Campus Searches
Bronx Community College fosters a process to recruit and retain the best faculty and staff by creating a community that seeks, welcomes and defends diversity. We will do so in compliance with local, state and federal laws, and federal law requires that we continue to take affirmative steps (known as affirmative action) in our employment process in order to adhere to the equal employment opportunity and affirmative action provisions of Executive Order 11246 regarding race, gender, color, religion and national origin. Below are resources for campus faculty and staff who will participate in upcoming campus searches and what you can expect from the structured interview process.
Hiring Manager Information
Filing a Recruitment Plan
A hiring manager must begin by obtaining approval from the respective Vice President of their division to refill a vacancy, or create a new position. There are additional provisions with creating a HEO series position (see HEO Screening Committee section), and it is encouraged that you either contact the Office of Human Resources or the Office of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity on these additional steps before filing a recruitment plan.
Once approved, the hiring manager must then request a job template from the Office of Human Resources respective to the job title and duties expected.
Please consider the following:
- Define the position in the widest possible terms consistent with the department's needs. Aim for consensus on specific specialties or requirements, while planning to cast the hiring net as broadly as possible. Make sure that the position description does not needlessly limit the pool of applicants. Some position descriptions may exclude female or minority candidates by focusing too narrowly on subfields in which few specialize.
- Consider as important selection criteria for all candidates (regardless of their own demographic characteristics), the ability of the candidate both to add intellectual diversity to the department, and to work successfully with diverse students and colleagues.
- If women or minority candidates are hired in areas that are not at the center of the department's focus and interest, they may be placed in an unfavorable situation. It is important to carefully think about how the department will support not only the individual, but also the development of that person's area within the department. Consider "cluster hiring,"which involves hiring more than one faculty member/staff member at a time to work in the same specialization.
- Establish selection criteria and procedures for screening, interviewing candidates (with writing samples/exercises), and keeping records before advertising the position.
- Make sure that hiring criteria are directly related to the requirements of the position, clearly understood, and accepted by the Office of Human Resources.
Now, once you have obtain the job template, reviewed the materials with the Office of Human Resources, you are now ready to fill out a blank Recruitment Plan (hyperlink to PDF). Please fill in the required sections:
- Position Status
- Contract Title and Department Information
- Suggested Post/Publication Area(s)
- Posting Period
- Department Information
- Search Committee Selection
- Approval from the Vice President (on page 2)
- Approval from the President (on page 2)
- a. Hiring managers must obtain prior approval from the Offices of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity to evaluate whether you qualify to have a limited search (15/30 day).
- a. If you expect to review and recruit international candidates, it is highly encouraged that you publicize your advertisement in journal publications. Please ensure that you list a suggested journal publication for your advertisement.
- b. Also, for immigration purposes, it is also highly encouraged that you do not post the advertisement for alternate positions. Please consult with the Office of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity for more details on this matter.
- c. Departments that request to post the job vacancy on a professional association website should inquire within their respective department(s) for members of staff or faculty who have attained membership to the suggested professional association. If the hiring manager within the department is a member of a professional association, reimbursement for member job postings must be made with your respective Division. Please note that if you are a member of a professional association and voluntarily post a job on behalf of the College, please consult with your respective Division before initiating the job posting. Please consult with the Office of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity if this option is exercised with administrative/executive searches.
- a. Hiring managers must obtain prior approval from the Offices of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity to evaluate whether you qualify to have a limited search (15/30 day).
- a. Before the completion of the Recruitment Plan, you are expected to obtain verification confirmation that each selected participant has agreed to serve on the search committee. This verification can be from electronic mail or letter.
- b. Give careful consideration to a diverse search committee with the level of expertise, department knowledge, and whether the participant can be fair and impartial throughout the search. Either the Chief Diversity Officer and President will confirm the selection of the Search Committee Chair.
- c. If you are unsure if a participant has served on more than three searches in an academic year, please consult with the Offices of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity.
- a. This section has been included to initiate communication between the hiring manager and your respective Vice President. You must present the Recruitment Plan to your respective Vice President (or assigned designee) to confirm that the request to post the position has been approved. In this section, the Vice President must agree upon the maximum salary offered, preferred qualifications listed in the job vacancy notice, the reported office demographics, and search committee composition.
