In the next few weeks, faculty search committees will be making final decisions on teaching staff applicants for the 2007-2008 school year. In order to fill 17 newly opened teaching positions, departments—especially the English and Government departments—are expected to hire new faculty members.

That is not to say the hiring process is easy. Indeed, departments receive between 50 and 150 applications for each opening. Departments began the search process as early as last spring.

“An enormous amount of time and effort goes into recruiting and selecting faculty, for good reason,” said Dean of the Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Programs and John E. Andrus Professor of Government J. Donald Moon. “Faculty are here on long-term contracts, and are the key to the quality of the education we provide. We put a lot of work into finding the best teachers and scholars we can find, people who really care about their subject, and about connecting with students and the process of teaching and learning.”

Each department follows the hiring procedures and protocols outlined by Academic Affairs.

The process is set in motion once the department receives approval from Academic Affairs to initiate a search. Requests for authorization to initiate a search are usually submitted to Academic Affairs the previous academic year. Once approval is granted, a search committee is formed and the position is advertised through academic sites and in scholarly publications, university websites, and listservs in an effort to attract a diverse pool of applicants.

“When the search committee is established, the academic dean, the associate provost, and I meet with the committee members for the department or program,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Joseph W. Bruno. “We review all search procedures, discuss advertising venues, come to agreement on the wording of the advertisement, review plans for reaching out to a diverse pool of applicants, et cetera. The search typically begins in the fall semester.”

Often supplementing formal advertisements, departments may make personal contact with candidates by telephone or e-mail, making a special effort to enlarge the pool by finding qualified candidates who are members of underrepresented groups, in keeping with the University’s goal of diversity.

“We look for expertise—that is, training, teaching experience, scholarly research, and publications—in the particular field in which we are searching,” said Professor of English Anne duCille.

Each department has its own search or hiring committee, generally consisting of three faculty members whose research and teaching are closest to the appropriate field. Many departments also recruit a select group of students, typically department majors, to participate in the hiring process.

“When a search is approved, the department or program names a group of faculty members to the search committee,” said Bruno. “They will review all applications and make a recommendation to the rest of the department or program.”

After reviewing all applications, the department selects three to five candidates they wish to bring to campus. Each department and the Academic Dean must write a detailed justification for the selected candidates, a description of their procedures, and a list of all applicants that is then approved by the provost and is finally is passed on to the affirmative action officer and President Douglas Bennet.

“Four members of the administration read all search documents; all must be convinced that the search was run in an inclusive and fair manner and that the pool of finalists is comprised of excellent candidates,” Bruno said.

Candidates on the short list are brought to town as guests of Wesleyan, usually in the fall or winter, when classes are in session. Candidates meet with all or most of the faculty members in the department and some student majors, and will give a public presentation on their work.

Candidates also meet with the academic dean and a member of the Advisory Committee, the University’s committee on promotion and tenure. The advisory member not only describes the promotion and tenure procedures at Wesleyan, but also provides his or her impressions back to the department.

The department chair solicits input and the faculty members meet to deliberate. When they reach a decision, they inform the Academic Dean and Provost. Hiring processes often conclude in the spring semester, some rather late in the spring.

“After all of the candidates have come through, the department meets to select someone to whom we would offer the job, and we recommend that person to the dean and the vice president for Academic Affairs,” Moon said. “If they approve, the candidate is offered the job.”

The University’s elaborate faculty search process reveals its commitment to excellence in scholarship and teaching ability, according to Bruno. Seeking to enhance the diversity of faculty, this process is not only important but also necessary to maintaining the University’s academic merit, he said.

“This process consumes nearly a year from the first request to search until the hire is made. Faculty and staff spend an enormous amount of time on this important decision,” said Bruno. “We consider teaching effectiveness, research accomplishment, and the potential to make important contributions to Wesleyan. We are looking for faculty members who are committed to effective teaching in a liberal arts setting, and who will bring the power of their scholarly to the classroom.”