A-Z Index  |  MCG Home  |  Site Search 

PDF Files for Printing
(How to print PDF files)

1.0 RECRUITMENT

Search and screening committees serve a key function at the Medical College of Georgia by publicizing the availability of positions to a broad cross section of members of affected disciplines or professions, expanding the pool of qualified women and minority applicants, and facilitating the selection of the best qualified candidate for the advertised position.

These committees also act under an additional responsibility assigned by the President-to ensure decisions concerning the selection of prospective members of the University family are made solely on a basis of job related criteria, without biased consideration of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, handicap or veteran status.

1.1 General Procedures

1. All requests to fill faculty vacancies must be submitted to and approved by the Provost.
2. Requests that have been approved by the Provost will be forwarded to the Dean for initiation of search procedures as described below.
3. The Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Office will serve in a consultative capacity in matters pertaining the institution’s affirmative action and equal employment policies and procedures.
4. Faculty hires are not official until approved by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.

1.2 Specific Procedures

1.2.1  Obtaining Approval to Search

The department must complete a Faculty Vacancy Form and submit this form to the Dean for approval. The Dean, in turn, forwards the request to the Provost for approval and assignment of a log number. The Provost returns written approval to the Dean. The Dean of the school or the appropriate unit administrator shall initiate a search by:

1. Appointing a search and screening committee (in consultation with the recruiting department)
2. Making sure that the chairperson has discussed means of assuring an effective search with the Affirmative Action Officer
3. Preparing a position description that identifies duties assigned to the position under consideration, identifies skills required to perform duties assigned, and outline the qualifications that provide the requisite skills (in consultation with the search and screening committee)
4. Preparing evaluative criteria that follow from the position description and that will comprise the evaluation form to be used by members of the search committee in evaluating each candidate (in consultation with the search and screening committee)

1.2.2  Composition of Search and Screening Committee

1. As described above, the appointment of a search and screening committee for a faculty position shall be the responsibility of the dean of the school and the chair of the recruiting department. A department with 15 or more faculty shall have a search committee consisting of at least five members. A smaller department shall have a committee consisting of at least three members. Departments are encouraged to include a representative from outside the department, school, or institution. Departments are strongly encouraged to establish committees with diverse membership.
2. Search and screening committees will be charged by their appropriate Dean and/or unit administrator regarding expectations of the committee. The committee should not act until its responsibilities are fully understood by each member.

1.3 Advertising

1. A copy of the announcement/advertisement must be forwarded to the AA/EEO Office and registered with the University System of Georgia Applicant Clearinghouse for any position where Board of Regents' approval of the appointment is required. Competitively recruited faculty and administrative position vacancies must be in the University System of Georgia Applicant Clearinghouse for a minimum of 30 days.
2. Beyond the Clearinghouse, there is no required medium through which a position must be advertised, however, it is suggested that an effort be made to expand the pool of strong candidates by advertising widely and appropriately. The AA/EEO Office can assist departments in expanding applicant pools as they relate to underrepresented minorities.
3. Each recruitment advertisement must carry the statement "The Medical College of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/ADA/Affirmative Action Institution." The following abbreviated versions also are acceptable-"An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/ADA Institution" and "An AA/EEO/ADA Institution." Additionally, advertisements must state the date on which the review of applications will begin and that the review will continue until the position is filled.  If a deadline date is given for receipt of applications, no applications received after the deadline date can be reviewed.

1.4 Interviewing

1.4.1  Before the interviewing of candidates begins, the search committee shall develop a file for each candidate that contains:

1. the candidate’s letter of application,
2. at least three recent written recommendations and, when applicable, reports of telephone conversations and any correspondence with the candidate, including copies of electronic mail, and
3. evaluation forms that contain job-related criteria as described in 1.d. above (NOTE: If two candidates seem equally qualified, the committee must be able to justify the final selection based on identifiable determining factors.)

1.4.2  While individuals with interview responsibilities should seek to put the interviewee at ease, formal interviews should avoid questions which are not related to the applicant's skills, qualifications, or other job related factors. Neither the interviewer nor any other pre-employment inquiry should seek information which might be viewed as the basis for a biased hiring decision.

1.4.3  If the interviewed candidates are found to be unacceptable for the advertised position, then the pool of remaining acceptable candidates should be considered. If no remaining candidates exist, the Dean or appropriate unit administrator may extend or re-open the search.

1.4.4  Expenses associated with the interview process are the responsibility of the recruiting school and/or department. If a candidate visits the campus on his/her own initiative, the candidate must be told that the visit does not constitute an interview.

1.5 Offer of Employment

Upon selecting an appropriately qualified candidate for the position, the department chair will offer the candidate the position using the Standard Faculty Offer of Employment.

1.6 Disposition of Applicants’ Pre-employment Files

At the conclusion of each search process, the hiring department should contact the Office of Faculty Affairs for information about personnel papers that are required for submission to the University System Board of Regents for final approval of appointment.

1.7  Retention of other applicant files

The completed files of all other applicants should be retained for a minimum of one year from the date the position is filled.

Revisions Approved by Academic Council
March 21, 2003

SECTION 2

© Medical College of Georgia
All rights reserved.

September 21, 2004