Office of Employee Relations & Compliance
FAQs - Faculty Recruitment and Hiring
- Can I distribute the original copies of a Curriculum Vitae to other members of the department involved in a search?
- Can a non-SDSU affiliated individual serve on a search committee as a subject matter expert and vote?
- What materials must the search committee submit to the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance “OERC” before a position can be advertised?
- What questions can we ask during an interview?
- Can the search committee conduct phone interviews?
- What materials must a search committee submit to the OERC before on-campus interviews can take place?
- Our search has already been certified, but our top candidates have all declined the position. Does the search committee need to submit additional justifications or documentation to invite the second tier candidates to an on-campus interview?
- The search committee only has two weeks in which to complete all on-campus interviews. One of the candidates is unable to come during those two weeks. Does the search committee have to wait for this candidate to become available?
- One of the top candidates for a position is a lecturer for SDSU. Can the committee review all of their student evaluations as part of the application review process?
- How has the required advertisement “tagline” been changed to conform with current law?
Q1: Can I distribute the original copies of a Curriculum Vitae to other members of the department involved in a search?
A: It is preferable to distribute a copy of the document. If the original is either lost or misplaced, there could be significant disruption of the search process, and others’ ability to immediately review the documents.
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Q2: Can a non-SDSU affiliated individual serve on a search committee as a subject matter expert and vote?
A: An individual from outside SDSU may serve as a subject matter expert on a search committee, and may prove an invaluable resource. However, the individual is precluded from voting.
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Q3: What materials must the search committee submit to the Office of Employee Relations and Compliance (OERC) before a position can be advertised?
A: The search committee must submit a hard copy of the ad, an electronic copy of the ad (word document preferred), recruitment plan and criteria to be used to evaluate applicants. All these items must be approved by the OERC prior to advertising.
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Q4: What questions can we ask during an interview?
A: You can ask any job-related questions. Refrain from asking any personal questions that will solicit information regarding age, national origin/citizenship, immigration status, race/ethnicity, marital status, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, etc.
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Q5: Can the search committee conduct phone interviews?
A: Yes. There are two instances in which phone interviews are permitted. Many committees conduct phone interviews as part of the screening process to help in determining which applicants will be invited to an on-campus interview. Phone interviews may also take place in lieu of on-campus interviews as long as 1) all applicants are interviewed via telephone; or 2) an applicant is unable to come to campus for a visit and opts for a telephone interview. It is important that all candidates be treated equally; therefore if any in-person interviews will be conducted, it is best to have all interviews be in-person interview.
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Q6: What materials must a search committee submit to the OERC before on-campus interviews can take place?
A: Prior to inviting candidates to an on-campus interview, the search must be certified. To certify a search, the committee should submit their “justifications” explaining why certain candidates were selected for on-campus interview (how they met stated criteria), why others were selected as “second tier” or “back-up” candidates (met stated criteria but less qualified than top tier) and how all other applicants failed to meet stated criteria.
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Q7: Our search has already been certified, but our top candidates have all declined the position. Does the search committee need to submit additional justifications or documentation to invite the second tier candidates to an on-campus interview?
A: No. Once a search has been certified, the search committee may go to the second tier/backup candidates after exhausting the list of top tier candidates without further approval from OERC. However, the committee may not bring an applicant from the “reject” list for an on-campus interview without submitting additional documentation.
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Q8: The search committee only has two weeks in which to complete all on-campus interviews. One of the candidates is unable to come during those two weeks. Does the search committee have to wait for this candidate to become available?
A: No. The search committee may set whatever time frame they think appropriate to complete interviews. If a candidate cannot make the time frames, then the committee is not required to make any exceptions. However, if an exception is made for one candidate, then it must be made for all candidates.
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Q9: One of the top candidates for a position is a lecturer for SDSU. Can the committee review all of their student evaluations as part of the application review process?
A: The committee may only review student evaluations if it is reviewing student evaluations for all other applicants as well. The committee must remember to treat all applicants equally. If the search committee wants to review student evaluations for one applicant, it must do so for all applicants.
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Q10: How has the required advertisement “tagline” been changed to conform with current law?
A: The advertisement “tagline” should read as follows:
SDSU is a Title IX, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, age, disability or veteran status, including veterans of the Vietnam era.
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