Communication 

• The Executive Officer or designee communicates which units are granted staff (new) lines to the appointing officer.
• The Appointing Officer, designee or Admin communicates open new staff positions and vacated positions within their unit to the Executive Officer or designee by way of an email.
• The Appointing Officer should be included in communication around processes and timelines.
• The Appointing Officer, designee or Admin will partner with the HR Generalist for an in-take meeting with Search Chair and Inclusion Advocates to review the search process and timeline. Please review the Search Committee essentials.
• The Appointing Officer will consult with the Director of Budget and Finance regarding the funding source and the minimum and maximum compensation for the position.
• The cost for the search, including advertising, (that is not supported by HRO) and cost for campus visits is funded by that department and does not require pre-approval.

Financial support includes the following: 

• Budget/funding source for position
• Each department's budget to support the cost of advertising and other recruiting costs.
• Each department’s budget costs for advertisements in discipline-specific publications and job boards that are likely to diversify the pool of applicants.
• Human Resources will post job ads (at no cost to departments) to the GVSU Careers website and email the posting to veterans’ employment services and liaisons from the State of Michigan and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 
• Any job posted on GVSU Careers will automatically publish by HRO staff
  • Ability JOBS
  • The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • Diverse Issues in Higher Education
  • Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce
  • Glassdoor
  • Hello West Michigan
  • Higher Ed Jobs
  • Indeed
  • LinkedIn
  • Pure Michigan Talent Connect
  • West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Training 

• The Search Chair is responsible for ensuring all search committee members understand the University’s new hire process and comply with Workday policies.
• If a Search Chair Assistant is appointed, they, along with the HR Generalist, may provide additional support throughout the process.
• Search Chairs are encouraged to use a GVSU P-Card for expenses related to candidate meals, parking, and interview dinners. An itemized receipt must be obtained and reconciled in Workday.
• Search Chairs are expected to convene a meeting with the selected search committee members to review best practices for conducting inclusive and equitable searches. This meeting will provide committee members with an understanding of Student Affairs' approach to inclusive hiring. It is strongly recommended that Search Chairs schedule a Workday training session—required for both themselves and committee members—in collaboration with the Inclusion Advocate.

The Search Chair forms a search committee that includes an Inclusion Advocate. The search chair can find an Inclusion Advocate using the Antidiscrimination/Equal Employment Opportunity site online Inclusion Advocate Directory.

• The search chair can also contact Anti-discrimination/Equal Employment Opportunity ([email protected]) for assistance identifying an Inclusion Advocate. Requests must include a copy of the job description (if available), an approximate timeline for the search, where search activities will occur (Allendale, Grand Rapids, Zoom, etc.), and any other relevant information.
• The Civil Rights Specialist from the Anti-discrimination/Equal Employment Opportunity Office will forward the request to Inclusion Advocates and ask any Inclusion Advocate interested in serving on the search committee to contact the search chair directly.
• Reminder: To support transparency and minimize bias in DSA hiring practices, the Inclusion Advocate must be from outside the division or department of the position being filled. The Inclusion Advocate serves as an official member of the search committee and collaborates closely with committee members to ensure inclusive hiring practices are followed throughout the search process. Inclusion Advocate should be included in creating the position description before submitting a new job requisition form in Workday
• For replacement positions, any changes to job responsibilities, minimum/maximum annual compensation, or updated market data must be clearly identified. Prior to review or approval by the Inclusion Advocate, the Executive Officer (or designee) and the Appointing Officer must be notified via email and provided with the updated job description for review. Both must acknowledge and approve the job description by email.
• If the Executive Officer or Appointing Officer cannot access or review the job description in Workday, the Hiring Manager is responsible for ensuring this information is communicated and made available to them through alternative means.
• Reminder: Confidentiality Policy:All aspects of the recruitment process are strictly confidential and must not be discussed outside the search committee. Committee members are expected to uphold the highest standards of discretion to protect the integrity of the search and the privacy of all candidates. Breaches of confidentiality may result in removal from the search committee and/or other appropriate action.
• The search committee normally consists of the Search Chair, Search Chair Assistant, Inclusion Advocate from outside the division, and selected search committee members. Search committees must make a good-faith effort to cast the widest net for qualified applicants during recruitment.
• The Inclusion Advocate plays a key role in upholding the University’s commitment to inclusive and equitable hiring practices. As a member of the search committee, the Inclusion Advocate is expected to share guidance and recommend strategies that support equity-minded recruitment. They serve as a resource to the committee and may consult with the Anti-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Office as needed for clarification or support. The Inclusion Advocate ensures that the search process aligns with institutional values and established inclusive hiring practices.
• Reminder: Complete DSA Module Building an Inclusive Workforce – The Better Experience Toolkit

