Policy Number: 4.320
BACKGROUND/HISTORY
To insure the College fulfills the requirements of an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and to assure the Board of Trustees that objective, professional and uniform standards are observed in screening and recommending new employees, Search Committees are used for the employment process. Exceptions to the use of the Search Process are allowed as recommended by the Associate Vice President for Human Resources and approved by the President, and in keeping with the Arkansas Office of Personnel Management guidelines.
Â鶹ÊÓƵ is committed to fair, equitable, and consistent hiring practices that support equal employment opportunity and ensure the selection of qualified candidates. Search committees are used to promote a structured, objective, and professional process for screening and recommending candidates for employment.
In limited circumstances, the College may forgo the use of a search committee when it is determined that an alternative hiring process is appropriate. Such circumstances may include, but are not limited to, internal promotions, reassignments, or situations where a qualified internal candidate has been identified through a competitive or evaluative process. Any exception must be justified, documented, and approved by the President.
SCOPE
Each Search Committee is formed on request by memorandum to the Associate Vice President for Human Resources and the appropriate Vice President. This assures that the position is officially declared open, and that proper advertising and publicizing is done. All correspondence becomes a part of the Committee historical file. Generally, the composition of the Committee will assure reasonable balance of faculty and staff, and provide for minority representation, if possible. The records of Committee activities must reflect that these issues have received adequate consideration.
Search committees are established upon approval to fill a vacant or newly created position. The hiring department submits a request to Human Resources and the appropriate Vice President to initiate the recruitment process, ensuring that:
- The position is officially authorized and open
- Appropriate advertising and outreach are conducted
- Documentation is maintained throughout the process
Search Committees should be composed to provide relevant expertise and a range of perspectives appropriate to the position. Committee composition and actions must reflect a commitment to fairness, consistency, and equal employment opportunity.
AUTHORITY
NPC Board of Trustees entrusts the search process to Search Committees. At the conclusion of the Search they recommend a candidate to the President. The President approves the selection and the candidate is presented to the Board for final approval.
The Board of Trustees delegates authority for the search process to the President. Search committees serve in an advisory capacity to the hiring manager and are responsible for evaluating applicants and recommending candidates.
The President approves the final candidate and new employee ratifications are presented to the Board of Trustees for final approval.
DEFINITIONS
Search Committees may use interviews, reference checks, credentials and a rating process from the individual Committee members to make determinations of qualified candidates.
Search Committee: A group appointed to assist in the recruitment and evaluation of candidates using established criteria and processes.
Evaluation Methods: May include application review, interviews (in-person and/or virtual), reference checks, credential verification, and structured evaluation tools.
POLICY STATEMENT
Because of the serious responsibility and the legal implications, both for the institution and for members of the Committee, all Committee work is done with complete confidentiality and the understanding that any breach could constitute grounds for dismissal.
All search activities must be conducted in a manner that ensures:
- Equal employment opportunity and compliance with applicable laws
- Job-related, objective, and consistent evaluation of candidates
- Confidentiality of applicant information and committee deliberations
Committee members are expected to maintain strict confidentiality. Breaches of confidentiality may result in disciplinary action.
RESPONSIBILITY
It is the responsibility of the Vice President to assure in the recommendation to the President of the new employee that professional and objective judgment has prevailed and is documented. It is the responsibility of the Associate Vice President for Human Resources to insure that the file is securely kept for five years.
Vice President/Hiring Authority:
- Ensures the search process is conducted with integrity, objectivity, and appropriate documentation
- Recommends a finalist to the President
Human Resources:
- Provides guidance on recruitment, compliance, and documentation
- Maintains official search records in a secure manner for the required retention period
- Provides training and resources to search committee members
Search Committee Members:
- Evaluate candidates based on established, job-related criteria
- Participate in all required steps of the process
- Maintain confidentiality and comply with institutional policies
PROCEDURES/RELATED DOCUMENTS AND FORMS
Forms and documents are shared securely by Human Resources to Search Committees. A historical file is compiled and securely stored electronically for five years.
Human Resources will provide standardized forms, evaluation tools, and guidance to search committees.
All materials and communications will be maintained securely.
A complete electronic search file will be retained in accordance with record retention requirements.