Recruiting Process - Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty
Reminder: The department AM, in collaboration with the department chair and search committee chair, should track and update each stage of the recruiting process on the "Stages of Faculty Searches 20YY-20YZ" spreadsheet on Box (access limited). This spreadsheet is used by College leadership and Dean's Office staff for informational and planning purposes.
Phase 1: Prior to search
Responsible party | Step | Action |
|---|---|---|
Department chair | 1 | Submit a search request to the Dean for approval, with a cc to the department Administrative Manager, including the position title and rank and draft job description. |
2 | Submit a proposed search committee and search chair (include at least one T/TT faculty member from outside of the department). | |
3 | When approved, appoint the search committee. The department chair and/or search committee creates a job posting. | |
Search committee chair | 4 | Download the COE posting template for the appropriate Academic Year from Box and use to create a job posting draft. Submit posting to Senior Associate Dean for approval. The template is available at Box (access restricted) > COE Faculty Affairs > Recruiting - Faculty > All Departments Faculty Recruiting XX-XY > AY XX-XY T-TT Job Posting Template, and includes the information listed below:
Email requests for Box folder access to COE-FacultyAffairs@austin.utexas.edu |
Department AM | 5 | When approved, submit posting in Interfolio and assign appropriate Interfolio roles to search committee members. See COE: Interfolio for Administrative Staff > Posting a position in Interfolio for instructions. |
COE Faculty Affairs | 6 | Review Interfolio posting and share with Senior Associate Dean for approval. If approved by Senior Associate Dean, COE Faculty Affairs approves posting forwards to APS. |
APS | 7 | Review Interfolio posting and provide final approval. |
Department AM | 8 | Publish the posting in Interfolio and make it available to applicants. See COE: Interfolio for Administrative Staff > COE posting process. |
Where are UT Austin faculty positions posted?
Important: Keep records of where and how the job posting is shared. The department Administrative Manager in collaboration with the Search Committee Chair complete the Appointment Process Summary for inclusion in the PAR (hiring request) packet. Note that question #3 of the form asks for a) a list of all journals, periodicals, etc. where the posting was placed, and b) citation of any other recruiting channels used including personal contacts, letters to other departments, professional meetings, etc.
Positions created in Interfolio are pushed automatically to the UT Faculty Careers web site, and then scraped out to the Chronicle of Higher Education and HigherEdJobs when they meet all of the following parameters:
Position has been submitted for approval, reviewed, and approved by an Administrator in Interfolio
Must be "Open" - today's date is on or after the position's Open Date and before the Close date at 12:00 EST (unless set to "Until filled" or "Set not to close")
Not Archived (a setting in position management)
Has a position status of "Accepting Applications"
If international applicants are being considered
Be aware that the information in this section may not meet current federal or University requirements. Departments should carefully review Texas Global guidance on Hiring International Employees to ensure all current requirements are met. Any questions should be directed to Texas Global’s International Student and Scholar Services team at Contact ISSS.
Additional recruiting requirements must be satisfied in order to sponsor an employee for employment-based Lawful Permanent Residency.
To sponsor a non-U.S. citizen for permanent residency under the EB-2 Advanced Degree Professionals category of I-140 Petitions, the U.S. Department of Labor requires at least one ad (print or online) to be posted in a national professional journal for a minimum of 30 calendar days. Departments should keep this in mind if international candidates will be considered for hire. Documentation of the ad’s start and end dates, as well as the text of the ad, will be required for permanent residency applications. It is strongly recommended to save a copy of at least one ad meeting the stated requirements immediately - published job postings can become more difficult to find later.
For more information, see the following:
Texas Global: Sponsoring Faculty and Staff for Permanent Residency
Contact Texas Global - International Student and Scholar Services with any questions
Advertising the position
COE Faculty Search Promotion and Social Media Toolkit
COE Marketing and Communications (MarCom) provides a COE Faculty Search Social Media toolkit to help promote COE’s open tenure/tenured track positions. This toolkit provides search committees with ready-to-use social media images, suggested captions, and easy-to-follow guides to help share these opportunities organically on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.
Why this matters: By using these branded visuals and content, we strengthen our collective voice and reinforce our community’s goals. Your participation is key in amplifying our faculty searches and showcasing the collaborative spirit that defines our brand.
Please contact coecommunications@austin.utexas.edu with any questions.
