Berkeley Academic Personnel Guidelines
Targeted Searches for Faculty and Other Academic Appointments

Background

Academic personnel policy requires a full search for most regularly authorized academic appointments.  Conducting full and open searches is important to obtaining the highest quality academic appointments and ensuring equal opportunity in academic hiring.  On occasion, however, a potential candidate presents a unique and exceptional hiring opportunity.  These candidates may be identified based on factors such as the need for significant senior leadership, exceptional achievements, or unique qualifications.  In such cases, approvals for a “targeted search” may be granted if the case is supported by a compelling justification and written documentation that the proposed hire meets the requirements set forth in these guidelines. 

Requirements

For all academic appointments, a request for a “targeted search” will be considered only if the qualifications of the candidate are demonstrably at the level that meets the Berkeley standard of excellence and it is clear that the candidate would be on the short list of top candidates if a full search for the position were conducted.  A “targeted search” will be approved only if it meets the requirements below for ladder rank faculty and other academic appointments respectively.

Ladder Rank Faculty

Approval for a targeted search for a ladder rank faculty appointment will be granted only in rare circumstances.  Requests for targeted searches will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must meet one or more of the following requirements:

1. The recruitment has an urgency that does not allow a full search process to be conducted.  For example, the candidate can provide significant, senior leadership for an area in an academic unit in which there is an immediate need, the candidate has exceptional achievements and unique qualifications, or is highly sought after by peer institutions.
2. The candidate will make a significant contribution to diversity and equal opportunity through research, teaching or service.  For example, the candidate is a current or former Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow or President’s Postdoctoral Fellow.  ( See amendments to APM 210 July 2005:  http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/senate/committees/ucaad/apm210.pdf)
3. The candidate is the partner or spouse of a ladder rank faculty member or senior management group appointee.
4. An authorized search identifies two equally outstanding candidates; authorization to hire both candidates can be obtained via an off-cycle request for an additional FTE, which would not require a new search to be conducted for the second candidate.

Academic Appointments Other than Ladder Rank Faculty

For all academic appointments other than ladder rank faculty anticipated to be more than 50% for more than one year in duration, approval for a targeted search will be granted if the proposed hire meets any of the criteria outlined above for ladder rank faculty or if it is supported by one or more of the following additional justifications:

• Candidate generates extramural funds designed specifically for the candidate.
• Candidate is a postdoctoral scholar whose eligibility in that title has expired and is eligible to transition to a non-training appointment to complete the current project.
• Candidate is currently employed at Berkeley and a new position is being created to reflect expanded duties.
• Candidate is currently 50% time or less and there is a need to increase the percentage of time above 50%.
• Candidate is moving from another institution to remain with a recently hired faculty member.

If there is intent to request Exceptional Principal Investigator status for the academic appointee, even if the duration of the initial appointment is for less than 50% time or less than one year, approval for a targeted search must be obtained at the time of the initial appointment.

Procedure

Requests for approval of targeted searches should be submitted through the Academic Personnel Office to the Office of the Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Equity. For affirmative action reporting purposes please provide the ethnicity and gender of the candidate. If the candidate is not a US citizen, the department should consult with the Berkeley International Office. 

The Associate Vice Provost will evaluate the request taking into consideration the rationale for the request, the criteria outlined above, and the department’s record with regard to equal opportunity hiring and open search practices. 

The final decision to approve the request for a targeted search will be made by the Associate Vice Provost.  After the targeted search is approved, the case must be forwarded through the appropriate academic personnel review process. 

Questions on targeted search procedures should be directed to the Office for Faculty Equity, 642-1935 or admin.ofe@berkeley.edu.