The most important consideration in faculty hiring is academic excellence.  The University of Iowa (UI) strategic plan’s focus on student and faculty success can best be achieved by attracting faculty who are top experts in their fields, who are able to convey their expertise to students, and who bring perspectives that challenge students to think independently about their world.

The Path to Distinction: Best Practices Guidance for Faculty Search Committees is provided by the University of Iowa Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and has been adapted from numerous faculty search publications. It is intended to serve as a referenced resource for faculty search committees to discuss faculty recruitment strategies in advance of and during a search. It is designed to provide best-practice strategies that support the university’s commitment to enhancing excellence by attracting faculty who will excel at research, teaching and clinical care and who will contribute to a vibrant community of learners. The companion document, Path to Distinction Toolkit, contains worksheets and guidance documents for faculty search committees to utilize during the various aspects of the faculty recruitment process. These resources used in concert with search committee training, supports committee discussion regarding the process.

Faculty search committee members are also encouraged to review the Office of Civil Rights Compliance (OCRC) Recruitment Manual in advance of beginning a search to become familiar with the UI’s search process, and equal employment opportunity/affirmative action (EEO/AA) guidelines along with best practices. Relevant university policies can also be found in OCRC’s online Recruitment Manual. OCRC staff are available to provide consultations and resources to the hiring departments on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)/Affirmative Action (AA) requirements.

The Office of the Provost invites units to share their successful strategies to continue to build best practices in the search process.