See PDF copy of this procedure.
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Part 1. RECRUITING AND HIRING
Rochester Community and Technical College is committed to the recruitment and selection of highly qualified applicants whose skills and abilities will help the college achieve its strategic goals. The College is committed to the principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action.
Part 2. APPLICATION AND SCREENING PROCESS
Subpart A. Position Posting
The Human Resources Department and the hiring manager have responsibility for establishing minimum and preferred qualifications for vacant positions. The hiring manager may consult with staff or faculty regarding qualifications and recruitment for the position. At a minimum, all permanent positions covered in this policy will be posted on the RCTC website. The hiring manager, Human Resources Department and the Affirmative Action Officer will determine additional recruitment measures to help that will ensure recruitment of a diverse and qualified pool of applicants.
Subpart B. Application
Instructions for application to positions will be included with each position posting. The application process will comply with applicable State and Federal Laws and Statutes.
Subpart C. Search Advisory Team
For each position, the President or designee will appoint a Search Advisory Team Chair responsible for facilitating the meetings and interviews.
The Search Advisory Team for non-classified, faculty and administrator searches may include staff, faculty, community members, and students. Whenever possible, the Search Advisory Team will include faculty and staff whose work is directly related to the position. The composition of the team will be reviewed with the Vice President of Human Resources/Equity and the Affirmative Action Officer who may suggest additional members for the Search Advisory Team. (See Part 5 for classified positions). The President or designee shall have final approval regarding the appointment of members.
Subpart D. Preliminary Screening
The Search Advisory Team Chair, in consultation with the Human Resources Department, will review all applications to identify applicants who meet the minimum qualifications. All applicants that meet the minimum qualifications shall be forwarded on to the Search Advisory Team for further evaluation of preferred qualifications, strengths, and weaknesses of applicants to provide feedback to the Search Advisory Team Chair.
Subpart E. Evaluation of Applicants/Finalist
The Search Advisory Team will evaluate those applicants identified by the Search Advisory Team Chair as meeting minimum qualifications, using an evaluation matrix based on the position description developed by the Human Resources Department and the hiring manager, dean and/or Search Advisory Team Chair. The number of applicants invited for interviews may vary based on the unique needs of the search, (i.e., multiple vacancies, size of applicant pool, or budgetary concerns). The Search Advisory Team will provide input to the Search Advisory Team Chair on the strengths and weaknesses of candidates throughout the search process. The Affirmative Action Officer will also be reviewing the candidate pool throughout the process for any compliance issues.
If an all-college open forum is used as part of the in-person interview step for searches for administrative positions, campus-wide feedback will be collected and shared with the hiring manager as part of the evaluation process.
Subpart G. Hiring Authority
All decisions regarding the hiring of positions covered under this policy are ultimately at the discretion of the College President.
Subpart H. Job Offers
After the hiring process is complete, an offer is extended to the finalist who, in the estimation of college leadership, has demonstrated a combination of education, skills and experience appropriate for the position. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of background and reference checks.
Part 3. PRESIDENT’S DISCRECTION IN UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES
In unique circumstances consistent with the system’s Personnel Guideline PER0007 for unclassified position vacancies, the President may make appointments without utilizing the steps outlined in this procedure. The President shall consult with the Affirmative Action Officer when the search process is waived or modified. The College shall document search process waivers and modifications and the unique circumstances as determined by the President.
Part 4. COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS
Subpart A. Data Practices Act
Application materials are considered private under the Minnesota Data Practices Act. All employees participating in the selection process are responsible for safeguarding applicant information. The names of finalists are public.
Subpart B. Americans with Disabilities Act
Applicants with disabilities have the right to request reasonable accommodations to assist them through the application and interview process. The Human Resources Department shall consult with the college’s ADA Coordinator in determining appropriate accommodations.
Part 5. CLASSIFIED STAFF HIRING
The hiring of classified staff shall be done in accordance with the process established through Minnesota Management and Budget, which includes the option of using an Interview Panel as an alternative to a full Search Advisory Team. The role of the Interview Panel is to evaluate candidates during the interviews using a standardize set of questions.
Date of Implementation: Immediate
Date of Adoption: 4/28/16
Updated: 9/27/22