Office of Human Resources

The hiring process is an integral part of filling jobs in higher education. The process involves initial aspects of assessing applicant qualifications, conducting effective interviews, and making an objective recommendation to hire. Changes in state and federal laws, increased demands for accountability in state government, and the costs involved in searching for new employees requires that each search be conducted legally and efficiently.

Texas Woman’s University’s procedures address statutory requirements such as the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act, and the State Appropriations Act. These ensure equal employment opportunity for all applicants, uniform reporting procedures, and compliance with federal and state laws and regulations.

The Office of Human Resources has provided this handbook to assist search committees and hiring authorities in making valid recommendations for hire while complying with University policy. The handbook is a procedural search guide available at the Human Resources web site. It offers guidance on prevailing laws, University hiring procedures, and screening and interviewing techniques.

This guide includes an extensive set of approved interview questions based on work behaviors. These questions can be tailored to various hiring situations to assess applicants' knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job. This basic list of questions does not preclude asking more specific questions based on responses to initial questions or to clarify relevant work experience and education identified on the application or resume. Using the basic list of questions in the selection process and the quantifiable matrix selection process outlined in this guide will ensure objective, job- related, consistent results.

The Associate Vice President for Human Resources assigns consultant services to all search committees and hiring authorities. In addition, members of the Office of Human Resources are available upon request to brief search committees and hiring authorities on these procedures. Assistance is also available on advertising and screening applicants. Please do not hesitate to contact the Manager of Selection and Recruitment and/or the Manager of Equal Opportunity and Diversity at 898-3555 for assistance.

I. STATEMENT ON HANDBOOK USAGE

This handbook is applicable to all faculty and staff positions except where noted as part of the Search Committee process.

II. HANDBOOK POLICY STATEMENTS

Purpose and Policy Statement

The principal of equal opportunity guides all processes and employment decisions on campus. No persons are to be screened out or treated disparately because of personal characteristics such as race, national origin, sex, age, handicap, marital status, or veteran's status. Equal employment opportunity is offered to all applicants.

The purpose of the search and selection handbook is to provide guidelines for search committees and hiring personnel to follow when conducting searches for faculty and administrative staff positions (at the director level and above) and hiring classified or professional and administrative (P&A) staff consistently and legally.

The enrichment of an educational institution through diversity results not only from attracting and retaining faculty, staff, and students of differing ethnicity, but also from differences in language, culture, gender, age, and disability status. Through equal opportunity practices, an institution can realize the many benefits of diversity.

The policy of Texas Woman's University is to conduct hiring that provides qualified candidates an equal opportunity to be considered for positions. This policy is written to comply with applicable federal and state regulations. The objectives for recruiting and searches are to obtain and present for administrative consideration the best candidates to fill vacancies in a timely manner, and to ensure that individual applicants are afforded the opportunity to compete on an equal basis.

Accountability Statement

Vice presidents, deans, directors, and department heads are accountable for efforts to achieve a diverse faculty and/or staff in their respective divisions, colleges, and departments. By authority of the Board of Regents, the Chancellor and President is authorized to make offers of employment and to employ personnel.

The Associate Vice President for Human Resources/Equal Employment Opportunity Officer speaks for the president regarding equal opportunity issues and is responsible for ensuring fair and equitable practices in search and selection processes that include:

Initial and final selection criteria for all positions be reviewed prior to search and selection activities.
And that all hiring actions will be reviewed for EEO Compliance

The search committee chair and/or the hiring manager are responsible for collecting appropriate documentation of the search and selection process. Search committees and hiring departments are required to review candidates and check references. The criteria developed to review candidates must be retained with the search documents. Matrix criteria and interview questions must be objective, job related, developed in advance, submitted for approval, and consistently applied. Reference check forms, available online and in the Office of Human Resources, must be consistently applied and retained for official documentation. Please refer to the Search and Selection Handbook and or the University Community Information for specific procedures for recruiting and selection of Staff and Faculty.

III. WORKFORCE DIVERSITY PLAN FOR RECRUITING AND SELECTION GUIDELINES

Texas Woman’s University’s Workforce Diversity Plan for Recruiting and Selection Guidelines address statutory requirements such as the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act, and the State Appropriations Act. These ensure equal employment opportunity for all applicants, uniform reporting procedures, and compliance with federal and state laws and regulations.

The Accountability Statement referenced in Section II Handbook Policy Statements will apply.

Operational Definitions:

Diversity: the entire range of differences between and among groups

Inclusion: an organizational cultural trait that values and leverages diverse perspectives

Equity: applying the same treatment to all; fairness

Access: granting entry

Tips on conducting an inclusive selection process:

1. Equity is determined by two factors: the consistency between the job description and the actual assessment criteria applied; and the consistency with which all applicants received the same treatment.

2. The degree to which the selection process has been inclusive depends on

A. A broad distribution of the position announcement;

B. The diversity of the applicant pool;

C. The willingness to expand the range of experiences accepted as evidence of future success;

D. A conscious commitment to focus the assessment of each candidate against only the established criteria thereby minimizing the occasion to make/add assumptions.

E. Hearing and leveraging diverse perspectives during the assessment process.

3. Actively recruit for inclusion.

A. Target the recruiting approach to reach a diverse, qualified pool of applicants.

B. Apply appropriate recruiting efforts to offset the challenges presented by this position.

C. The ultimate recruiting goal: a large, diverse, highly qualified applicant pool.

4. Develop specific departmental selection criteria to add to the Applicant Selection Matrix (available online and through the Office of Human Resources) using the published qualifications and the job description for the position. Complete this prior to review of applications.

5. Ensure equitable treatment of all applicants. Assess all applicants against the same standard. Extend the same opportunities to all applicants.

Texas Woman’s University

Office of Human Resources

Workforce Diversity Plan for Recruiting and Selection Guidelines

Process Review:

A. Follow the process as outlined in the “TWU Search and Selection Handbook” for all faculty and staff hiring.

B. Allow ample time for review.

C. Communicate early and often with the Office of Human Resources – we’re here to help.

D. Send the completed Applicant Selection Matrix form for pre-approval to the Manager of Recruitment and Selection in the Office of Human Resources.

E. Make your assessment visible - use the Applicant Selection Matrix form.

Equity Review:

A. Hold all applicants to the same standard