- b. Please contact your division/department to confirm who is the assigned designee if your Vice President is not available to review and approve the Recruitment Plan.
- a. This section has been included to record direction on any position(s) that report directly to the President. This office will forward the Recruitment Plan to the President for additional review and approval. In this section, the President will review and approve the job vacancy notice, preferred qualifications, advertisement resources, search committee composition, including the selection of the Search Committee Chair, and/or a and /or ny relevant information on prior/failed committee searches (if applicable), and whether work will be done with an executive search firm.
Once you have completed the Recruitment Plan, you are expected to attach the following documents:
- An approved job template from the Office of Human Resources
- An approved department/division organizational chart
- Salary Analysis Form
- Commitment notices from each nominated search committee member
Please submit the completed Recruitment Plan to the Office of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity for a thorough review, and approval of the initiated campus search.
Types of Campus Searches
At the Affirmative Action (AA) training and any future meetings, a search committee member should engage in a relatively broad review on the department's goals and expectations for the active campus search, obtain an overview on past campus searches, goal attainment and hiring before beginning a new campus search. The department is more than likely to achieve a different outcome from any previous hiring outcomes if it has some understanding on the factors that may have played a role in limiting past success in recruiting potential candidates, including women and minorities.
Here is some important information on the steps with the campus search process.
Administrative/Executive Searches
- Your first meeting:
After you receive AA training, the expectation is that each search committee member must meet everyone on the search committee - with either a written and/or personal introduction from the Search Committee Chair, an overview of the Affirmative Action guidelines, set up a written timeline for the campus search and begin arranging assignments for each search committee member to begin the application review process. The search committee member must inform their immediate supervisor(s) of their participation in the campus search and time commitment(s). - Use of search consultant(s)/firm(s):
A campus may hire a search consultant(s)/firm(s) to pipeline qualified candidates for open administrative/executive positions. They are also known as recruiters, headhunters or third-party staffing firms. There are benefits to working with a search consultant/firm. A pipeline is created for applicants that can stand out from the applicant pool when presented to an institution because of the pre-screening process for a viable candidate.
Search firms can be valuable resources for a campus search as they offer services such as additional review of application packages referenced or general tips during the structured interview process with search committees. A search consultant/firm will assist in sending application packages to hiring institutions. The search consultant/firm should maintain frequent and timely communication with the Chief Diversity Officer during a campus search. - Subsequent meeting(s):
In two to five weeks, the expectation is that a search committee member have finalized the application review, schedule follow up meetings with the search committee, and begin reviewing the applications to create an interview/alternate interview pool of candidates. The Search Committee Chair (or an assigned member of the search committee) will be responsible for contacting applicants (through a written letter, telephone – with written notice and/or email) to extend an invitation for an interview with the search committee. At each meeting, please ensure that you review the items listed as a complete application package. The general items within an applicant package are a cover letter, resume/curriculum vitae, and the names, addresses and contact information for three professional references. Please note that any additional information provided in the application package should not be evaluated, such as:- Letter(s) of recommendation – unless requested;
- Work Portfolio(s) – unless requested;
- Scanned certification(s)/license(s) – unless requested;
- School transcript(s) – unless requested;
- Social media webpage(s).
- Structured Interview(s):
In six to eight weeks, the expectation is that search committee members has finalized the review of the applicant pool, and begin creating a list of interviewees as the selected interview/alternate pool of candidates.
One or more interview dates are arranged, and the search committee member must inform their immediate supervisor(s) of their participation in the structured interview process. The search committee formulates a list of the structured interview questions. The Chief Diversity Officer will offer suggestions, conduct a formal review and approve the structured interview questions before it is used in the structured interview process and presented to an interviewee.
Alternate Evaluation Method(s):
Before you have any scheduled structured interviews, please establish with both the Chief Diversity Officer and the search committee if there should be an alternate evaluation (i.e., writing assignment, computer examination/test, etc.) for consideration. If so, please consult with both the Chief Diversity Officer and the hiring manager on the source content and any sample documents for review. During the structured interview process, please ensure that an assigned search committee member presents the interviewee with the approved alternate evaluation and that an assigned room/space is available for the alternate evaluation.
