Search Committees

Finding the right candidate for administrative, professional and faculty positions is one of the most important tasks that any institution or enterprise undertakes. However, few higher education professionals receive training on the search committee process, but are expected to serve on or lead committees.

This book provides advice, training, and a step-by-step guide for conducting a rigorous, thorough search. Following the expert model presented in this book will virtually guarantee successful searches. This guide furthermore provides advanced diversity selection techniques that are not commonly found in many resources inside or outside of higher education, and that have become institutional priorities in the context of demographic changes and globalization that require that higher education serve more diverse populations and compete internationally.

This guide covers the complete cycle of hiring, starting with defining the position and forming and briefing the committee, through cultivating a rich and diverse pool of candidates and screening and evaluating candidates, to making the selection, successfully completing the search successfully, and welcoming colleagues to campus.

This volume includes over 30 templates that are designed to be copied and used as training handouts or as handy reference and resource materials that provide guidance at various stages of the search process. The over two dozen vignettes included can be used as training case studies or as expert advice that illuminates key concepts that are helpful with improving the quality of the search process.

The guide includes:
1. An expert step-by-step search model.
2. Dozens of templates, samples, tools, plus a bank of interview questions.
3. Diversity recruitment and selection protocols and techniques.
4. Resource guide with advice, case studies, examples, and training materials.

Coverage includes:
* How to Build a Successful Search
* Recruiting Guide
* How to Design a Diverse Selection Process
* Minority Recruiting Resources
* Interview Guide
* A Bank of Interview Questions
* Screening Methods
* Sample Forms, Templates, Checklists
* Legal, Ethical, and Regulatory Issues

This guide serves the needs of administrators who shape hiring policy and goals, committee chairs and members. It is also a resource that human resources professionals can use to train, equip and support search committees.

A complementary website at www.SearchCommittees.com offers additional resources.

[Previous edition published by CUPA-HR: Search Committees: A Tool Kit
By Christopher D. Lee, Ph.D., 2000]