Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs > Faculty Information & Resources > Faculty Search Handbook Guidelines

VII. Final Selection of a Candidate

Final Candidate Evaluation Review & Selection

When it comes time to evaluate candidates to make hiring recommendations, avoid an initial tendency to rank finalists. Instead evaluate all finalists adhering to previously established evaluation criteria, exercise critical thinking, and avoid inadvertently raising the bar for women and minority candidates.

Meet with department faculty and, if applicable, program faculty. Solicit written comments from faculty outside the department who were part of the interview process. Discuss candidates’ strengths and weaknesses in a systematic and consistent manner. Meet in person, not by email.

Consider whether each candidate:

• Satisfies the requirements for the position as advertised.
• Demonstrates the potential to be successful in the promotion and tenure review in research, teaching and service.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   • Message from the Provost
2. Before the Search Begins
   • Reviewing the Candidate Pool
3. Legal Issues & the Search Process
   • Guidelines
4. Initiating the Faculty Search Process
   • Introduction
   • Completing All the Appropriate Paperwork
   • Composition of the Committee
   • The Search Committee’s Charge
   • How To Make Recruitment Work
   • Reviewing Previous Departmental Search
   • Defining the Position Suggestions
   • Wording for Announcing Positions
5. Recruiting Activities During the Search
   • Broadening the Hiring Net Suggestions
   • Active Recruiting Practices
   • Prescreening of Candidates
   • Creating the Short List
   • Interdisciplinary Hiring
6. Managing Campus Visits
   • Interviewing the Candidates
   • Campus Visit
   • Factors that Bias Interviews
   • Suggestions on Ways to Eliminate Bias
   • Examples that Bias Interviews
   • Best Management Practices for Interviewing
   • Guidelines for Interview Questions
   • Guidelines for Hiring National Employees at Lehigh University & Services Available to a New Foreign National Faculty Member (8/16/12)
   • Work Life Balance & Dual Career Resources
   • Guidelines for Conducting Reference Checks
   • Guidelines for Providing Accommodations for Disabilities
7. Final Selection of a Candidate
8. Negotiating Contracts / Offers
9. Evaluating the Search

APPENDIX

1. Faculty Recruitment & Initial Appointment Checklist
2. Faculty Employment Request Form
3. Permission to Advertise Request Form
4. Reason for Declining Faculty Appointment Offer Form
5. Workshops to Support the Process
   • Cornell Interactive Theatre Ensemble Group
   • Internal Group—Faculty Search Workshops
6. Principles of Our Equitable Community Document
7. Lehigh University’s Core Values
8. Board of Trustees Diversity Statement
   • Mission Statement
9. Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action / Non-Discrimination Policy
10. Resources for Recruitment: Workshops, Publications, Organizations & Websites
    • General Resources for Faculty Searches
    • Women Faculty & Institutions
    • African American / Black Faculty & Institutions
    • Asian Faculty
    • Faculty with Disabilities
    • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered Faculty
    • Native American Faculty
    • Hispanic Faculty & Institutions
    • Minority & Women Doctoral Directory
11. College & University Addresses
    • Women’s List
    • Black List
    • Hispanic List
12. Women & Minority Institutional Doctoral Directory
13. Women & Minority Doctoral Award History
14. Readings on Diversity, Gender & Faculty Recruitment
15. Handbook References
16. Faculty Search Resources
17. Lehigh University Administrative Offices to Support Faculty Search