The Ohio State University Libraries
GUIDELINES FOR FACULTY SEARCH COMMITTEES

Responsible Committee: AP&T
History: 9/00


  1. Affirmative Action: The Ohio State University Libraries are committed to creating a supportive environment that welcomes all individuals. To that end, the search committee will actively recruit and affirmatively act to enhance the diversity of the Libraries.

  2. Appointment of Search Committee: In consultation with the appropriate Assistant Director and department administrator, the Director appoints search committees to advise in the selection of candidates to fill faculty positions. To document fair and equitable participation of all faculty members in search committees, the Committee on Faculty Benefits, Privileges, and Responsibilities maintains an archive of search committee membership. The Director consults this list when appointing committee members. The search committee Chair should have had previous OSU Libraries search-committee experience. Each committee may consist of Libraries' faculty, A&P staff, Classified Civil Service staff, and representatives of academic units served by the position. At least one voting member of the committee should be from the hiring unit. The majority of voting members shall be Libraries' faculty. The position supervisor and the Human Resources Manager, who also serves as the Affirmative Action Advocate, are non-voting ex-officio committee members.

  3. Position Description: The supervisor of the position, in consultation with the Assistant Director and the search committee, revises the position description. The position description must describe job-related activities and will be used to screen applicants.

  4. Communication: The Human Resources office makes the following available on the OSUL staff Web site (passworded):

    1. position description
    2. letter of appointment of the members of a search committee, with names, position, rank, and department affiliation
    3. interview schedules of candidates
    4. vitae of candidates along with their letters of application
    5. blank "comments form" that can be completed and returned to the Human Resources office

  5. Confidentiality: Committee deliberations must remain confidential.

  6. Evaluation: The Search Committee discusses the candidates, solicits and considers comments, and identifies viable candidates with consideration for the position description, the committee charge, and affirmative action guidelines. The Chairperson sends a letter summarizing the discussion, with a recommendation, to the Director of Libraries and to the Assistant Director.

  7. Appointment: The Director of Libraries reviews the search committee's report and makes a decision in consultation with the Assistant Director, the department administrator, and the position supervisor. In accordance with the Libraries' Pattern of Administration, VI.D.1., if a candidate not recommended by the committee is selected for the position, the Director and/or Assistant Director consult(s) with the committee to convey the reason(s) for the decision prior to the offer being made.