Student Affairs Hiring Guide

• Student Affairs position descriptions should include, at minimum, the following information:
  • HR title and, if different, working title
  • Hiring department
  • Direct supervisor title
  • Minimum offered salary
  • Description of the role, department, and KU Student Affairs
  • Core job functions by percentage
  • Required qualifications
  • Preferred qualifications
  • Work setting (campus, remote, hybrid, etc.)
  • Hiring timeline/date of first application review
  • Contact information for candidates (the search committee chair)
  • Required application materials: resume, cover letter, list of three professional references, and any supplemental materials
• Position description templates (link to examples at multiple levels)
• Ensure the position description and posted salary are aligned with the university’s job title table. The job title table includes standard components of positions and minimum required qualifications, as well as the complete salary range for each job title. Some titles (i.e. program coordinator) may fall into multiple categories. Consult with Human Resources to identify the correct job title and related information.

• Review and revise existing position description. If this is a new position, seek approval from Human Resources prior to finalizing the position description.
• Seek approval from the Assistant/Associate/Vice Provost for Student Affairs who oversees the unit. Positions may not be posted without prior approval from the AVP/VP.
• In rare cases, departments may be approved for a Recruitment Exception. If you feel a recruitment exception is warranted, discuss with the unit’s AVP/VP. Recruitment exceptions are not standard practice in Student Affairs and are approved only under exceptional circumstances. All units should plan on conducting a full search for each open position.
• Send the position description, search committee members, hiring timeline, funding source, and salary to the unit’s human resources representative for posting. All postings should include the unit director and AVP as search committee members for viewing purposes only. The Vice Provost for Student Affairs has access to view applicants for all positions posted within Student Affairs.
• Human Resources will work with the hiring manager to collect necessary information and post the position on BrassRing, KU’s employment management website.

• KU Human Resources automatically advertises all open positions on the following sites:
  • KansasWorks
  • The Chronicle for Higher Education (primarily focused on faculty and senior leadership roles)
  • Academic Keys (focused on faculty roles)
  • Insight Into Diversity
  • Higher Ed Jobs
  • Circa/Local Job Network (multiple local sites with a focus on veterans and individuals with disabilities)
• Student Affairs recommends the following sites for broader posting. Most require additional fees to post positions.
  • The Placement Exchange
  • Student Affairs Collective
  • Student Affairs Placement Conference
  • Journal of Blacks in Higher Education
  • StudentAffairs.com
  • Inside Higher Ed
  • Profession-specific associations:
    • Association for Student Conduct Administration
    • Association for Fraternity and Sorority Advisors
    • Association of College and University Housing Officers – International
    • Maxient
    • National Association of Campus Activities
    • NIRSA – Leaders in Collegiate Recreation
    • American College Health Association
    • Higher Education Case Management Association
    • Social media networks for professional associations
• Consider the required and preferred qualifications, as well as education and experience requirements. Are there other ways candidates could fulfill the core functions and requirements? Consider editing qualification requirements to attract a wider audience. Remember, skills can be learned on the job and through intentional training.
• Avoid gendered or racially coded words, as well as unnecessary jargon, acronyms, and profession-specific language.
• Share the open position as widely as possible.
• Recruit widely and avoid pre-identifying a successful candidate before completing the interview process.
• Emphasize KU and Student Affairs benefits, flexible work options (if relevant), and professional growth opportunities.
• Share information about KU affinity groups and councils. Offer to connect candidates to groups, departments, or services that interest them.

