Office of Equal Opportunity & Access: Western Illinois University

Hiring Process Steps

Forms

Hiring Guidelines Manual

Step One: Initiate the Search Process (Hiring Administrator)

A. Complete “Request to Fill an Academic or Administrative Position” form

To initiate the search process, the Request to Fill an Academic or Administrative Position form hereafter referred to as “Request to Fill” must be completed and approved by Equal Opportunity, the Budget Office, and the appropriate Vice President. There are three types of searches: external, internal and waived. All searches for faculty and administrative vacancies should be conducted using an external search process. Requests for exception to an external search process must be made on the Request to Fill and submitted, along with written justification and relevant documentation, for approval. Internal searches are not exempt from the University’s recruitment and hiring procedures outlined in this manual.

In the event there is a need to advertise a vacancy before the Request to Fill form has been completed, an Advertising Contingency Approval Form may be submitted. Contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at 309/298-1977.

For new administrative positions, (even if using an existing title) a completed University Civil Service Merit Board – Principal Administrative Position Exemption form must be submitted for approval.

Note: Copies of the Request to Fill form are available from the Provost's web site. Questions regarding that form should be addressed to the Budget Office. All other forms can be obtained from the Provost’s webpage.

B. Develop Position Description
Develop/update the position description for all vacancies (attach to the signed Request to Fill form and submit to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access for approval). Position descriptions should include the following information: (For new administrative positions, please refer to the University Civil Service Merit Board – Principal Administrative Position Exemption form.

Department Name and Western Illinois University
Purpose: Overall objective and the primary function(s) of the position.
Reporting Relationship: Indicate the title of the position to which the vacant position reports.
Responsibilities: Include a clear articulation of the essential and marginal functions of the position in order to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Essential functions that define the role of faculty positions are understood to be teaching/ performance of primary duties, research and service. Position descriptions must not list the manner in which these functions are to be performed.(For example: essential functions of a faculty position include providing instruction and evaluating student performance, not typing handouts and reading essay exams.) Include special requirements such as travel to WIU-QC or other extension sites, evening and weekend hours, use of technology or lab equipment and other characteristics of the job that define its function. Position descriptions may also mention a variety of other possible limiting conditions that could require accommodation, such as the nature of teaching duties (i.e. class size) and service or research projects with specific requirements.
Qualifications: Include the minimum required education and experience necessary to perform the essential functions of the position that match minimum departmental tenure standards according to UPI agreements. A secondary list of preferred qualifications should be sufficiently detailed to permit the individual evaluation and screening of applicants, yet general enough to ensure an adequate applicant pool that includes diverse representation. Requests for teaching evaluations may be listed as one of the application requirements. Criterion that excludes on the basis of a specified number of years of experience should be avoided, except in cases of external certification requirements.

C. Appoint Search and Screening Committee

Elect or appoint search and screening committee members in accordance with established procedures. The committee should, to the maximum extent possible, consist of diverse membership. Once the committee is formed, and a Chair is selected, submit the names of all members to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access.