Additional advertising options
Departments may wish to share their job postings more widely. Additional advertising options include those listed below; please note that some services may involve fees. Faculty search committees should coordinate with their department’s Administrative Manager (AM) regarding all planned recruitment activities, especially those that incur expenses.
Professional networks and listservs
Social media (Facebook, etc.)
Direct emails to contacts at peer institutions
JobElephant - partnered with UT Austin; see more information and instructions at the link
Funding for recruitment efforts
The Dean’s Office provides a set amount of funds for each tenured and tenure-track search to be used for advertising, travel and accommodations for on-campus visits, and other recruiting expenses. All budgeting and use of these funds is administered by department staff. Questions about recruiting funds and expenses should be directed to the department Administrative Manager.
Phase 2: Evaluation of applicants and interviews
Resources for faculty search committees
Committee members are encouraged to review the following documents in their search committee’s Box folder:
On-Campus Interview Resources & Guide
Required Faculty Hiring Processes and Senate Bill 17
Evaluating Candidates in Faculty Searches - Guidance on recordkeeping, using a selection matrix (optional), and conducting interviews and reference checks
Department chairs and search committee chairs should ensure that all candidates within each search are treated the same. For example, if interviews are conducted virtually, all interviews in that round should be conducted virtually, or if delays arise in the interview schedule, all interviews should be postponed to fall within the same timeframe. Per HR guidance, virtual interviews should not be recorded, unless all candidates are asked in advance of the interview and each is given the option to opt out of recording.
Responsible party | Step | Action |
|---|---|---|
Search committee chair | 1 | Seek ongoing consultation with Senior Associate Dean regarding applicant pool and recruitment efforts. |
Search committee | 2 | Narrows the pool of candidates for Zoom interviews, or equivalent. Training on evaluating applications in Interfolio is available at Interfolio: Evaluating Applications. Search committees may wish to use a selection matrix for the objective comparison of applicant materials to the stated qualifications, functions, and requirements of their advertised position. Guidance on developing and use a selection matrix is available at HR: Selection Panel or Matrix > Selection Matrix. |
3 | Conduct video interviews with semifinalists. See tab Interviewing & reference checks on this page for guidance. | |
4 | Narrow the semifinalist list to two or three potential on-campus interview candidates. If any of the finalists are non-U.S. citizens, the department should schedule a meeting for the candidate with Texas Global - International Student and Scholar Services during their on-campus visit. See more at COE: International Hiring. | |
Department chair | 5 | Schedule a meeting with the Dean, Senior Associate Dean, Search Committee Chair, and Department Chair to discuss the On-Campus Interview Memo. |
Search committee chair | 6 | Write On-Campus Interview Request Memo. Note that some items included in the On-Campus Interview Memo will also be used in hiring materials processed by the department Administrative Manager. It is recommended to upload a copy of the finalized memo to the search committee’s folder on Box. Either: a) Download and use a copy of Template: COE On-Campus Interview Request Memo, OR b) Write a memo including all of the information listed below at On-Campus Interview Request Memo on this tab. |
7 | At least three business days prior to meeting, send the materials listed below in a single email to the Dean, with a cc to the Senior Associate Dean, the department Administrative Manager (AM), and Executive Assistant (EA) to the Dean. The EA to the Dean will upload the following materials to Box:
| |
Search committee chair and department chair | 8 | Meet with the Dean and Senior Associate Dean for review. Dean reviews on-campus interview list for approval. |
Department AM | 9 | When approved, schedule candidate interviews. Create on-campus schedules, including both an interview with the Dean, and a meeting with the Associate Deans. The Associate Deans will block time for this purpose. See On-Campus Interview Resources & Guide in search committee’s Box folder for guidance on preparing for and scheduling on-campus interviews. |
10 | Advertise job talks widely across all COE departments. | |
Search committee chair | 11 | Perform reference checks by phone of each finalist, asking the same questions to each reference about each candidate. Plan for a 15-20 minute phone call with each reference. See Evaluating Candidates in Faculty Searches, page 3, in the search committee’s Box folder for guidance and reference check question examples. |
Additional steps for College-Wide hires
In addition to all steps above:
Search committee chairs should plan a schedule that ensures the candidates will have broad exposure to departments where there might be a fit.
Job talks should be widely advertised across all departments.
