At the same time, it is important to consider internal equity and compression concerns for current faculty.

Creating a welcoming atmosphere and setting the foundation for positive working relationships throughout new faculty careers begins with thoughtful, comprehensive onboarding. By ensuring access to all pertinent information and resources, the university communicates to new faculty that they are valued members of their work units and departments. Faculty members who feel valued are more likely to be positive, engaged and committed to the university’s organizational success. They are also more likely to stay for the duration of their academic careers.

To guarantee a smooth, transparent and inclusive onboarding process, consider creating a department-specific check list of the following tasks, assigning appropriate time lines and personnel to oversee them. Onboarding is an opportunity to build trust and positive working relationships while ensuring that all new faculty members are given the same access to information and resources.

Working with department staff, do the following:

• Call to officially welcome the new hire to OSU upon official acceptance.
• Send email to the department announcing the appointment of the new instructor/faculty member.
• Plan several welcome activities, including a schedule for the first day and welcome lunch.
• Place a welcome sign on the new faculty member’s office door or workspace.
• Prepare an Introductory Period Performance Plan (if appropriate), a copy of the job description and information about university and departmental mission, vision and goals for the first day.

Work with the Human Resources to have the following documentation completed:

• I-9
• W-4
• Signed Offer Letter
• Confidentiality Letter
• OSU Employee ID Card
• Business Cards
• Other department specific requirements:_____________________

Coordinate the following arrangements to streamline communication access:

• Request Computer and Network Access
• Request Phone Set Up
• Request Email Set Up
• Determine Necessary Software, Licenses and Request Installation
• Access Canvas
• Access Department Printer
• Add Name to Printer for Scanner Function
• Access to Shared Server
• Add to Appropriate Email Lists, List Serves and Calendaring Systems
  • Other: _________________________________________________

    Coordinate the following arrangements to streamline communication access:

  • Request Computer and Network Access
  • Request Phone Set Up
  • Request Email Set Up
  • Determine Necessary Software, Licenses and Request Installation
  • Access Canvas
  • Access Department Printer
  • Add Name to Printer for Scanner Function
  • Access to Shared Server
  • Add to Appropriate Email Lists, List Serves and Calendaring Systems
    • Other: _________________________________________________

Securing these spaces and supplies also communicates to the new faculty member that their participation in the department is expected and valued.

Prior to the candidate’s arrival, complete the following tasks:

• Assign an office or workstation
• Assign lab space
• Obtain furniture
• Acquire access to building, including keys
• Provide basic office supplies
• Identify key administrative support
• Other: ___________________________

Undertake the following tasks:

• Assign a mailbox with the new instructor/faculty’s name.
• Provide overview of department communications, work hours options and other expectations
• Provide departmental contact lists, organization chart, phone and voicemail instructions, emergency procedures and evacuation instructions
• Provide information about procedures for purchasing resources and supplies
• Provide information about parking permits and transportation services
• Discuss relocation expense procedures and support
• Provide faculty handbook

Distribute information about the following items:

• Title IX and sexual harassment
• Bias in the workplace
• Purchasing and contracting policies and procedures
• Discuss travel procedures and guidelines
• Emergency management resources
• IT policies
• Applicable Office of Research Integrity Trainings (Conflict of Interest, etc.
• Provide information about Faculty Senate and OSU Faculty Union
• Other: ____________________________________

• Explain academic dishonesty
• Explain course competencies and syllabus development
• Explain how the learning outcomes for the course scaffold with program and
• Explain academic dishonesty
• Explain course competencies and syllabus development
• Explain how the learning outcomes for the course scaffold with program and institutional outcomes
• Discuss classroom observations and student course evaluations
• Explain the early alert program, the Care Report and Incident Report
• Discuss discipline specific standards for grading, absences and other processes
• Provide information about the Center for Teaching and Learning
• Provide Information about the Academic Success Center
• Provide information about the Writing Center
• Provide information about Technology Across the Classroom
• Other:____________________________________________
• institutional outcomes
• Discuss classroom observations and student course evaluations
• Explain the early alert program, the Care Report and Incident Report
• Discuss discipline specific standards for grading, absences and other processes
• Provide information about the Center for Teaching and Learning
• Provide Information about the Academic Success Center
• Provide information about the Writing Center
• Provide information about Technology Across the Classroom
• Other:____________________________________________

Share information about the following campus resources:

• HR New Employee Orientation
• New Faculty Orientation
• MY OSU, ONID and Payroll Set Up (9 month or 12 month option)
• Family Resource Center
• Employee Assistance Program
• Equal Opportunity Access
• University Ombuds Office
• Faculty-Staff Fitness
• Dual-Career Resources
• Affinity Groups
• Other: __________________________________________

• During the first 30-60 days
  • Meet to review observations, issues and priorities
  • Identify opportunities to integrate the new faculty members into work groups and the university as a whole

• After 90 days
  • Meet and discuss experiences, including expectations, disappointments and concerns
  • Recognize and celebrate the new faculty members’ successes and contributions
     
• At the end of 12 Months/ 1 Year
  • Conduct the yearly performance review
  • Review position description and work load
  • Establish opportunities for ongoing feedback and dialogue