• Student Affairs positions are filled following a search committee process. Search committees should include, at a minimum, three individuals. All search committees should include a student, ideally an undergraduate student. Search committees may also include a graduate student.
• The hiring manager is the Student Affairs leader who initiates a search. This person is typically a director or AVP. The hiring manager will identify committee members and a chair. In collaboration with the AVP/VP, the hiring manager makes the final hiring decision following consultation with the search committee.
• The search committee chair generally holds a comparable or higher title to the open position. The chair is responsible for convening the committee, facilitating the application review process, and coordinating the interview experience. The chair may also check references and will facilitate ongoing communication with candidates and the hiring manager.
• Committee members are responsible for thoroughly and independently reviewing all applicants. Committee members should plan to participate in all interviews and all phases of the search. Committee members keep detailed notes on candidates and evaluate their candidacy based on the needs of the position and KU Student Affairs.
• Most committees will identify an administrative support person to facilitate interview logistics. Depending on the open position, the administrative support person may either be a committee member or may not fully participate in the committee process. The search chair should coordinate with the hiring manager on administrative support needs.
• Student Affairs searches are confidential in nature. Search committee members are not permitted to discuss candidates or application materials outside of committee meetings or with the hiring manager.
• KU policy requires all application materials, interview notes, and other documentation to be stored for three years. Application materials are automatically stored through KU’s employment system. Committee members should retain paper or electronic files of any notes taken during interviews or committee meetings. Following the final candidate selection, paper notes should be scanned and then confidentially shredded. The search committee chair should collect notes from all committee members and share with the hiring manager or Human Resources representative for archival purposes.

Search committees follow an initial process when beginning a search:

• Meet to identify goals and set expectations for the search. The hiring manager will typically attend this meeting to share more about the open position and department needs.
• Complete KU search committee training and inclusive hiring training modules in MyTalent.
• Establish an initial search schedule based on departmental needs and committee availability. The hiring manager will provide a desired timeline and may identify ideal dates for interviews. Using the desired timeline as a guide, the search committee chair and administrative support staff will facilitate meetings and interviews based on committee availability. Student Affairs search committees are encouraged to schedule all meetings, interview times, and a final review meeting in advance of beginning the search in order to maximize availability.
• Review applications in Brass Ring, KU’s employment system. KU Human Resources does not filter applicants by qualifications without explicit instructions from the hiring manager. Search committee members will see all applicants regardless of their potential qualification for the role.
• Respond to candidate outreach and status inquiries. The chair and/or administrative support person will manage candidate communication, consulting with the human resources representative as needed. Occasionally, a potential candidate submits application materials via email and not the employment system. When this occurs, they should be directed to the online posting and instructed to submit materials through the employment system.

• After the search committee identifies a qualified pool of candidates, the chair and/or administrative support professional should contact candidates to arrange an initial interview. Whenever possible, all candidates who meet required qualifications should be offered an initial interview. Doing so creates the widest possible candidate pool from which to narrow the search.
• When possible, candidates should be contacted within two weeks of the priority review or position closing date. If the committee experiences delays in the process, the committee chair or administrative support person is encouraged to communicate with all candidates regarding the delay and search status.
• Initial interviews may be conducted via phone or video. The committee may select the most appropriate format for the open position. Regardless of format, all initial interviews must be conducted in a consistent manner (i.e., all phone or all video). If the initial interviews are conducted via video, the committee should communicate expectations regarding whether cameras should be on or off. If the committee chooses to proceed without cameras to reduce potential bias, candidates should be made aware in advance in the event they want to remove their profile photo from the video conference platform.
• Initial interviews may be recorded if the committee determines this adds value to the process. If interviews are recorded, they should be done so consistently and with the advance consent of candidates. Recorded interviews must not be shared beyond the committee and should be destroyed following the conclusion of the search process.
• Search committees are highly encouraged to share the initial questions and list of search committee members prior to the interview. Many search committees choose to email this information to each candidate 24 hours in advance. Doing so creates a more accessible process and allows candidates to engage in the conversation more fully. For assistance generating interview questions, refer to the KU Interview Question Builder.
• Most initial interviews are conducted in 30 to 45 minutes, though this may vary based on the committee’s needs.

