Recruitment and Selection for College Positions

Purpose:

To set forth policy to be used in the recruitment and selection of employees by the college, to increase college-wide awareness and effectiveness of the recruitment and selection process, to create uniformity in the selection practices, and to ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state regulations regarding matters of employment.

Definitions:

Administrative, professional, and teaching faculty: full-time faculty-ranked positions that are governed by the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and the respective policies of the VCCS and which are not covered by the Virginia Personnel Act.

Applicant: an individual who has filed an application for a vacant or new position.

Application review date: the initial date that applications will be considered, when the open-untilfilled recruitment option is used.

Candidate: an applicant who has been screened and invited for an interview.

Classified positions: full-time staff positions governed by the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) and the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and which are covered by the Virginia Personnel Act.

Closing date: the end of a fixed recruitment period.

Committee chair: a person chosen to head a screening and/or interviewing committee.

Continuous recruitment: a recruitment strategy that allows the agency to receive and consider applications on an ongoing basis for those positions for which vacancies constantly exist or frequently recur.

Employment discrimination: the act of screening out, creating employment barriers, or denying employment or employment opportunities to an individual or group of individuals for non-merit reasons.

Hiring manager: the budget manager in an organizational unit.

Screening/Interviewing committee: a group of persons appointed for the purpose of screening, interviewing, and recommending candidates for employment consideration.

Search Advocate: a member of the college community who has received formal VCCS training in the Search Advocate initiative and has volunteered to serve as an impartial representative to a selection process to ensure the equity and fairness of the process. Search Advocates function as neutral process advisors advancing inclusiveness in the search and selection process. Search Advocates are currently assigned to all full-time Teaching Faculty-ranked positions and Administrative Faculty at the Dean/Director level and above, these categories will be expanded as.

Policy:

1. J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College (Reynolds) is committed to the recruitment and selection of highly-competent persons for vacant positions at the college without discrimination. This shall be accomplished by applying fair and consistent employment practices in every aspect of the recruitment and selection process and by ensuring that these practices are consistent with confidentiality guidelines and federal, state, VCCS, and Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) policies and procedures.

2. Reynolds does not discriminate on the basis of race (or traits historically associated with race including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists); color; national origin; religion; age (except when age is a bona fide occupational qualification); military service or veteran status; sex; gender identity or expression; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including lactation; political affiliation; or disability (in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act [ADAAA], Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or other non-merit based factors with respect to employment, personnel actions and employee benefits, or in connection with job-related programs, activities, or accessibility regarding the use of college facilities. Additionally, the recruitment and selection process shall include aggressive Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) goals in order to ensure that a diversified workforce is achieved that reflects the communities served by the college.

3. Consistent with the requirements of the Code of Virginia § 2.2-2903, a veteran’s military service shall be taken into consideration by the college during the selection process, provided that such veteran meets all of the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) requirements for the available position. Consideration shall also be given to a veteran who has a service-connected disability rating fixed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, surviving spouse or child of a veteran killed in the line of duty, and member of the National Guard, provided that such applicant meets all of the KSAs requirements for the available position.

4. The college does not permit the lowering of bona fide job requirements, performance standards, or qualifications to give preference to any college employee or applicant for college employment. All reasonable means shall be utilized to attract qualified applicants for posted positions. Consequently, selection shall be based on the applicant’s KSAs and fitness for the vacant position.

5. The college’s recruitment and selection process includes a mechanism for qualified disabled applicants to request a reasonable accommodation so that they may participate in the selection process. Additional information may be found in Reynolds Policy No. 3-11, Reasonable Accommodation.

6. The college’s Office of Human Resources shall maintain the official recruitment file for each announced vacancy in accordance with established state guidelines.

Procedures:

Procedures for Recruitment and Selection of College Positions, 3-1: Classified Positions

Procedures for Recruitment and Selection of College Positions, 3:1: Faculty Positions

Other Information:

Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) Policy No. 2.10, Hiring

VCCS Policy Section 3.03, Recruitment and Selection

Reynolds Policy No. 3-11, Reasonable Accommodation

Reynolds Policy No. 3-25, Equal Employment Opportunity and Nondiscrimination

Reynolds Policy No. 3-39, Employment Background Screening

Reynolds Demonstration Topic and Rating Sheet

Reynolds Interview Question Sheet

Reynolds Search Committee Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest Agreement

Telephone Reference Check Form (Classified)

Telephone Reference Check Form (Faculty)