Overview
Consistent with SUNY policy and the President’s affirmation, it is the policy of the University at Albany that an open and inclusive search should be conducted prior to filling all faculty or professional staff vacancies. However, as in all processes, a certain degree of flexibility remains. In certain situations, vacancies may be filled through an internal promotion, consistent with collective bargaining arrangements or via search waiver, so as to quickly address critical workload situations necessitating immediate hiring.
Search Waiver Process
As a general rule, it remains the policy of the University at Albany that a full, open and affirmative action search should be conducted prior to filling a faculty or professional staff vacancy.
This is consistent with the President's Reaffirmation Statement, as well as the governing SUNY policy first issued in 1977. It also is consonant with all applicable laws, both state and federal. As in all cases, however, a certain degree of flexibility remains necessary
In some instances, a vacant position might be filled via internal promotion. This is perfectly consistent with collective bargaining arrangements, and serves to foster and preserve high employee morale. In other cases, the appointment is of either short duration or part-time, suggesting that the effort involved in mounting a full search would be impractical at best, with little likelihood of an enthusiastic applicant response.
In these circumstances, the department or unit should prepare a written request for a waiver of the search requirements, which must include:
- A justification for the request, presented in an institutional context, demonstrating the imperative for departing from a full, affirmative search.
- Identify whether the funding source is either State or Research and include the account number.
- A description of the position, including minimum (and, if appropriate, preferred) qualifications.
- The vitae of candidates who may already have been identified, with a description of the process used to locate them.
The department's history with respect to hiring from underrepresented groups should also be included for consideration. A written determination will be rendered and transmitted to the requesting department.
Search Waiver Exceptions
In the past, search waivers were sought in situations that simply should not have required the effort to prepare the request and the administrative time spent in review. That said, nothing precludes a department from undertaking a search in these cases — it is simply not a requirement.
In the following cases, a full, open search is not required and a waiver from the search procedure need not be sought:
- Appointments of six months or less.
- Appointments of 50% obligation or less, regardless of duration.
- Internal promotion. (However, collective bargaining arrangements may require an on-campus posting.)
- Upward reclassification/retitling of a filled position, generally as a result of an increase in professional responsibilities, where no actual vacancy exists.
- Post-doctoral appointments no longer than 3 years.
- Non-renewable Visiting faculty appointments of two years' duration or less.
- Transfer of filled positions.
Emergencies arise as well and, in certain instances, the illness or death of an incumbent may leave a department in a situation that simply does not allow for a full search.
Finally, a new president or vice president may wish to reorganize staff in a manner compatible with their administrative style in order to accomplish their mandate. Accordingly, certain exceptions to the full search requirement are necessary.