Before beginning the recruitment process, determine if you need to undergo (PM) position management or (JM) job management process.  Each Workday Hiring Manager, or designated Admin has access to initiate a position requisition for approval in Workday which will be either a (PM) or (JM), job requisition. Once everyone has approved the new job requisition. HRO will advertise.

PM – Position Management

• Administrative Professional (AP)
• Affiliate Faculty
• Hourly Staff
• Tenure Track Faculty

JM – Job Management

• Adjunct Administrative Professional (AP)
• Adjunct Faculty/Staff
• Temporary Hourly
• Visiting Faculty

All positions must have a job requisition to be able to make a hire, even if the position is not being posted.

Phase 4 – Initial Review by HR Generalist and Conducting Interviews

• Please follow the new Workday process under Applicant Management working with the HR Generalist to establish a feasible timeline.

Candidate evaluations should include using a pre-defined rubric. We have provided a (suggested) Student Affairs rubric for searches to customize:

• Tips: Below is a summary of feedback from DSA, PSS, HRO, Anti-discrimination/Equal Employment Opportunity Office
• Division-Wide Engagement: To encourage broad participation in candidate presentations, the Search Chair Assistant should place holds on DSALT members’ calendars as early as possible and confirm details once finalized.
• Search Committee Feedback: Committee members must use the approved evaluation rubric to assess each candidate based on the qualifications and responsibilities outlined in the position announcement.
• Staff Feedback: Attendees of candidate presentations may provide feedback using a designated evaluation form the Search Chair Assistant can support developing this form.
• Evaluation Guidelines: Candidates must be evaluated individually—do not compare candidates to one another or assign numerical scores. Focus solely on how each candidate meets the required qualifications.
• Final Deliberations: After all interviews are complete, the search committee will meet to review available information. The committee may either evaluate finalists without ranking or provide a de facto ranking if necessary, i.e. strengths, needs improvement, etc.
• Candidate Status Updates: The Search Chair is responsible for updating applicant statuses in Workday.
• New Item: Once a finalist accepts an offer, the Chair must notify all interviewed candidates that the position has been filled. A follow-up phone call is encouraged as a professional courtesy.
• Transcript Requirement for AP Positions: For Administrative Professional (AP) permanent positions, an official transcript is required before an offer is extended. An unofficial transcript may be used temporarily until the official version is received. The Search Committee Chair is responsible for requesting the official transcript.
• Work closely with the HR Generalist for the offer stage.

• Data Collection and Assessment: Following the completion of all searches, data should be collected on applicant demographics, interviewees, and final hires. This information should be compiled by the designated HR representative or search administrator and shared with Appointing Officers for review and assessment.
• Onboarding: Initiate the Division of Student Affairs onboarding process for new hires.
• Required Orientation Sessions:
• University and Human Resources New Staff Orientation
• Division of Student Affairs New Staff Orientation (held twice per year; schedule to be determined)
• Search Evaluation and Continuous Improvement: After the search concludes, the Executive Officer or their designee must follow up with the Inclusion Advocate to evaluate the search process and identify opportunities to enhance future searches.

Human Resources Search Committee Essentials Module 

Building an Inclusive Workforce at GVSU Toolkit Module 

If this is a new position that needs to be created, please consult with your Appointing Officer and the HR Compensation Analyst for approval of the position title, job description, compensation, and other relevant information.