Include departmental representation for dinners/slate of appointments.
Candidate should meet with department chairs representing potential affiliations and have conversations about what those potential affiliations might be.
On-Campus Interview Request Memo
(See step 6 in the process table above). Use Template: COE On-Campus Interview Request Memo, or write a memo including all of the following:
Search committee membership
Job posting/position description
Summary description of recruiting efforts
Search process description
Interfolio report of the pool demographic characteristics (see Interfolio Reports Access & Instructions)
Candidate evaluation criteria from position description and review process
Table of video interview candidates including:
Name
Basis for selection
Affiliation
Experience
Publications
Grants
Other search criteria
Interview questions
Full description of possible on-campus interview candidates that includes strengths and areas of continued growth
Phase 3: After campus interviews with finalists
Responsible party | Step | Action |
|---|---|---|
Search committee | 1 | Collect and review evaluations from faculty and students: evaluation forms, written or verbal feedback to committee members, search chair, department chair; or any other evaluative information. |
2 | Deliberate and make a hiring recommendation. Based on their review, the search committee may recommend: (a) one candidate, (b) more than one candidate (rank-ordered), or (c) no candidate. | |
Search committee chair | 3 | Write Hire Recommendation Summary Report and submits to the department chair. The report should include all of the information listed below at Hire Recommendation Summary Report on this tab. |
Department chair | 4 | Review the Hire Recommendation Summary Report. Email Hire Recommendation Summary Report to the Dean and Senior Associate Dean and include in email a brief independent assessment of the candidates. In the email, indicate whether or not they would like to schedule a meeting. |
5 (Optional) | If preferred, schedule a meeting with the Dean to discuss. The Hire Recommendation Summary Report must be sent at least three business days in advance of the meeting. | |
Dean | 6 | Review and decide whether or not to move recommendation forward for BC/EC discussion and vote. |
Hire Recommendation Summary Report
(See step 3 in the process table above). Write a report including all of the information below. A downloadable copy is available on Box at Hire Recommendation Summary Report.
A. Search committee’s assessment of each finalist’s strengths and weaknesses, including:
how each candidate would add to program area(s), department(s) and College
how well each candidate fits the criteria for selection
how the final selection was made
final vote
B. Summary of reference calls. Reference calls should be made during Phase 3, in addition to reviewing reference letters. Reminder: documentation is subject to open records requests.
C. Summary of faculty and student feedback for each candidate including more specifically:
a paragraph for each candidate describing faculty feedback
a paragraph for each candidate summarizing student feedback
D. Final hiring recommendation of the search committee which must include a rationale for the decision and can include the recommendation to hire:
one candidate or
more than one candidate (may be ranked but don’t have to be), or
no candidate
E. Appendix: Any evaluation forms, written or verbal feedback to committee members, search chair, department chair(s), or any other evaluative information.
College-Wide hires: Recommendations from the search committee also includes identification of possible departmental affiliations and reference checks. It is expected that a college-wide search would identify potential affiliations with more than one department.
Phase 4: BC/EC meeting and following
Responsible party | Step | Action |
|---|---|---|
Department chair | 1 | Submit search committee’s Hiring Recommendation Summary Report to the BC/EC and convenes the group for discussion and anonymous vote on the finalists.
|
2 | After BC/EC vote, resubmit Hiring Recommendation Summary Report to the Dean and Senior Associate Dean, with a cover letter that captures the following:
| |
3 | If approved by the Dean, the next step is the EVPP pre-review: For both tenured and tenure-track finalists, send all materials listed below to the Senior Associate Dean, with a cc to Sonja Runberg:
Tenured hires only; optional additional documentation: For exceptional tenured candidates only, the Dean’s Office may include a request in the pre-review for a waiver of the PAR requirement for arm’s-length external assessment letters. If the department wishes to request this waiver, include a written justification for the waiver request following the guidance at EVPP: Hiring Tenured & Tenure-Track Faculty > Candidate Pre-Review > Request to Waive External Letters for Tenured Hires. | |
4 | Meet with Senior Associate Dean to discuss salary and start-up package. (In the case of a College-Wide hire, this should be the chair of the department with the greater share of affiliation.) Document agreed-upon offer items in email rather than just verbally, and cc or forward these to the department Administrative Manager for reference during the draft offer letter writing process in collaboration with COE Faculty Affairs, including all helpful details and specifics. If proposed hire is not a U.S. citizen, department should consult with Texas Global - International Student and Scholar Services before offer is made, and cc COE-FacultyAffairs@austin.utexas.edu. | |
Department chair | 5 | Begin working with the department Administrative Manager and COE Faculty Affairs on the hiring process, including PAR, offer letter, and tenured hire process if appropriate. Keep in mind that these processes can take a great deal of time and effort, and please plan accordingly. |
After the conclusion of the search
Disposition the Interfolio position
Immediately after the conclusion of a faculty search, be sure to ask the department Administrative Manager to close the Interfolio position (archive) and indicate an outcome. For searches that did not result in selection of a candidate, add a note about why no selection was made (e.g., cancelled due to lack of funding, position no longer needed, lack of qualified applicants, etc.). See Interfolio: Close a Position and Select Applicant(s).
