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Stephen F. Austin State University
Department of Human Services
The Search Committee Chair
Service as the Chair of a search committee is an important service to the program, the department, and
the broader university community, which must be assumed with a commitment to adhere to the legal
standards and university policies and to insure optimum outcomes in identifying the most highly
qualified, congenial, future members of the faculty/staff body. The Search Committee Chair is
appointed by the Department Chair/Dean and is responsible for contacting the Office of Human
Resources to secure access to the posted position, orchestrating the scheduling of Human Services
training workshop for the designated search committee, and establishing a series of meetings, minimally
weekly, with the identified search committee members until the completion of the hiring process. The
following provides a general step-by-step guide from beginning to end of the search process with the
SFA Department of Human Services. Immediately upon appointment, please review this list and contact
the Department Chair for questions about the process.
1.
Upon notification of the appointment to the position of Search Committee Chair, electronically
send all committee members the position announcement, and a Doodle invitation to identify a
date and time to schedule a search committee training workshop with the Office of Human
Resources.
2. Send a Doodle invitation to committee members to identify times for regularly scheduled
weekly meetings to:
a. Review the position announcement;
b. Work directly with applicants to insure that ALL required application materials are posted on
the website or received in the mail by you, the Search Committee Chair AND reviewed by
each of the committee members;
c. Develop a list of questions for the SKYPE interview;
d. Develop a list of questions for the on-campus interview;
e. Develop a list of questions for the references;
f. Submit all questions to the Human Resources representative for approval of questions
developed in c, d, & e, revising accordingly ;
g. Identify sites (e.g., alma mater of terminal degree, accredited doctoral programs, scheduled
professional conferences) for each committee member to contact to increase the
application pool (i.e., recruitment), especially to increase the diversity within the application
pool w/follow-up discussion;
h. Facilitate the development of a committee-approved rubric based on the position
announcement for use in independent evaluation of each applicant by committee members;
i. Develop a brief narrative describing the demographics of the application pool and a ranked
listing of candidates based on results of the collective rubric results, calculated during one of
the meetings so that transparency of the process is maintained;
j. Schedule telephone interviews with identified references only AFTER informing the
applicant through e-mail;
k. Schedule SKYPE interviews with the top most competitive candidates;
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Based on the collective results of the application materials, the SKYPE interview, and
interview with references, notify the Department Chair of the finalists so that an estimate of
expenses for campus interview might be determined;
With approval of the final list by the Department Chair, contact the designated number of
top candidates to re-verify interest in the position and identify dates and times of
availability for future campus interview;
Develop committee and Chair-approved schedule for the campus interview itinerary,
including the participation of each committee member and distribute to all parties involved,
including the invited candidate;
Orchestrate the development of campus interview schedule times based on candidates’,
committee members’, Department Chair’s, and Dean’s availability;
Develop final rank order of candidates and submit to the Department Chair with all
documenting materials (i.e., rubrics, and summary of collective results) and signatures of all
participating committee members (i.e., electronic submission with all copied will be
acceptable);
Change the status of each of the candidates’ status in the search on the university
employment website; and
Maintain contact with the Department Chair in the offer submission process, notifying
committee members of updates.
Composition of Committee Members
New hires are not only a part of the program faculty body, but of the Department, College, and
broader university and surrounding community as well. Consequently, the representation of
key parties beyond the program is critical. Every effort must be made to include the following
in the interview process beyond the program faculty body:
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2 Faculty representatives from among non-program, but within department faculty
body (i.e., best choice would be faculty from 2 different affiliated programs of study);
Community representative (i.e., member of program advisory council);
Faculty representative of non-Department representative affiliated with the program;
Member of the Perkins College of Education Diversity Committee.
All on-campus interview itinerary shall include the following meetings:
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Department Chair;
Dean of the College or Dean designated representative;
Human Resources representative;
Program Students w/o program faculty;
Candidate’s formal presentation to students, committee members, including open invitation
campus-wide and stakeholders in surrounding community;
Campus tour;
Building tour or all laboratories;
Administrative Assistants;
Real Estate Representative;
Office of International Affairs for interested candidates (inquire about interest);
Office of Multicultural Affairs for interested candidates (inquire about interest).