• Director of Budget and Financial Planning – Student Affairs**  should  be included
• Once approved by the Appointing Officer, the C5/Admin will initiate the “create position” business process in Workday.   
• This will route to the HR Business Partner, Manager, Cost Center Manager, Compensation, Executive Officer, and budget, and can take up to 2 weeks to complete.   

If this is a replacement position or an already created position, continue through Workday Job requisition steps for PM or JM 

Related Workday Help Articles: 

• Create Position 
• Create Job Requisition – Position Management 

Process Purpose:  All appropriate offices approve the job requisition in Workday. Step is noted as an FYI; there is no action required from the Search Chair

• Recommended Timeline to Complete this Step: 1 business day to initiate the job requisition in Workday, with up to 5 business days for approvals to be completed. 
• Required Information: Position information, compensation information, funding source, and comments from approvers. 

Process: 

• The create job requisition business process will route through several units, including but not limited to HR, EEO, Compensation, and the Executive Officer or designee 

• HR Business Partner receives a notification in Workday at the last step of the approval. If the intake meeting between the Search Chair and HR has not occurred yet, a meeting should be scheduled before proceeding.   

• HR Business Partner will notify the Search Chair, Hiring Manager, and the Admin Assistant via email when the position has been approved and posted to the GVSU Careers Site. 

• This will then populate job requisition details in the Workday recruiting dashboard for Search Chair, Search Assistant, search members, and Administrative Assistant.  

Note: 

• If this is the first time you are on a search committee, you will not be able to add the recruiting dashboard to your Workday menu, until the job requisition is fully approved.  
   

Process Purpose: Advertise the open position to potential candidates. 

• Required Information: Position announcement information and desired advertising sources. 
• Recommended Timeline to Complete this Step: 2 business days. 

Process: 

Now that the position is posted to the GVSU Careers Site, departments can advertise to desired sources.  

• The Human Resources Office will automatically post the position to the sites below.  Job postings on these sites are “scraped” every 24 hours and are updated accordingly.   
• Hello West Michigan 
• Diverse Issues in Higher Education  
• Chronicle of Higher Education 
• HigherEdJobs 
• abilityJOBS 
• Glassdoor 
• Indeed  
• Veteran job sites  

If you’re looking to post a job to sites not included in our current unlimited posting packages, you can work with Job Elephant for additional advertising options. Job Elephant can post to most job boards and organizations, except for listservs. To explore options, reach out to Stefan Anderson at [email protected] , providing the job posting details and the billing contact for your department. 

Note: 

• Advertising on other sites will be the responsibility of the department.  
• For potentially harder-to-fill positions, please consult with the Talent Acquisition Specialists for additional support in sourcing.  

Purpose of this Step

Interested candidates must submit their applications and all supporting materials through the GVSU Careers Site. Prior to review by the Search Committee, applications will be vetted by the HR Business Partner and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer. This vetting process ensures that only qualified candidates—those who meet the minimum required qualifications—are considered.

Required Application Materials typically include: Resume or CV; Cover letter; List of professional references

Additional materials, such as a teaching or research philosophy (for faculty roles) or other job-specific documents, may also be required. Candidates may upload up to five documents, with a total file size limit of 5MB.

Important: Ensure that all requested materials are clearly outlined in the job posting to align expectations and application requirements.

Recommended Posting Timeline

• Positions must be posted for a minimum of 7 business days, unless an expedited search has been formally approved.
• Most searches are open for 2–4 weeks or designated as “open until filled.”
• To initiate an expedited search, a formal request must be approved by the Appointing Officer, HR, and AAEEO before advancing to Step 3 of the hiring process.

Application Review Process

Initial Vetting by HR and EEO Office

• Applications will be reviewed by HR EEO Office following the first review date. Only candidates meeting the minimum qualifications will be released to the Search Committee.

Notification to Begin Review

• Once vetting is complete, the Search Chair should notify the Search Committee that candidate review may begin in Workday. Early communication helps maximize review time and ensures all materials receive thorough consideration.
• Committee Coordination
• After the HR intake meeting or during this step, the Search Chair or Search Chair Assistant should coordinate calendars for upcoming review sessions, interviews, and meetings to ensure full participation and availability.

