America draws its strength and vitality from the diversity of its people. Eastern Illinois University is enriched by building a pluralistic campus that celebrates and draws upon the talents of all its students, faculty, and staff.
Eastern Illinois University provides equality of opportunity in education and employment for all students and employees. Discrimination is precluded by University policy and federal and state statues. It is strictly prohibited.
Following are guidelines that outline the recruitment and employment process for A&P positions.
Submit the PAR (Form A) to the appropriate hiring manager/supervisor, the Vice President and the President via the online process.
Before a search for a position can begin, the appropriate paperwork must be completed. PAR (Form A), which authorizes the search, must be approved by the appropriate line supervisors and the Vice President and President. Form B, the recruitment plan, is developed by the Hiring Manager and approved by the Director of Civil Rights. After the Form B has been approved by OCR, the office will forward the "Applicant Tracking Spreadsheet" to the department. This tool should be completed and submitted to OCR at the Candidate Selection (Form C) stage.
A Search Waiver may be requested for new or vacant openings for Administrative & Professional positions. Departments may request a Search Waiver in some special circumstances (e.g. budgetary restrictions, internal restructuring, interim appointment). Administrative & Professional Staff (A&P) positions are generally filled by means of a full competitive regional/national external search.
According to the employment policy, the Hiring Manager and the Director of Civil Rights must discuss the composition of the screening committee and recruitment and retention efforts for persons from underrepresented groups. The Hiring Manager is responsible for developing a recruitment plan that encourages the formation of a large, diverse, highly qualified applicant pool. Networking within the field is important. Normally, a Vice President or the President is not required to sign the form B unless the position reports to that person.
The Recruitment Plan (Form B) should address the following items:
The position description should describe those duties regarded as essential to the specific position being advertised and also those duties expected of all other comparable administrators in the department. Attach the vacancy announcement to the Form B. This announcement should be the basis for all advertising.
The Hiring Manager shall list the specific recruitment sources to be used, including national, highly visible publications, professional newsletters, electronic postings, and other relevant sites. The Hiring Manager, with the approval of the Director of Civil Rights, shall identify additional specialized strategies to recruit applications from underrepresented persons for the position, including, but not limited to, directly recruiting potential applicants. The Hiring Manager is responsible for ensuring that the position announcement appears in the University Newsletter.
If, after the Recruitment Plan has been approved, the Hiring Manager or Screening Committee Chairperson deviates from the approved plan, the Director of Civil Rights shall approve any change.
The vacancy announcement and advertisement must state what is a complete applicant file, and the review or closing date for application. The vacancy announcement shall carry the following statement: “Eastern Illinois University provides equal opportunity in education and employment for all students, applicants for employment, and employees. Discrimination based upon race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis of discrimination precluded by federal and state statutes, is strictly prohibited.
The University further commits to a program of affirmative action as prescribed by statute to employ, and advance in employment, qualified individuals with a disability and qualified protected veterans (disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, active-duty wartime veterans, and Armed Forces service medal veterans).”
The screening committee plays a very important role in the hiring process. The primary goal of recruiting and hiring highly qualified applicants is better achieved by bringing together individuals who understand the requirements of the position and are committed to the goals of the department. The procedures regarding screening committees are as follows:
The Hiring Manager must list the members of the screening committee and designate the Chair of the screening committee in the Recruitment Plan. The Committee Chairperson cannot be a direct report of the position that is being filled nor should it be the Hiring Manager. The Director of Civil Rights, or designee, may serve as an ex-officio member of the screening committee. If, after the Plan is approved, any change occurs in the committee composition, the Hiring Manager shall notify the Civil Rights Office at the time of the change. Screening Committees should be limited to seven members including the Chairperson unless approved otherwise.
The Hiring Manager shall describe in the Recruitment Plan the scope and function of the screening committee in reviewing applications, recommending potential candidates, interviewing, and providing commentary on the final candidates to the Hiring Manager. The chairperson of the committee shall endeavor to achieve a diverse composition.
The committee shall be convened and meet regularly.
The plan shall include a tentative timetable of important dates in the screening process.
Refer to IGP #11 Conflicts of Interest in Employment.
