Posted 8:58 a.m. Monday, Sept. 13, 2021
As we look towards the months ahead and after our tenure-track hiring freeze from last year, Human Resources is preparing to recruit and then welcome new faculty colleagues to start our 2022-2023 Academic Year.
This message was sent in an email to Deans, ADAs, and Department Chairs on 9/13/2021.
As we look towards the months ahead and after our tenure-track hiring freeze from last year, Human Resources is preparing to recruit and then welcome new faculty colleagues to start our 2022-2023 Academic Year.
To help manage this sizable increase in recruitment traffic beginning this fall, HR wanted to provide you some preliminary information so that your Search Committee knows what to expect. HR’s goal is to be your strategic partner in your recruitment. We will focus on managing the needs of your recruitment so you can focus on our students and easily finding your next colleague.
In addition, John Acardo will be taking over for the recruitment functions as we search for our next full-time Recruitment Specialist. Our current specialist, Leah Vogt, accepted an incredible career opportunity at another employer. We support careers and career growth in Human Resources and wish her well in her future endeavors.
Before Meeting with Human Resources
There are several actionable items that should be completed prior to meeting with Human Resources.
- Work with your Dean to establish which positions will be searched and a general timeline for the recruitment. A meeting with HR should not occur until a Dean and the Provost have approved a tenure-track search following the criteria established by the College/School.
- Develop a Search Committee. Each department may have a different approach to formalizing a Search Committee. More for information on the Search Committee visit the UWL HR Recruitment website.
- Develop a recruitment statement, outlining the position, qualifications, and your department. HR runs ads for all tenure-track positions in the Chronicle of Higher Education. HR asked our representatives at the Chronicle of Higher Education, which job posts are getting the most views. Use the below two links to view examples of highly trafficked positions:
- https://jobs.chronicle.com/job/379343/associate-or-assistant-professor-of-biology-microbiology-es-organismal-biology-/
- https://jobs.chronicle.com/job/379302/assistant-professor-mathematics/
- HR has developed a template for your recruitment statement that includes information about UWL and the La Crosse area. You can also reference our webpage designed for finalists here: https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/services/talent-acquisition-and-employment/finalist-welcome/
- Consider the selection criteria that is needed for the successful candidate. For more information on how to develop selection criteria, visit: https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/services/talent-acquisition-and-employment/recruitment/#expand-176422
Before you meet with Human Resources, please make sure you send your recruitment statement and your Search Committee Composition so that HR can stage your recruitment and it can be reviewed during the meeting.
- To submit your Search Committee, click here.
- To submit your recruitment statement (we call it full ad text), click here.
- At this time, you can also schedule your required meeting with Equity and Affirmative Action. This meeting is required for all committee members.
- Finally, arrange a meeting with HR by using our online booking system.
Meeting with Human Resources
The meeting with HR only needs to include the Chair (or Chairs) of the Search Committee. In your meeting with HR, you will review your recruitment in the program we use to manage recruitments, PeopleAdmin. The Committee Members will receive an email once the recruitment is posted providing access instructions for them to view applicants.
The main portion of the meeting will focus on the advertising strategy for your recruitment. HR will take care of all your advertising needs after the strategy has been agreed upon and approved by the Dean. In addition to the postings on the Chronicle of Higher Education, the UWL career webpage, and the Department of Workforce Development for Wisconsin (required by law), Human Resources recommends discussing advertising options with your Dean and consider the following outlets:
- HigherEd Jobs
- DiverseJobs (associated with Diverse Issues in HigherEd publications)
- Discipline-specific journals or professional organizations
In addition to the recruitment strategy, HR can also assist with direct recruitments – such as contacting the potentially interested parties who are colleagues or acquaintances of the committee or department members. Allowing HR to be the main vehicle for outreach insulates the individual who is recommending a person for this type of engagement and their established relationships.
Before you Interview Candidates
First and Second Screening
Note, that all questions must be approved by the Office of Equity and Affirmative Action. Submit questions ahead of time by visiting: https://www.uwlax.edu/equity/recruitment-resources/.
A first and second screening of candidates does not require approval only finalist visits require the approval of the Dean and Affirmative Action.
Finalist Interviews
Before you interview the finalist candidates, first reach out to Human Resources. HR will help you record the approvals for bringing finalists to campus. In addition, HR will help prepare communications for the finalists. HR includes information about employment, benefits, the La Crosse area, and more, to the candidates. In addition, as part of the campus visit, it is strongly recommended that each candidate meets with HR’s Benefits Specialist to learn more about the benefit offerings.
Open Meetings Requirements
All meetings of the Search Committee, (even before meeting with HR) are considered “open” under the Wisconsin Open Meetings Law. We have streamlined the posting requirement by creating this online form: https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/services/talent-acquisition-and-employment/recruitment/#expand-176469
Maintaining minutes is also a requirement; however, the meeting minutes can be simple and record attendance, meeting time, and adjournment, as well as a general statement of what activity was performed, such as:
- Meeting to discuss recruitment activities
- Meeting to discuss qualifications of candidates
Other Important Notes
In-person or virtual interviews
On-campus interviews are permitted at this time. Committees that wish to hold virtual or parts of the interview in a virtual or hybrid setting should meet with HR first to confirm all Open Meetings requirements are met.
International hires needing sponsorship
As a reminder, if your search results in the hiring of an international scholar who requires sponsorship, (i.e. H1B, PERM, etc.), report that needs to Human Resources as soon as possible. You can view whether or not a candidate needs sponsorship in the Supplemental Questions section of each application. For more information, contact HR.
Additional Resources
Visit the HR recruitment page for additional information, training tips for PeopleAdmin, FAQs, sample questions, and more: https://www.uwlax.edu/human-resources/services/talent-acquisition-and-employment/recruitment/
Lastly, there are two attachments below. It takes time to build a strong applicant pool. While many disciplines see an increase in applicant traffic associated with national or regional conferences and workshops, HR tracks faculty applications as a group over the course of the calendar year. Below are faculty applications by calendar quarter and recruitments posted by calendar quarter.
View the statistics.