Candidate Inquiries

• The Search Chair or Search Assistant should respond to candidate questions about the position. For technical issues related to the application system, candidates should be referred to the HR Business Partner.

Additional Notes

• Because HR and EEO have already vetted candidates at the outset, no additional approval is needed for first- or second-round interviews by these offices.
• Search Chairs should confirm with the Dean or Appointing Officer what internal approvals (if any) are required prior to interviews.
• Applications from candidates who were deemed inactive or declined by HR can be reviewed by the Search Chair. If there is concern that a candidate was incorrectly disqualified, contact your HR Business Partner for clarification.

Process Purpose:/Determine which of the qualified applicants the Search Committee and interview panel will interview. 

Required Information:/Job description, selection criteria, and candidate application/support materials.  

Recommended Timeline to Complete this Step:/Within 1 week of the “first review” date.  

Process: 

• The process for reviewing candidates suitable for interview is determined by the Search Committee. This can be more subjective (providing both those selected and rejected are aligned with the position description) or more objective by creating an Excel spreadsheet and ranking the candidates against criteria. Consistency is key here and having an appropriate rationale for those accepted and rejected is important. Your Inclusion Advocate will play a key role here.  

• At this stage, candidates will be pooled per the order you wish to engage with them, and others declined. 

• Before reaching out to candidates, ensure the Search Chair gains approval from the Dean/Appointing Officer before inviting candidates for a zoom or in person interview (this step may vary based on your department and AO’s discretion).  All candidates you have some interest in meeting (even if they aren’t your top candidates) should be placed into the applicable status.  

• Statuses include: 

• ‘Short List’ can be used for Pool B candidates 

• ‘Interview’ can be used for both zoom and in person interviews 

• ‘Additional Interview’ can be used for in person interviews 
   

• Candidates not being considered for an interview can be contacted immediately by changing their status in the Workday system to “decline”, which will send out an automated rejection message. If you decline a candidate, it will ask you to assign the most accurate “non-selection reason”.  

• Treatment of internal candidates should also be considered carefully at this stage.   

• If someone is moved to any status other than “initial review” or “short list”, when declined, they will not get a non-selection email, and the Search Chair or designee will need to call or send a personalized email to the candidate to notify them.  

• All outreach to candidates should be consistently coordinated by Search Chair or a designee.  

Note:  

• Please note for PSS Hourly, only HR can disposition internal candidates.  This was built in to ensure there are no missteps in following the union contract.   

Related Workday Help Articles: 

• Initial Review of Candidates 

Process Purpose: Search committee screens candidates and determines who should be invited to campus for an in-person interview.  The Search Committee is responsible for reviewing "Pool A" candidates or  (those deemed qualified) and determining who should advance to in-person interviews.

Required Materials: To conduct a consistent and equitable review, the following items must be prepared and used during interviews:

• Official job description
• Standardized interview questions
• Scoring or evaluation criteria
• Candidate resume(s)

Recommended Timeline

This step should be completed within 1 week after the Search Committee meets to review candidate applications.

Interview Process Guidelines

First-Round Interviews via Zoom

• When appropriate, first-round interviews may be conducted virtually (e.g., via Zoom) to save time and reduce costs. If this approach is chosen, all candidates must be interviewed using the same format to ensure fairness and consistency.

Best Practices for Zoom Interviews

• Limit interviews to 30 minutes.
• When scheduling, send the official job description to the candidate.
• At the beginning of the interview, briefly review the position summary, work location, schedule, and compensation as listed in the job posting.
• Ask 5–8 structured questions, allowing time for candidate questions. Follow-up questions for clarity are permitted.
• Submit interview questions to your HR Business Partner for approval prior to the interview. HR will follow up if revisions are needed.
• Optional but encouraged: Share interview questions with candidates in advance. This practice has been positively received in previous searches.
• Conclude each interview by clearly outlining next steps and expected timelines.