• Second-round or final interviews are often scheduled as a full-day experience. Depending on the position, the committee may consider a half-day or alternative experience. Full-day interviews often include dinner the night prior to the formal interview experience, particularly if candidates travel from outside the Lawrence area. Full-day interviews including candidate travel are encouraged to end by 3:00 p.m. to allow adequate transportation time to the airport.
• Prior to the final interview, the search committee chair should inquire about any accommodations the candidate may need and, if so, consult with the human resources representative to meet these accommodations. Examples include physical space accommodations, transportation to or across campus needs, audio accommodations, breaks throughout the interview, etc. As possible, search committees are encouraged to use a universal design approach to the interview – creating an experience widely accessible to the broadest possible audience.
• For searches involving an overnight stay, committees might consider providing a small welcome package upon arrival on campus or at the hotel. This may include small KU swag items, bottled water, snacks, a pen, notepad or notebook. etc. If the committee provides a welcome package to one candidate, all candidates should receive the items (not just those staying in a hotel).
• Sample Interview Questions (link to examples at multiple levels)
• Search committees are highly encouraged to share the initial questions and list of search committee members prior to the interview. Many search committees choose to email this information to each candidate 24 hours in advance. Doing so creates a more accessible process and allows candidates to engage in the conversation more fully. For assistance generating interview questions, refer to the KU Interview Question Builder.
• Prior to the final interview, the search committee chair should provide candidates with a detailed schedule. Schedules should include times, locations, and topics for all planned conversations. When possible, schedules should include specific names of partners with whom the candidate will meet.
• Final interview should include, at a minimum, the following conversations. Some Student Affairs searches will include additional components based upon the position’s specific needs.
  • Search Committee
  • Direct Supervisor
  • Supervisor’s Supervisor
  • Conversation and/or presentation with campus partners
  • Relevant Students
• Depending on the role, a candidate may be asked to give a presentation and/or engage in an informal conversation with campus partners. This should be designed in consultation with the search committee and hiring manager. Often, presentations are delivered live, followed by extended time for questions from campus partners. Presentations may also be pre-recorded and shared with campus partners, with a live Q&A portion of the final interview.
• As time allows, search committees are encouraged to provide space for candidates to engage with campus resources, services, and groups that interest them. This may include a tour of the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center, tour of Hilltop Child Development Center, time spent with one of the Faculty & Staff Councils, conversation with an academic department in which the candidate has interest, etc.
• If meals are included in the interview experience, the search committee chair and/or administrative support person should inquire about the candidate’s dietary needs. Interviews longer than five hours should include a meal, typically breakfast and/or lunch. The administrative support person can assist with restaurant reservations and logistics of paying for meals included in the interview.
• Candidates should be provided a parking permit as close to the interview location as possible. One-day permits may be arranged through Parking and Transit. Alternatively, if a search committee member is picking the candidate up from the hotel, the search committee can request a one-day parking permit near the interview location. For accessibility reasons, search committees are encouraged to limit extended walking across campus as much as possible.
• The administrative support person and the department’s Shared Service Center representative will assist with any travel arrangements. All travel arrangements should be booked through Concur, KU’s travel management system. This includes flights, shuttles to and from the airport, hotels, and other travel needs. The hiring department covers all costs associated with a candidate’s travel.
• Committees should establish a web-based feedback form to collect campus partner, staff, and search committee feedback. Committees are encouraged to give campus partners and staff one week following the final interview to provide feedback. Feedback should be shared with the search committee and hiring manager.
• Some committees choose to develop a webpage to share candidate information, application materials, and any recorded presentations. If this is the case, committees should redact any personally identifying information (including physical and email address, phone number, etc.) from candidate materials prior to posting. These materials should be removed and destroyed following the conclusion of the search.

• Following the final interview process, the search committee should convene to review candidate feedback and determine next steps. Student Affairs search committees generate a list of strengths and weaknesses/concerns for each candidate who participated in a final interview. The search committee chair should provide strengths and weaknesses/concerns for all candidates, as well as all campus partner feedback, to the hiring manager.
• The hiring manager will discuss the search and planned next steps with the AVP/VP prior to extending an offer. Employment offers should not be extended without prior approval.

Documents related to search processes must be retained for three years following the search. The human resources representative will provide guidance about proper document retention.

• Reference checks are typically conducted when a search committee has identified a finalist or small group of finalists. While this typically occurs following the final interview stage, some search committees choose to check references between the initial and final interviews to help narrow the candidate pool. Either approach is appropriate as long as applied consistently to all candidates.
• Committees may choose to check references for one or more finalists.
• Candidates should be notified at least 24 hours prior to contacting their references. This allows candidates to inform their references of the forthcoming contact, if they have not already done so.
• If the search committee wishes to speak to someone not included in the candidate’s reference list (ex: current supervisor), the search chair should contact the HR representative for further guidance. This is generally allowable as long as consistently applied to all candidates.
• Hiring managers should not extend an employment offer without first checking references.
• Questions for references.