Communicate with applicants
After closing the position in Interfolio, the Search Committee Chair should communicate to all applicants that the position has closed.
This can be done in Interfolio. To email all applicants not selected for interview, check the "Applicants" box at the top of the table, and then deselect the names of those interviewed. The email message to applicants not interviewed might be something like:
“Thank you very much for submitting an application for the Assistant/Associate Professor position in Department Name at The University of Texas at Austin. We regret to notify you that your application has not advanced to the interview stage. We appreciate your time and interest and wish you the best in your job search endeavors.”
For applicants interviewed but not selected for hire, the Search Committee Chair should send a more personalized email.
Close any additional job postings not posted automatically through Interfolio (LinkedIn, JobElephant, etc.).
Recruiting procedures for Administrative Managers
Remember that all Box materials are subject to Open Records Requests. Ensure that everyone invited to access any UT Box folder understands this.
1) Become familiar with COE resources on Box
a) COE All Departments T-TT Faculty Recruiting YY-YZ
> Download file AY YY-YZ T-TT Job Posting Template - use this to create the job posting on Interfolio
> Stages of Faculty Searches - update this as the search progresses through stages to keep College leadership informed. This will require ongoing communication with the department chair and search committee chair.
b) COE - [DEPT NAME] Recruiting YY-YZ
> (One subfolder per search name) - Each department and/or search chair committee may use these subfolders as they wish.
Suggested uses of department Box recruiting folder:
Upload recruiting documents as relevant for convenient reference that will later be included in the pre-review request and PAR supplementary documentation, including:
On-Campus Interview Request Memo (see tab “Phase 2” on this page)
Hire Recommendation Summary Report (see tab “Phase 3” on this page), which include information needed for the Appointment Process Summary, a document included in the PAR.
PDFs of job postings
Finalist CVs
2) Post the position on Interfolio
How to log in to Interfolio
Use this link to log in: https://account.interfolio.com/login
Select “Partner Institution”
Select your institution “The University of Texas at Austin”
Enter your EID and password (same password associated with your UT EID)
a) Download the COE job posting template from Box (see step 1 above). Use this to write the job posting.
b) Before posting to Interfolio, confirm that both the department chair and Senior Associate Dean have approved the posting exactly as it is.
c) Post to Interfolio.
Follow the instructions at COE: Interfolio for Administrative Staff > Posting a position in Interfolio.
See Interfolio: Create a Position for an interactive tutorial including a software simulation.
d) Strongly recommended: Complete all sections of online Interfolio Faculty Search Administrator Training (estimated completion time: 45 minutes)
3) Assign appropriate Interfolio roles to search committee members
See COE: Interfolio for Administrative Staff > Assigning Interfolio roles to search committee members.
4) Update "Stages of Faculty Searches" spreadsheet on Box
(Tenured and tenure-track faculty searches only)
Update regularly throughout the process. See step 1 on this page.
5) Complete the hire process
Follow guidance on the "Hire process" tab on the appropriate page:
6) Close the position
Immediately after the conclusion of a faculty search and/or once the posting is no longer needed, the department should close the Interfolio position (archive) and indicate an outcome. For searches that did not result in selection of a candidate, add a note about why no selection was made (e.g., cancelled due to lack of funding, position no longer needed, lack of qualified applicants, etc.).
See tab “After conclusion of search” on this page.
Online training for this step is available at the following links:
Please send suggested additions to this page and notifications about broken links to COE-FacultyAffairs@austin.utexas.edu.