Related Workday Help Articles: 

• Candidate Self Schedule 
• Interview: Enter Interview Dates and Feedback 
• GVSU PowerPoint Interview Guide for Candidates 

Purpose: To conduct in-person interviews with selected candidates and evaluate their fit for the position. This stage also serves as an opportunity to showcase GVSU and the department to potential hires.

Required Materials

• Official job description
• Approved interview questions
• Candidate resume
• Finalized visit schedule

Recommended Timeline

• On-campus interviews should take place within 1–2 weeks following the first-round interviews, depending on candidate availability and scheduling needs.

Process Overview

Interview Coordination: The Search Chair or Search Assistant should work with the department’s Administrative Assistant to plan the interview itinerary and coordinate calendars.

Candidate Approval: Ensure that the Dean/Appointing Officer has approved all candidates selected for on-campus interviews. This approval process may vary by department.

Interview Format

• While formats will vary by position, ensure a consistent experience for all candidates, including internal applicants. Typical interview activities may include:
• If a standardized interview experience cannot be provided, consult your HR Business Partner.
• A meeting with the Search Committee (structured interview)
• Meetings with the Unit Head/Hiring Manager and/or Dean/Appointing Officer
• A panel interview with departmental colleagues
• A department or campus tour

Best Practices

Accessibility & Accommodations

• Confirm in advance whether candidates require accommodations (e.g., space for nursing mothers, prayer/reflection time, or personal breaks).

Candidate Communication

• Provide a detailed "Plan of the Day" in advance, including:
• Interview schedule and format
• Presentation expectations (if applicable)
• Names and roles of individuals they will meet
• Campus map, parking permits, directions, and travel/hotel information (for out-of-town candidates)

Internal Coordination

• Share the visit schedule with internal stakeholders, including:
• Students or colleagues participating in the interview
• Escorts between appointments
• Front desk or reception staff

Interview Consistency

All candidates must:

• Follow the same visit structure (order may vary)
• Be asked the same core interview questions (HR-approved)
• Have equal opportunity to engage with key stakeholders

Candidate Experience

• Consider a small welcome gift and provide materials about GVSU, Grand Rapids, and relocation resources. GVSU offers relocation support upon request.

Search Committee Interview

• Schedule a dedicated meeting between the candidate and the Search Committee, using approved questions. Allow for follow-ups to clarify responses.

Closing the Interview

• Conclude by outlining next steps and the anticipated timeline for the decision-making process.

Transcripts (Optional)

• You may request that candidates send official transcripts at this stage or defer until the offer process begins.

Additional Notes

• This is both a selection and recruitment opportunity—ensure GVSU and the department leave a strong impression.
• Reference checks are optional before the campus visit but must be completed prior to extending an offer. If conducted early, note that Workday will still prompt for reference information at the offer stage.

Related Workday Help Articles: 

• Candidate Self Schedule 
• Interview: Enter Interview Dates and Feedback 
• Candidate Campus Visit Checklist 
• Initiate and Submit Reference Checks 

Process Purpose:/To select the best candidate based on feedback received via the interview process and submitted application materials.   

Required Information: Job description, selection criteria, interview notes, student/presentation feedback (if applicable), input from Unit Head/Hiring Manager and others who may have interacted with the candidate.   

Recommended Timeline to Complete this Step: 1-3 business days after final interview. 

Process: 

• Search Chair collects feedback and rubrics from the Interview Panel. The Search Chair and Search Committee meet to discuss the feedback collected and identify finalists.  

• Search Chair or Administrative Assistant moves identified finalists to reference check status in Workday. This will send candidates an email asking them to provide contract information for references.  If they provided this with their application or throughout the interview process, please let the candidate know to disregard the email as it is a required Workday step, before being able to move them to offer.   

• Search Chair updates all non-selected candidate statuses in Workday (identifying the appropriate non-selection reason).  

• Search Chair has conversation outside of Workday with their Dean/Appointing Officer seeking approval for the selected candidate. If the Search Chair is not the Hiring Manager, the Hiring Manager should be included in this discussion and support the hiring decision. 

• When approval from the Dean/Appointing Officer is obtained, the Hiring Manager should send offer details to the Administrative Assistant so offer approvals can route within Workday.   