Vice Presidencies and Other Presidential Direct Reports: The President shall appoint members of the screening committees for these positions. These screening committees shall have appropriate university-wide representation including faculty, administrators, civil service staff, and students. Particular attention must be paid to achieving a diverse composition including gender and race/ethnicity. If a non-employee is asked to serve on a screening committee, the President’s Office shall provide the individual with information about service.
All Other Administrative Positions: The appropriate Supervisor or designated Hiring Manager shall appoint the members of screening committees for these positions. Particular attention must be paid to achieving a diverse composition including gender and race/ethnicity. If a non-employee is asked to serve on a screening committee, the individual shall be provided with information about service. Unless approved otherwise, screening committees should have at least 4 members, including the chairperson and one member from outside of the hiring unit. Student participation is encouraged when appropriate.
All screening committee members and hiring managers must complete training on equitable and inclusive hiring practices. The training is effective for a period of 2 years.
After approval of PAR (Form A) and the Form B/Recruitment Plan, the Hiring Manager or designee shall announce the vacancy and carry out the Recruitment Plan.
Once the Form B has been reviewed and approved, an email will be sent to the Screening Committee and department head with the final job announcement, applicant tracking sheet, OCR general guidelines PDF, and the summary of recruitment strategies PDF file.
The Hiring Manager is responsible for the employment decision. The Hiring Manager is responsible for providing guidance and support to the designated Screening Committee Chair regarding the entire employment process. At the beginning of the screening process, the Hiring Manager shall explain to the screening committee its duties as outlined in the Recruitment Plan.
The Hiring Manager and chairperson of the committee are responsible for ensuring that all application materials are secured. Only persons serving on the screening committee, the Director of Civil Rights or designee, and the appropriate Vice President shall have access to applicants' letters of reference or transcripts. All screening committee deliberations are confidential and may only be shared with those directly involved in the employment decision.
All letters of interest and credentials shall be directed to the designated screening committee chairperson, as indicated in the Recruitment Plan. The chairperson, or designee, shall acknowledge all letters of interest or ensure that the online system acknowledges applicants.
The Chairperson is responsible for obtaining a complete applicant file as described in the vacancy announcement.
Unless using Interfolio, the Chairperson is responsible for ensuring that all applicants are sent an EEO Survey Link and Disclosure Regarding Sexual Harassment, Discrimination or Sexual Misconduct. Additionally, the Chairperson should provide information about the department. The EEO Survey Link and Disclosure Regarding Sexual Harassment, and Discrimination or Sexual Misconduct is included in the email notification for the approved search, sent from the Office of Civil Rights.
No candidates may be invited for interviews until the Form C is approved by the Hiring Manager, the Director of Civil Rights, and the Vice President, if designated in the Recruitment Plan. The Screening Committee shall function according to the charge outlined in the Recruitment Plan and expressed at the organizational meeting.
The Screening Committee Chair prepares the Form C and submits it via the online process, and uploads candidate files to be reviewed and approved by the Department Head and Dean/Director, and then to the Office of Civil Rights. The Screening Committee Chair must submit the required applicant tracking sheet to the Office of civil Rights at civil@eiu.edu. Once the Form C has been approved, an email will be sent to the Screening Committee Chair and the Department Head.
The Hiring Manager or the Screening Committee Chairperson is responsible for inviting candidates to campus for interviews. Appropriate actions will be taken by the Hiring Manager and the Director of Civil Rights to ensure that the Recruitment Plan has been followed. Additionally, if the candidate pool is of insufficient quality, size, or diversity, the decision may be made to reopen the screening process, to fill the position temporarily, or to cancel the screening process.
When the Form C has been signed by all applicable parties, the department should communicate the University's policy on reimbursement of interview expenses.
In order to ensure that the appropriate affected constituencies are included in the interview process, the Hiring Manager will establish the interview schedule.
The Hiring Manager or designated Screening Committee Chairperson must ensure that the candidates' evaluation forms are distributed at each interview session or provided online. Other signed memoranda or communications may also be considered by the committee.