Once interviews (and alternate evaluation) have been completed, the Search Committee Chair, in conjunction with the participating committee members, must author a finalist memorandum that will be presented to both the hiring manager(s) and a copy is provided to the Chief Diversity Officer, for review of the recommended finalists and to finalize their overall observations of the campus search. At this time, it is recommended that the Search Committee Chair begin collecting the search documents/materials from search committee members until the search is finalized. - Final Interview(s):
In eight to ten weeks, the hiring manager will interview finalist in conjunction with the respective Vice President. Once final interviews are concluded, the hiring manager/respective Vice President will advise the Chief Diversity Officer on the final candidate selected for hire. Once this is done, all search documentation from the search committee must be submitted to the Office of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity for an audit review and certification that the campus search was fairly executed.
Classified Searches (FOR PROVISIONAL POSITIONS)
- After you receive AA training, the expectation is that each search committee member must meet everyone on the search committee - with either a written and/or personal introduction from the Search Committee Chair, an overview of the Affirmative Action guidelines, set up a written timeline for the campus search and begin arranging assignments for each search committee member to begin the application review process. The search committee member must inform their immediate supervisor(s) of their participation in the campus search and time commitment(s).
- Subsequent meeting(s):
In two to five weeks, the expectation is that a search committee member have finalized the application review, schedule follow up meetings with the search committee, and begin reviewing the applications to create an interview/alternate interview pool of candidates. The Search Committee Chair (or an assigned member of the search committee) will be responsible for contacting applicants (through a written letter, telephone – with written notice and/or email) to extend an invitation for interview. At each meeting, please ensure that you review the items listed as a complete application package. The general items within an applicant package are the cover letter and resume (for positions with Physical Plant Services and Public Safety); and all other classified positions require a cover letter, resume, and the names, addresses and contact information for three professional references. Please note that any additional information provided in the application package should not be evaluated, such as:- Letter(s) of recommendation – unless requested;
- Work Portfolio(s) – unless requested;
- Scanned certification(s)/license(s) – unless requested; and
- School transcript(s) – unless requested.
- Structured Interview(s):
In six to eight weeks, the expectation is that search committee members has finalized the review of the applicant pool, and begin creating a list of interviewees as the selected interview/alternate pool of candidates.
One or more interview dates are arranged, and the search committee member must inform their immediate supervisor(s) of their participation in the structured interview process. The search committee formulates a list of the structured interview questions. The Chief Diversity Officer will offer suggestions, conduct a formal review and approve the structured interview questions before it is used in the structured interview process and presented to an interviewee.
Alternate Evaluation Method(s):
Before you have any scheduled structured interviews, please establish with both the Chief Diversity Officer and the search committee if there should be an alternate evaluation (i.e., writing assignment, computer examination/test, etc.) for consideration. If so, please consult with both the Chief Diversity Officer and the hiring manager on the source content and any sample documents for review. During the structured interview process, please ensure that an assigned search committee member presents the interviewee with the approved alternate evaluation and that an assigned room/space is available for the alternate evaluation.
Once interviews (and alternate evaluation) have been completed, the Search Committee Chair, in conjunction with the participating committee members, must author a finalist memorandum that will be presented to both the hiring manager(s) and a copy is provided to the Chief Diversity Officer, for review of the recommended finalists and to finalize their overall observations of the campus search. At this time, it is recommended that the Search Committee Chair begin collecting the search documents/materials from search committee members until the search is finalized. - Final Interview(s):
In eight to ten weeks, the hiring manager will interview finalist in conjunction with the respective Vice President. Once final interviews are concluded, the hiring manager/respective Vice President will advise both the Chief Diversity Officer and the Office of Human Resources on the final candidate selected for hire. Once this is done, all search committee documentation must be submitted to the Office of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity for an audit review and certification that the campus search was fairly executed.
