UNF Search Committee Guidelines

Search committees are required at the Director level or above and are optional for other staff positions. However, the portfolio Vice President or designee may waive the requirement of a search committee.

Ideally, the hiring manager should select the members of the search committee. The hiring manager can serve on the search committee if desired. Search committee members should not be related by kinship, personal relationships, or be engaged in business ventures with persons who apply for the vacant position. A committee member having a relationship with a candidate, thus creating or giving the appearance of a conflict of interest, should not be a member of the search committee. It is incumbent upon a search committee member to disclose these issues when such a conflict arises. Upon having knowledge of any potential conflict of interest, the hiring unit manager should disclose the conflict to his/her manager for final decision whether the search committee member is eligible to continue to serve on the committee.

1. Plan the search process including calibrating the committee to position requirements including “must have” and “nice to have” knowledge, skills, and abilities. Include in the search process any requirements from Vice President or designee.
2. Schedule interviews with applicants and meetings with campus stakeholders as deemed necessary.
3. As required by Florida’s Sunshine Law, posts search committee meeting time, date, and location in Osprey Update at least seven calendar days prior to the meeting.
4. Arranges travel accommodations for interviewees, as needed.
5. Assesses, discusses, and resolves any conflict-of-interest issues.
6. Conduct or assist with reference checks on finalist.
7. Keep any relevant search committee records.

Creating a robust pool of qualified candidates is one of the most important functions of the search process. The following points should be considered when conducting a search:

• Care should be taken to identify and utilize those publications and search strategies that will produce a robust pool of applicants. Human Resources has secured a vendor who might be able to assist with identifying publications and job boards where a vacancy may catch the attention of qualified candidates. This resource also has a strategy to utilize search engine marketing to bring the vacancy to candidates who may not be actively looking for employment but who may become interested in the vacancy upon seeing the posting.
• People contacts are the most effective means of generating candidates. Efforts should be made to contact colleagues and other professionals to inform them of the vacancy and to request nominations. Follow-up should be provided with a letter and a position announcement that they can share with others.

In reviewing applications, members of the committee should be sensitive to the following:

• Biases against individuals from lesser-known institutions and organizations. Insistence on considering only candidates with degrees. In the State of Florida, public institutions are required to consider experienced candidates without degrees unless a degree is required as part of regulation, licensure, or accreditation.
• Biases against candidates who are not active participants in mainstream organizations or networks. Devaluing research and scholarship which focuses on areas not considered mainstream. Thus, the quality of the research and scholarship should be the focus as well as an assessment of the individual’s potential for future research and scholarship activity.
• Devaluing candidates whose prior professional experience focused on working with special populations. Assumptions that a position calls for a narrow or restrictive set of skills that are not transferable are shortsighted.
• If there are internal candidates at least 2 should be selected to interview.  (provided they meet the minimum requirements of the position)

All search records (except personal notes) are public records under Florida’s Sunshine Law. Search records do not need to include information recorded in the recruitment system or personal notes. If a search committee is used, the committee is required to keep minutes which should reflect the rationale for hiring recommendations. All documents related to the search should be kept by the hiring unit and Human Resources for four (4) years from the hiring date or the conclusion of any litigation, whichever is longer.

Examples of search record documentation to include in the official search record: 

• Information on advertising
• Recruitment letters
• E-mails to all applicants, references, etc.
• List of candidates invited for telephone interviews
• List of candidates invited for on-campus interviews
• Minutes of search committee meetings
• Letters of appointment
• Letters of rejections
• List of candidates and reason for non-selection