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Appendix K   

Opportunity Appointment Policy

Recruitment and retention of faculty and administrators is becoming increasingly influenced by special opportunities for the appointment of exceptional candidates, and by  issues raised by dual career couples.  The emphasis of the Opportunity Appointment Policy is on

a.     assisting in the development of opportunities for the recruitment of members of under-represented groups as identified in the University’s Affirmative Action Plan;

b.     providing the framework for taking advantage of special opportunities to appoint outstanding academics outside of the normal faculty recruitment procedure;

c.     establishing the procedure to follow in considering the academic appointment of a partner where one member of a couple is an academic or senior administrative candidate who is under final consideration for a position at Western, and where such consideration is affected by the potential for employment of the partner by Western.  (As used in this policy, the term “partner” refers to spouses or to individuals in relationships of cohabitation.)

In the case of faculty positions, department chairs, tenured and probationary faculty of the departments which would be affected by opportunity appointments,  together with the relevant deans, must be provided with opportunities to interview candidates, and to evaluate them in writing.  Departments will be informed of the effect of the appointment on future position allocations.  Departmental faculty will be given the opportunity to make a recommendation regarding the appointment.  Evaluations and decisions to appoint must be based on appropriate Faculty Handbook criteria concerning rank and tenure.   The college-level tenure and promotion committee will make a  recommendation regarding  appointments involving the granting of tenure or an increase in rank over the person’s previous appointment.

1.     Appointment of Diversity Candidates

        Opportunities to appoint members of under-represented groups may contribute to the goal of diversity described in the University’s Strategic Plan.  Candidates for faculty or administrative positions will be informed that the University has a proactive policy concerning diversity.

2.     Appointment of Outstanding Academics

        Opportunities may arise to recruit academics who will add significantly to the prestige of the University by virtue of their established record of superb teaching and outstanding records of ongoing scholarship or creative activity.

3.     Appointment of a Candidate’s Partner

        The successful recruitment of faculty and administrative candidates in position searches may be significantly affected by the need to consider academic appointments for a candidate’s partner.  In such cases, the need to achieve strategically important goals of the regular search may be sufficiently significant that the partner should be considered as an opportunity appointment.

4.     Search Assistance for a Candidate’s Partner

If the partner of a candidate for an academic or administrative position is seeking employment opportunities in the community, efforts may be made to assist with the job search.   For example, assistance may be provided in arranging interviews with prospective employers.  The University may also provide a candidate’s partner with library privileges, and use of the Career Services Center, including access to reference materials, advice on resume’ preparation, and access to on-campus interviews with off-campus recruiters.  The University may continue to provide such assistance for up to one year from the time of the initial appointment.

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