Excerpt from “Getting the Most from the Search Committee Process”
http://policy.umn.edu/Policies/hr/Hiring/RECRUITFACPA_APPD.html
Who Can Know Information About Applicants?
Minnesota state law (the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act) prohibits sharing
information about applicants except with people within the institution who have a job-related
"reason to know." People with a "reason to know" include the search committee, department
head/chair or director, academic dean, vice president, unit EOAA liaison, unit HR staff, and staff
support for the search.
The search committee has access to all applicant materials (except self-identification of race,
gender, disability and veteran status submitted for affirmative action requirements), and has an
obligation to assure appropriate consideration of all qualified candidates. The college or
administrative unit is responsible for deciding whether it is appropriate to expand access of
applicant materials to other faculty or staff. Access should be given only to those persons who
can provide substantive input to the review, and who are informed of the same privacy and equal
opportunity responsibilities, as is the search committee. (Refer these additional reviewers to the
Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action's "Affirmative Action in the Search
Committee Process".)
If the responsible administrator elects to use another existing body for advice on hiring, and a
determination is made to allow such individuals access to candidate files, the participants must
be informed of privacy and equal opportunity obligations. (Refer these additional reviewers to
the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action's "Affirmative Action in the Search
Committee Process.")
What's Public - What's Not?
Privacy Issues
Public Information:
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Position Description and ad copy;
Names of search committee members;
Search plan information (except for sex and race of search committee members);
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Essential and Preferred Qualifications;
Information about process followed by search committee;
Names of finalists selected by responsible administrator and from whom permission has been
granted by the candidate to be considered a finalist;
Veteran status, job history, education and training background work availability of finalists; and
Selection outcome information, except race and gender of person receiving job offer.
Private Information:
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Names of applicants and nominees (unless they have been selected by the responsible
administrator as finalists);
Information in search committee files about applicants; and
Information about finalists except items listed above as public.
Requests for information and questions about the search or the finalists should be referred to
Timothy Caskey, UMD interim contact for requests pursuant to the Minnesota Government Data
Practices Act.
Timothy J. Caskey
UMD Department of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity
255 Darland Administration Building
1049 University Drive
Duluth, Minnesota 55812-3011
Tel. 218-726-6326
tjcaskey@d.umn.edu
Applicants have the right to inspect their own file, including evaluations of the application,
letters of reference (and reference checks), and reasons for non-selection. Applicants do not have
the right to information about other applicants. Please contact Mr. Caskey for information on the
process for allowing inspection of applicant file by the applicant.
/clr
UMD modified on 12/18/2013
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