B. Appointment to Briggs-Copeland Lecturer

Step

Explanation

1

The department chair writes to the divisional dean requesting authorization for a search

The letter should discuss the curricular need for the appointment.

2

The divisional dean reviews the request

The divisional dean reviews individual requests in light of divisional priorities and resources (including space). If the search is authorized, the divisional dean will provide a written response to the department, setting out the conditions of the search.

3

The department advertises the position and makes inquiries at other institutions

• All advertising copy must be reviewed and approved by the assistant dean for the division before it is submitted to the appropriate journals and other venues. Advertisements and inquiries should describe the position broadly and should list a date after which the department will stop accepting applications, or the department can encourage candidates to apply by a specific date, while indicating that applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. At least one form of the advertisement should be published in print. Advertisements should clearly state required documents and must indicate that Harvard is “an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, military service, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or other protected status.”
• The dossier for the finalist must include a teaching/advising statement that describes the candidate’s philosophy and practices related to undergraduate teaching and advising and teaching materials (e.g., any teaching awards, representative course syllabi, and teaching evaluations). The advertisement should ask all candidates to submit with their original application materials a teaching/advising statement. The department may request the other teaching materials later in the process.
• The dossier for the finalist must also include 3-5 letters of recommendation. The advertisement may ask candidates to submit contact information for references with their original application materials. The advertisement should also ask candidates to include in their cover letter comments on any efforts to encourage diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Harvard is required to solicit and record, when available, each applicant’s gender and racial/ethnic information, which is accomplished through the ARIeS system. Applicants are not required to provide demographic information.

4

The department follows its standard procedures to review candidate(s)

It is expected that all candidates under serious consideration will have the opportunity of a campus visit in order to meet with members of the department in addition to the members of the search committee.

5

The case statement is finalized by the department chair

The finalized case statement, prepared and signed by the department chair and the chair of the search committee, should include the following:

• A description of the search, including procedures for establishing a list of candidates, steps taken to identify candidates from diverse populations, including women and minorities (e.g., copies of advertisements and letters expressing interest in such candidates), total number of applicants, and a description of the review procedures used in the department. Please address the demographics of the pool as displayed in the Departmental EEO Report available in ARIeS. This report displays aggregate demographic data from the search.
• A description of the finalist’s teaching/advising qualifications, including any contributions related to diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
• A comparison of the candidate with all other leading candidates (in particular, women and minorities), and reasons why the other leading candidates were not chosen.
• Describe the teaching needs that the appointment would address.
• A summary of the department's discussions of the case.

Note: The finalized case statement should be made available to the faculty in the department involved in the review.

6

The candidate’s dossier is prepared by the department and sent to the assistant dean for the division with a copy to the assistant dean for faculty development

Note: The department should secure from applicants at the short-list stage (or from the finalist, if the department’s process does not include a short-list stage) a draft course title, course description, and syllabus for the course(s) that the candidate(s) intend to teach during their first semester, for approval. This information will be included in the finalist’s dossier. (Obtaining this information is not necessary for candidates who would be teaching established courses such as certain language or mathematics courses, etc.)

• Please securely send one electronic copy of the dossier to the assistant dean for the division and the assistant dean for faculty development. Please follow HUIT’s recommended practices for secure document transfer (e.g., Accellion Kiteworks, encryption, etc.), which can vary by user platform. For a full list of what the dossier should include, please see below.

Note:  The divisional dean/SEAS Dean and/or their designee and the Dean for Faculty Affairs and Planning can ask for changes to the dossier at any time.

7

After approval by the divisional dean, the department issues the offer letter to the candidate

Once approval for the appointment has been granted, the department should ask the individual during the hiring process to confirm the department’s understanding of what the course title, description, and syllabus are. 

• The Office for Faculty Development drafts the offer letter to the candidate in consultation with the department chair.
• Any revisions to the initial offer must be made in writing, in consultation with the Office for Faculty Development. An electronic PDF signed copy of the revised offer letter must be securely sent to the assistant dean for the division and the assistant dean for faculty development. Please follow HUIT’s recommended practices for secure document transfer (e.g., Accellion Kiteworks, encryption, etc.), which can vary by user platform.
• The candidate’s acceptance of an offer of appointment is made in writing to the department chair.

8

If the offer is accepted, the appointment is processed in the Aurora system by the department

• The department sends 1 electronic PDF copy of the dossier and signed offer letter to the Appointments Office in the Office for Faculty Affairs via Aurora. Note: This copy is in addition to that submitted to the assistant deans in Step 6.
• The department delivers the original I-9 form and any necessary payroll documents to Central Payroll.
• The department administrator will remind the faculty member to sign electronically the Harvard University Participation Agreement by the start of their appointment.