Faculty Searches
- Your first meeting:
After you receive AA training, the expectation is that each search committee member (P&B member or participating faculty) meet everyone on the search committee - with an introduction from the Academic Chair, review the Affirmative Action guidelines, set up a written timeline for the faculty search and begin assignments for each search committee member to begin the application review process. - Subsequent meeting(s):
In two to four weeks, the expectations is that search committee members finalize the application review, schedule follow up meetings with the search committee, and begin reviewing the applications to create an interview/alternate interview pool of candidates. The Academic Chair (or an assigned member of the search committee) will be responsible for contacting applicants (through a written letter, telephone – with written notice and/or email) to extend an invitation for an interview with the search committee. At each meeting, please ensure that you review the items listed as a complete application package. The general items within an applicant package are a cover letter, resume/curriculum vitae, and the names, addresses and contact information for three professional references. Please note that any additional information provided in the application package should not be evaluated, such as:- Letter(s) of recommendation – unless requested;
- Journals/Publication(s) – unless requested;
- Scanned certification(s)/license(s) – unless requested;
- School transcript(s) – unless requested;
- Social media webpage(s).
- Structured Interview(s):
In four to six weeks, the expectation is that search committee members has finalized the review of the applicant pool, and begin creating a list of interviewees as the selected interview/alternate pool of candidates.
One or more interview dates are arranged. The search committee formulates a list of the structured interview questions. The Chief Diversity Officer will offer suggestions, conduct a formal review and approve the structured interview questions before it is used in the structured interview process and presented to an interviewee. - Classroom Demonstration(s):
In four to six weeks, the expectation is that search committee members have finalized the review of the applicant pool, and create a list of interviewees as the selected interview/alternate pool of candidates. The Academic Chair (or an assigned member of the search committee) will be responsible for contacting interviewees (in writing or through email) to extend an invitation to perform a classroom demonstration. - Finalist Recommendations/Interview(s):
Once all of the interviews and classroom demonstrations have been completed, the Academic Chair, in conjunction with the participating committee members, must author a finalist memorandum that must be presented to the following parties:- Office of the President (College President);
- Vice President, Office of Academic Affairs; and
- A copy to the Chief Diversity Officer
In six to ten weeks, the President, in conjunction with the Vice President for the Office of Academic Affairs, will conduct final interviews to meet and interview finalists. Please note that the Office of the President will participate in the review of final interviews for faculty searches, as well as campus searches for executive/administrative positions that report directly to the Office of the President.
Once final interviews are concluded, the hiring manager/respective Vice President will advise the Chief Diversity Officer on the final candidate selected for hire. Once this is done, all search documentation from the search committee must be submitted to the Office of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity for an audit review and certification that the campus search was fairly executed.
Record Retention
All campus search records must be submitted to the Office of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity for review and audit of the campus search. All record submissions must be provided for all campus searches.
Campus search records are kept with the Office of Affirmative Action, Compliance and Diversity for a period of three (3) years after the initial campus hire for the following reasons:
- Audit reviews by CUNY and/or New York State and City agencies.
- Required for defense with either litigation suits and/or discrimination complaints filed internally and/or with external agencies (US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, New York State Division of Human Rights, etc.).
- Required in cases of immigration sponsorship for selected candidate(s) for hire.
Complying with Affirmative Action guidelines safeguards the College by reducing the risk of litigation
Closing a Campus Search
- The Chair forwards the reference check documentation and compiled search committee folder to the Chief Diversity Officer for review and approval.
- The hiring manager will forward all Data Forms to the Chief Diversity Officer for review and approval.
- Once all is approved, the Chief Diversity Officer will send all hiring documents to the Office of the President for signature and track processing with the Office of Human Resources.
- Finally, the Office of Human Resources will process offer letters and close out the campus search process.
A complete search committee folder must contain the following:
- Search Checklist Form (to be signed by the Search Committee Chair);
- Any Campus/Applicant CD's distributed;
- Resume Evaluation Form for each candidate per Committee member;
- Interview Rating Forms/Classroom Demonstration Evaluation Forms/Alternate Evaluation(s) for each Interviewee per Committee member;
- A copy of the submitted finalist memorandum with attached resumes;
- Administrative Correspondence (including notifications, letters and emails); and
- Three telephone reference checks for the selected candidate for hire.
Chief Diversity Officer is required to retain Search Committee Files for up to three (3) years