The Hiring Manager, or the designated Screening Committee Chairperson, following the guidelines of the Recruitment Plan, is responsible for preparing a composite summary of the evaluations of the interview sessions, summary comments from the screening committee, and reference information. This material and all files are provided to the Dean/Director and the Form D is submitted via the online system. The Supervisor shall be responsible for submitting the request for reimbursement of interview expenses of candidates to the Vice President's Office. Additionally, the university does not tolerate discrimination. Please review the Illegal or Inappropriate Topics List before speaking with references.
Checking references is a valuable tool in the employment process. The employment policy provides that the Hiring Manager is responsible for ensuring that the final candidates' references have been appropriately checked, and that the credentials are appropriate for the advertised vacant position. The screening committee may also wish to contact references at other times during the screening process. This is permissible, but please keep in mind that all candidates must be treated as equally as possible. If you are calling off the list provided by the candidates, it is highly recommended that you notify the candidate first.
It is expected that reference checks be conducted in teams whenever possible. This practice helps ensure that accurate notes are taken during these conversations. The same core questions should be posed to each candidate's references. Specific questions germane to each candidate may also be pursued. Additionally, if the finalists include a current employee, reference checks must still be completed. Please review the Illegal or Inappropriate Topics List before speaking with references.
No offer of employment may be made until the appropriate Vice President or President and the Director of Civil Rights or designee have approved the Request to Offer Postion (Form D).
After consultation with the department screening committee, the Hiring Manager shall submit the Form D via the online process, to the Office of Civil Rights for approval. The form should include the names for each interviewed candidate along with the reason the candidate is deemed less competitive than the person to be offered the position.
After reviewing the Form D and clarifying any concerns, the Office of Civil Rights shall approve the Form D via the online PAR system. It will then be routed to the division Vice President, President and Human Resources for approval.
The President's Office shall send an offer of appointment with i) return date specified, ii) if applicable, requirement to submit official transcript, iii) if applicable, statement that employment is contingent upon favorable results of background check, and iv) explain that the new employee shall complete an Employment Eligibility Form (I-9) as required (Section 1 must be completed on the first day of employment and Sections 2 and 3 must be completed by the end of the third day of employment).
The President's Office or Vice President's Office shall notify appropriate campus offices of acceptance or rejection of the offer.
The Vice President's Office is responsible for ascertaining the retirement status of current and prospective employees related to coverage by SURS.
The Hiring Manager or designated Screening Committee Chair shall notify all unsuccessful candidates and complete all remaining paperwork associated with the search and interviews.
The Hiring Manager shall submit the request for reimbursement of interview expenses of candidates to the Dean/Director's Office.
All newly hired employees shall be required to complete the State of Illinois Ethics Training and the Preventing Harassment & Discrimination Training within 30 days of employment.
The Chairperson/Unit Head shall ensure all applicant files inclusive of screening committee summary comments, campus interview schedules, reference checks, and ranking of candidates, shall be submitted to to the Office of Civil Rights. Files will be retained for 3 years in accordance with the Records Retention Policy.
If a Hiring Manager is contemplating filling an administrative position with a temporary appointment, a search waiver shall be completed which explains the reasons for filling the vacancy with a temporary appointment, describes how the affected constituencies will be consulted regarding the person to be named in the position, and states when the national search is projected to begin to fill the vacancy. An appropriate length of time shall be set aside for constituents to forward comments to the Hiring Manager or Senior Line Supervisor. This waiver must be approved by the Civil Rights Director and the Division Vice President before the Hiring Manager may proceed with actions to name an acting/interim administrator. Except in unusual circumstances where a search cannot commence within 2 years of the prior incumbent's separation from the university an extension may be approved; however, appointments established under this policy shall not ordinarily exceed 2 years.
If a Hiring Manager is contemplating reassigning an administrative position or expanding the duties and scope of an administrative position, a rationale shall be prepared which explains the reasons for this action and describes how the affected constituencies will be consulted regarding these changes. An appropriate length of time shall be set aside for constituents to forward comments to the Hiring Manager or Senior Line Supervisor. The rationale must be approved by the Civil Rights Director and the Division Vice President before the Hiring Manager may proceed with actions to reassign the administrative position or expand the duties of an administrative position.
Eastern Illinois University
1011 Old Main Charleston, IL 61920-3099
(217) 581-5020
Fax: (217) 581-3599
civil@eiu.edu