Critical Needs Hiring Program (CNHP)

Introduction

A faculty with a requisite array of skills, knowledge, and expertise to meet the core competencies of the positions and specific disciplinary needs of the unit is inherent to the overall excellence of our university and ability for 黑料社区网 to create a student-centered campus culture that enables the belonging and success of everyone in our community.聽Faculty play the primary role in scholarly and creative work and teaching, doing outreach, and improving the academic reputation of the university.

Aligning our resources toward these values is vital to meeting the university鈥檚 mission. The Provost鈥檚 Office, in collaboration with the schools and colleges and the Office of Faculty Affairs (OFA), encourage recruiting and hiring faculty who bring the skills, knowledge, and expertise to meet critical needs (CN) of the unit in research and teaching across campus.

This webpage is intended to provide guidance to the deans and units about how to implement the critical needs hiring program (CNHP).

For further hiring guidance, please review聽黑料社区网's Best Practices for the Recruiting and Hiring Process website.

Process Requirements

The Provost's Office will provide funding for approved CNHP hires within the schools and colleges. Deans may determine how best to meet unit critical needs hiring objectives, so long as in alignment with definition of critical needs (see below) and university requirements. Searches will be conducted in accordance with the primary unit process and follow all applicable policies, including nondiscrimination policies, and applicable civil rights laws.

More specifically, CNHP hiring activities must comply with聽聽providing that, 鈥淭he University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, or political philosophy in admission and access to, and treatment and employment in, its educational programs and activities.鈥

聽establishes associated rights of faculty academic freedom providing, 鈥淸t]he best method for advancing the state of knowledge is engaging with the broadest range of theories, methodologies, data, and conflicting opinions.鈥 This and other related concepts are incorporated within the Academic Affairs聽website devoted to academic freedom.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Faculty members who meet 鈥淐ritical Needs鈥 are those who demonstrate skills, knowledge, and expertise that are core competencies for the position being hired but are not (or are less) represented within the unit doing the hiring or are in areas in which demand by students exceeds supply within the unit. Without a broad array of skills, knowledge, and expertise, the university may be hindered in meeting its academic or social missions.聽

The process must focus on an applicant鈥檚聽demonstrated skills, knowledge, and behaviors necessary for the position, not beliefs or identities. For example, the hiring process can consider an applicant鈥檚:

  • Prior experience in teaching, research and scholarship, and/or service work related to the unit鈥檚 discipline or sub-disciplines that is not currently, or is less, represented within the unit;
  • Demonstrated knowledge, such as pedagogical approach, that are core competencies to the position being hired;
  • Track record, such as experience in the field, including service and committee work, research and scholarship, that required of the position being filled;
  • Plans for their future work that are related to the core competencies of the position being hired; and
  • Demonstrated ability to weave core competencies of the position throughout their teaching and scholarly work.

Further, the units may engage in outreach efforts to attract applicants with such demonstrated behaviors, skills, and expertise.

Schools and colleges, according to standard faculty hiring processes. In compliance with university nondiscrimination policy and the law, whether a hiring committee is making a hiring decision or referring a candidate to a hiring authority, the committee is prohibited from taking into account factors such as race, color, national origin/ancestry, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, political philosophy, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, and other protected characteristics. The hiring recommendation must focus on a candidate鈥檚 knowledge, skills, and abilities as they relate to the criteria stated in the position core competencies.聽

The senior vice provost for faculty affairs is available to answer questions about the CNHP on behalf of the provost.

All members of search committees and all evaluators must take the聽Conducting Faculty Searches Course. All faculty hiring committee members shall follow聽黑料社区网's Best Practices for the Recruiting and Hiring Process and guidebooks found on聽黑料社区网鈥檚 Human Resources Search & Hiring website. Hiring committees shall seek advice from the聽HR Compliance and Policy Program Manager聽regarding the search and hiring process, job posting language, and the聽search waiver process, if appropriate.

Both the chancellor and the provost remain firmly committed to the integrity of the university鈥檚 academic mission, and to nondiscrimination and the full exercise of academic freedom as the anchor of that mission and the source of that integrity. Both remain steadfast in their commitment to the university鈥檚 academic mission of serving聽all聽of Colorado鈥檚 many diverse communities and constituents.