Guidelines for Tenure-Track Searches

New tenure-track faculty members are a most important investment of the college.  Many will remain at the college for the next thirty to forty years. They bring new energy, scholarship, and approaches that invigorate our students and their colleagues. The college is committed to attracting faculty who reflect the diversity of our student body, alumni network and local community. Our future faculty colleagues must include outstanding scholars who are broadly experienced, intellectually skilled, and committed to preparing our students to function effectively as global citizens.

Below are guidelines for tenure-track searches. The process has two purposes: to ensure that the college’s needs are met and to pursue our goals of bringing to Bates a diverse faculty. The Dean of the Faculty may ask that some searches for non-tenure-track positions of more than one year follow these Guidelines for Tenure-Track Searches. If you have questions about any phase of this process, please email the Dean of the Faculty’s Office and one of our team will contact you.

Formation of the Search Committee
A. Soon after receiving a letter authorizing a position, but not later than Feb 1st, the chair of the department/program makes arrangements to meet with the Division Chair to discuss the composition of a search committee that will foster a college-wide perspective. The chair of the search committee may be the chair or another member of the department or program.

B. To support a broad perspective, the tenure-track search committee includes members outside the department or program. 1) For appointments within a single department or program, the search committee shall consist of some or all members of the department or program plus two members outside of it. 2) For appointments in two departments/programs, the search committee shall be composed of no fewer than four members, with an equal number of members from each relevant department/program plus two colleagues outside their ranks, chosen in consultation with the departments/programs and the appropriate Division Chairs.

C.  Once the membership of the committee is decided, the chair of the search committee contacts the Dean of the Faculty for approval of the committee’s composition.

Meeting with the Dean and the VP for Equity and Inclusion
As soon as possible after approval of the search committee the entire committee meets with the Dean of the Faculty or the Dean’s representative and the VP for Equity and Inclusion. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the goals and process of the search, the active and inclusive search plan, and the job ad. Scheduling the meeting well in advance is important.

Job Description and Position Advertisement
The Dean, the VP for Equity and Inclusion and the Division Chair must also approve the Job Description and Position Advertisement before the job may be posted. Each tenure-track job ad should reflect the proposal for the position, the criteria in the letter of authorization, and the active and inclusive search plan.  For guidelines see Job Description and Position Advertisement.

Listing a Tenure-Track Position
The chair of the search committee completes the Faculty Search and Recruitment Form to track the search process and to insure that the position is correctly advertised. The Dean of the Faculty, VP for Equity and Inclusion, Division Chair, and office staff receive this material for a final review and posting.

Pre-screening Meeting
Before the advertised date for the beginning of candidate review, the search committees meet again with the Dean and the VP for Equity and Inclusion to discuss processes for reviewing candidates. This will focus on strategies for mitigating bias in screening and deliberation. After meeting with the dean and the VP or Equity and Inclusion, the Dean will grant access to applicant materials to the search committee.

Creating a Short List
After each search committee member has reviewed all dossiers, the committee selects a group of candidates that will advance to an initial interview process via Zoom. The chair sends this list of candidates to the Dean and VP of Equity and Inclusion. The Dean may request a meeting with the chair if there are questions.

Selecting Finalists
The chair of the search committee submits information about finalists on the Candidate Selection Form. The form calls for a brief description of the process that was used to select candidates along with a list of finalists and the rationale for selecting each. The Dean and/or VP for Equity and Inclusion will discuss the list with the chair of the search committee and/or full search committee. Within one week of the submission of the candidate selection form to the Dean of the Faculty and VP for Equity and Inclusion, the Dean conveys to the chair of the search committee the final approval of candidates and permission to invite candidates to campus.

Scheduling On-Campus Interviews
Three candidates usually visit the Bates campus. An invitation to more than three requires the permission of the Dean of the Faculty. Normally candidates are invited for two days and offer formal classes, colloquia, and/or lectures along with personal interviews.

The chair of the search committee schedules meetings with the campus community. This the list of the required people each candidate must meet.

1) Search committee as a whole and/or search committee members individually. In some cases, individual meetings with committee members may not be possible. The list of faculty to interview and the grouping of these faculty must be approved by the chair before scheduling the meetings.

2) Dean of Faculty or appropriate Associate Dean of Faculty (but not both).

3) Vice President of Equity and Inclusion, Leana E. Amáez.

4) ILS – Michael Hanrahan and Krystie Wilfong (together). If this meeting cannot be scheduled during the visit, it should be set up as a zoom a day or two after the visit.

5) Director of Compensation and Benefits in Human Resources, Brittany Pleau-Richardson. If this meeting cannot be scheduled during the visit, it should be set up as a zoom a day or two after the visit.

6) Other members of the faculty or staff not on search committee (i.e. an AI or faculty members whose research is in line with the candidate’s). Consult with the search committee chair for direction.

7) Students.

Chairs should also ask candidates if there is anyone they want to meet.

Faculty members must accompany candidates at meals during the visit and in guiding them from one interview to the next.

Assistance from the AAA
The AAA works with the chair of the search committee to arrange and communicate all travel and lodging arrangements to the candidate. The AAA works with the chair to develop an interview schedule and sends that schedule to all involved staff and faculty. For each candidate, the AAA prepares a folder that includes a schedule, campus map, and information about the college and the Lewiston-Auburn community. The AAA announces the public presentations to the college community. The AAA calls the Dean of the Faculty’s office for billing numbers and submits receipts for expenses.

Expenses for Recruitment
Recruitment expenses, including faculty and staff time, need to be managed carefully. Entertainment at dinners off-campus will be reimbursed up to $200 per candidate, upon presentation of receipts. Meals taken in Commons or catered by Bates dining may be charged to the Dean of the Faculty’s recruitment budget, using the search’s R number. Charges over $200 per candidate or more than two dinners will be billed to the department/program’s budget.

Deliberations and Communication
The search committee requests feedback from all parties, including the entire search committee, the Dean of the Faculty, VP for Equity and Inclusion, relevant Division Chair(s), students, and appropriate staff, then meets to review the candidates strengths and opportunities for growth and development. The committee chair sends to the Dean a final assessment of candidates discussing each candidate’s strengths and areas for improvement. The Dean reviews the list and communicates about next steps with the chair.

Offers and Negotiations
The Dean of the Faculty offers the position to the candidate, and negotiates and issues a contract contingent on the successful completion of a background check.

Informing Other Candidates
After a candidate receives a formal contract, the chair of the search committee should telephone other candidates who have visited to thank them for their interest in Bates and let them know that an offer has been made. After receipt of the signed contract, the chair of the search committee works with Academic Services on wording of a message to other candidates.

Final Records
All copies of candidates’ dossiers must be shredded per federal statutes. The college keeps records about searches that are helpful to the college and appropriate to federal guidelines. Within two weeks of the end of a search, the chair of the search committee completes and sends a form with information about the search to the VP for Equity and Inclusion and office staff listed on the form. Forms are available from the Office of Equity and Diversity.