• Following approval from the AVP/VP, the hiring manager may extend a verbal offer to the desired candidate. The hiring manager may schedule an appointment with the desired candidate or make the offer via phone call. The hiring manager is encouraged to schedule a follow-up conversation with the desired candidate in a few days to one week. This allows the desired candidate time to consider the offer and any additional questions.
• When a candidate verbally accepts an offer, the hiring manager should provide notification to the human resources representative. This notification should include the candidate’s name, start date, and accepted salary offer.
• The hiring manager and/or search chair should provide completed Human Resources Screening Tool to the human resources representative. The screening tool identifies all applicants for the role. The search chair and/or hiring manager will identify the following information for each candidate. Search chairs are highly encouraged to complete the screening tool at each step of the search process, rather than waiting until the conclusion of the search.
  • Whether they met required and preferred qualifications and, if not, which ones.
  • Whether candidates who met required qualifications were interviewed.
  • For all candidates who were interviewed (at any stage of the process), why they were not selected as the final candidate.
  • The name, start date, and salary for the successful candidate.
• The human resources representative will generate a formal offer letter. The successful candidate will receive this offer via email and must accept or decline the offer within a designated period of time. The hiring manager will be notified when the candidate formally accepts the offer.
• After a candidate formally accepts the offer, the hiring manager and/or human resources representative will notify unsuccessful candidates. This step may occur earlier in the process, in consultation with the human resources representative.
• The hiring manager may notify department staff and campus partners after the candidate formally accepts the offer and all unsuccessful candidates have been notified. Candidates should be instructed the search and selection process is confidential until the hiring manager makes this announcement.

• Salaries are influenced by a combination of factors, including the departmental budget, university job title table, market influences on the work, and candidates’ background. Hiring managers should identify appropriate salaries in consultation with the human resources representative and AVP/VP.
• KU provides comprehensive wellness, retirement, and life benefits. This includes paid parental leave, tuition assistance for employees and dependents, and a variety of healthcare packages. KU staff are eligible to access services at Watkins Health Services, the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center, and Hilltop Child Development Center. KU staff may also be eligible for transition housing in Sunflower Apartments. Supervisors and hiring managers are encouraged to meet with the human resources representative to learn more about available benefits. Search committee chairs and/or hiring managers may consider including a meeting with a benefits specialist in the final interview or employment offer process.
• Moving expenses may be offered through endowment or private funding. State funds cannot be used for moving expenses. Departments are not required to offer moving expenses. If offered, departments must comply with the KU Policy on Moving Expenses.
• Hiring managers may be asked about or wish to discuss flexible work schedules and locations. Flexible work schedules and locations may be appropriate for the position and departmental needs. These arrangements should be made in consultation with the AVP/VP and should be reflective of KU’s flexible and remote work policies.
• Hiring managers should consider other benefits and factors that might encourage candidates to accept the employment offer. Within reason and as possible, this may include professional development opportunities, opportunities to customize the role based on the candidate’s professional interests, campus involvement opportunities, etc.
• Unless there are extenuating circumstances, the successful candidate’s start date should align with the beginning of a pay period.

• After a candidate accepts the formal offer, Human Resources will begin the onboarding process. Candidates will receive access to an online portal to complete requirements related to background checks, citizenship verification, tax withholdings, benefits selection, etc. In some cases, candidates may also need to visit the Human Resources office to provide additional documentation.
• New KU employees will also receive access to employee onboarding and new hire checklists.
• The Student Affairs supervisor should contact the new employee prior to their first day to discuss work locations, parking suggestions, work schedules, and other expectations. Supervisors should also consult the checklist for supervising new employees.
• A new employee’s first day in Student Affairs should be an exciting one. Supervisors are encouraged to provide a small welcome gift (i.e., department and/or Student Affairs swag). Supervisors should plan the day in advance, including creating and communicating specific plans for training and facilitating intentional connections to colleagues.
• Student Affairs supervisors are encouraged to create an extended onboarding plan for the new employee. This may include a 2–4-week training program, thoughtful plan for helping the new employee form connections across campus, learning about KU’s campus and traditions, etc.
• Beginning in the Fall 2023 semester, all new Student Affairs employees will participate in a Student Affairs Orientation experience in their first semester.
• Student Affairs Orientation