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

IX. Evaluating the Search

Consider the factors that may have enabled a department to hire a woman, underrepresented minority or other candidates, and keep a record of good practices and successful searches for future reference.

1. Consider the following if the applicant pool was not as large, as qualified, or as diverse as was anticipated:
   1. Could the job description have been constructed in a way that would have brought in a broader pool of candidates?
   2. Could the department have recruited more actively?
   3. Were there criteria for this position that were consistently not met by women and underrepresented candidates?
2. Review why women, underrepresented minorities or other candidates who decline positions chose not to accept.
   1. What reasons did they offer? Consider as many factors as you can identify.
   2. Are there things that the department and/or college could do to make it more attractive to such candidates in the future?
   3. Be sure that any analysis and insight with department and college decision makers is part of future search processes.

Candidates Who Did Not Accept Offer Form

The Reason for Declining Faculty Appointment Office form was designed to assist the department/college/Provost’s Office to keep track of offers not accepted and lessons learned, so that the process can be improved in the future. The form should be completed by the person who extended and negotiated the offer with the candidates. (see Appendix 4)

Note: The forms in this document are examples only. Complete the latest online Word or PDF versions at http://www.lehigh.edu/~inprv/faculty/forms.html.

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