Note:  

• Reference checks can be completed for only your final candidate or for multiple if the committee is having a hard time deciding between two or more candidates.  

• If you are unsuccessful in finding a candidate from “pool A”, the Search Committee needs to determine if the next pool of candidates is to be explored. The committee can use the “short list” created at the beginning of the process (when completing initial review) so this step is already done at the beginning and thus can be re-examined without any delays. If there is no “pool B” or the pool originally identified is no longer suitable, the Search Chair and/or Administrative Assistant should reach out to the HR Business Partner to discuss next steps, with reposting the job (step 3) being the usual action taken.  

Related Workday Help Articles: 

• Move Candidate to Offer Stage 

Process Purpose: Obtain approval to make verbal offer to the final candidate in Workday. 

Required Information: Candidate application materials (including reference checks) and offer approval details. 

Recommended Timeline to Complete this Step: 1-2 business days. 

Process: 

• Search Chair, Search Assistant, or the Administrative Assistant moves the final candidate to “Offer” in Workday.  

• For AP & Faculty, this is typically done by the Administrative Assistant so they can ensure the Dean/Appointing Officer is aware and in support.  

• For PSS Hourly, this is typically done by the HR Business Partner who will complete the Workday approvals and extension of the verbal offer to the candidate. 

• For Faculty: Faculty Qualifications Assurance Form (FQA) signed by Unit Head and Dean, with transcripts are required. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at this time of the process. These will be submitted with the offer so that the Office of the Provost can conduct a review of the final candidate after the HR approval.  

• For PSS Hourly offers, HR Business Partner will initiate and complete offer approval in Workday.  

Related Workday Help Articles: 

• Offer Approval 

Process Purpose: Appropriate party makes verbal offer to the selected candidate. 

Required Information:/ Candidate application materials, approval and offer materials in Workday, and benefit information. 

Recommended Timeline to Complete this Step:/1 -2 business days. 

Process: 

For AP & Faculty, Workday will notify the Administrative Assistant of offer approval by having the appointment letter task generated in their inbox.  At this point, the Administrative Assistant will let the Dean/Appointing Officer, or their designee know that a verbal offer can be made.  

• The policy is that the Dean/Appointing Officer or designee will make verbal offers for AP & Faculty.  If conducted by the designee and negotiations arise, designee should consult with the Dean/Appointing Officer regarding next steps.  

• Negotiations can include salary, rank, flexible work arrangements (if appropriate) relocation expenses etc. 

For PSS Hourly Positions: HR Business Partner will make the verbal offer and notify via email, the Dean/Appointing Officer, Search Chair, Hiring Manager, and the Administrative Assistant with the candidate’s response.  

Process Purpose: Candidate accepts the offer to fill the open position. 

Required Information: Candidate application materials (including reference checks) and offer details.   

Recommended Timeline to Complete this Step:/Dependent upon how much time is given by the Dean/Appointing Officer before the candidate accepts verbal offer. 

Process: 

AP/Faculty Positions: Administrative Assistant will create the appointment letter with appliable details and send that to the candidate via Workday to their Candidate Portal (where they applied for the job). 

PSS Hourly Positions: HR Business Partner will create the appointment letter and send that to the candidate via Workday to their Candidate Portal (where they applied for the job). 

• Candidate accepts the position and a confirmation email from HR for PSS Hourly position or the Administrative Assistant for AP & Faculty, is sent to Dean/Appointing Officer, Hiring Manager, and Search Chair.  

• HR Business Partner runs required background check(s) on candidate. If the candidate successfully clears the background check stage, they will push them forward in Workday so that final hiring process can be completed within HR.  

• When hiring is complete, the job requisition title will have a “fill date” added, the employee will be searchable by appropriate parties in Workday, and their credentials will be sent to the department (generates 30 days prior to the start date).  

• The Hiring Manager should contact the new hire to discuss the first day's details and answer any questions they may have.  

Related Workday Help Articles: 

• Creating Appointment Letter/Employment Contract 

For questions and further assistance, please contact your HR Business Partner.