[Moderate revision–posted 4/2/25 (replaces 8/15/24 edition)]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 70.03: Staff Recruitment

DATE: April 2, 2025

PURPOSE: The purpose of this Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) is to ensure complete communication, retention of necessary records, recruitment and selection of well-qualified employees; provide proper controls on staffing; and ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws and Texas Tech University’s operating policies and procedures.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed every two years after publication by the Senior Associate Vice President for Human Resources with substantive revisions forwarded to the Vice President for Administration and Chief of Staff for the President.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

Texas Tech University (TTU) is committed to teaching and the advancement of knowledge. It is the mission of the university to provide the highest standards of excellence in higher education, to foster intellectual and personal development, and to stimulate meaningful research. To realize these goals, it is the policy of TTU to identify, recruit, and employ a highly qualified workforce.

This policy is designed to standardize and reinforce staff recruitment processes in order to employ an outstanding workforce. To accomplish this, TTU will conduct thorough searches including active recruitment of well-qualified individuals, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

Texas Tech University will not discriminate in employment actions against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, class, or characteristic in keeping with state and federal laws and the Regents’ Rules for Texas Tech University.

All new hires and departmental transfers should be hired in compliance with the guidelines outlined by this policy. Adherence to these guidelines will ensure Texas Tech University's recruitment procedures are being applied uniformly while keeping the university in compliance with federal and state laws, rules, requirements, and regulations.

1.  Definitions

a.    Applications for Employment – Applications submitted to open positions through the university's online applicant tracking system will be considered for employment.

b.    Applicant – Any job seeker who expresses interest by submitting an application and who meets the required qualifications of the position as determined by the hiring department and/or university.

c.    Hiring Manager – Departmental manager and/or other designated employee with the authority to make hiring decisions or facilitate the hiring process for the department.

d.    Employment of Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities – As a federal contractor, the university takes action to employ and advance in employment qualified protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, as required by 41 CFR Part 60-300, which sets forth the standards for compliance with the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended (VEVRAA), and 41 CFR Part 60-741, which sets forth the standards for compliance with section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

2.  Recruiting

Texas Government Code requires staff position vacancies to be posted on the official Texas Tech employment website for a minimum of ten business days.

a.    To recruit for a vacant position, the department should use an updated position description to create a job requisition within the applicant tracking system and then electronically route the job requisition through administrative channels for approval.

b.    All position vacancies posted for recruitment on the Texas Tech employment website will automatically be listed with the Texas Workforce Commission website, www.workintexas.com, www.vets.gov, Veterans in Higher Education, and Disabled in Higher Education by Human Resources.

c.    Any exception to the posting requirement will be considered in accordance with the following:

(1)    Texas Tech University System Regulation 07.08 outlines special consideration when reemployment will be given to employees separated due to a reduction in force. If the employee is qualified for a vacancy, the hiring department with the vacant position may consider an employee without recruiting for the position and/or interviewing other applicants. The employee must have been separated under the reduction in force policy within the preceding six months to utilize these re-hiring procedures. An administrator who is considering hiring an employee who has been separated because of a reduction in force within the preceding six months must notify and receive approval from Human Resources prior to any employment action.

(2)    Texas Government Code 657 allows state agencies to hire or appoint for an open position any individual who is entitled to the veteran and military employment preference without announcing or advertising the position if it is determined the individual meets the qualifications required for the position. Human Resources has a veteran’s liaison to assist with the process. Please email questions to hrs.recruiting@ttu.edu.

(3)    The appropriate senior vice president/vice president, the Provost, the President, or the Chancellor may approve an exception to the posting policy if the qualifications for a position are so specialized that posting is unwarranted.

(4)    Temporary positions listed below are not required to be posted:

• Outside Sales
• Temporary Game Worker
• Temporary Worker
• Event Worker
• Any position requiring student status as a condition of employment
• Directly appointed RTW retirees

d.    Hiring departments should follow the university recruitment policy even when a third-party search firm is used to recruit individuals for open positions. The hiring manager or search committee chair should coordinate the process with Talent Acquisition. The department is expected to coordinate recruiting efforts with the search firm and ensure all applicants apply for the appropriate position. All individuals being considered for an open position should be listed in the university’s applicant tracking system prior to any interviews taking place.

3.  Advertising

External advertising is encouraged for all open positions. The hiring department must request external advertising, and it must be coordinated through Human Resources. This includes, but is not limited to, advertising on websites, targeted recruitment sites, newspapers, professional organizations and associations, trade journals, and other miscellaneous publications or online venues. The hiring department is responsible for the external advertising cost.

Advertising guidelines are as follows:

a.    The hiring manager/departmental contact completes and submits the External Ad Request Form located on the Human Resources website.

b.    Human Resources obtains advertisement quote(s) and submits the information back to the hiring manager/departmental contact. After approval has been received, Human Resources will place the advertisement(s) in the selected source(s).

c.    Due to publication deadlines, advertising requests should be submitted to allow time for advertisement development, obtaining quotes, hiring manager approval, processing, and submission of the advertisement.

d.    Texas Tech University will participate in local job fairs to assist in recruiting qualified applicants.

4.  Screening

Only those individuals who have expressed interest in a position(s) posted on the employment website by submitting an application(s) and required documents online may be considered for open positions. Individuals who need accommodations or have difficulty using the university’s website to apply for employment may contact Human Resources at 806.742.3851 for assistance.

a.    During the screening process, the hiring manager must carefully review departmental procedures to ensure all applicants receive fair consideration. All potential applicants should have an active application within the university's online applicant tracking system submitted to the specific job posting to be considered.

b.    The hiring manager/departmental contact should construct a hiring matrix or use a similar tool to compare each applicant’s qualifications to the required and posted preferred qualifications. The hiring manager determines the criteria, weighting, and other knowledge, skills, and abilities specific to the vacant position. Each applicant should be reviewed on the criteria listed on the hiring matrix. All criteria being evaluated must be job related, quantifiable, and must correlate to the advertised job posting. The hiring matrix provides the department the ability to qualitatively compare and evaluate applicants consistently and fairly.

c.    During the applicant review process, each application should be moved/transitioned to the appropriate HR status within the applicant tracking system. The HR status should reflect where the applicant is in the review process; i.e., Manager Review, Interview Complete, Applicant Withdrew, etc. For complete details on this process, please review the user guides for the applicant tracking system provided on the Human Resources website.

d.   Current employees of Texas Tech University may apply online and be considered for vacant positions if they meet the following requirements:

• Meet the minimum qualifications for the job;
• Have been employed in their current position for a minimum period of six consecutive months (employees may apply for a promotion, demotion, or lateral job change prior to completing six months of employment in their current position, provided they have the approval of their administrator); and
• Have a satisfactory record of performance.

5.  Interviewing

a.    Hiring managers should interview qualified applicants utilizing well-constructed interview questions. Interviews should consist of job-related, quantifiable questions based on the essential functions detailed in the position description and job posting. All applicants interviewed should be asked the same core questions. Open-ended situational questions may be utilized during the interview to determine how an applicant may respond in different situations.

b.    Hiring managers should arrange for interviews with applicants. It is not acceptable to make a selection for hire after interviewing only one applicant. Taking the number of applicants into consideration, the hiring manager should interview three to five applicants for each position. Hiring managers should review the applicant pool for applicants who have a candidate type indicating a preference (former foster youth or veteran and military employment). During the 84th legislative session, Texas Government Code 657 was amended requiring state agencies to interview applicants who have the veteran and military employment preference. State entities are required to interview at least one individual meeting the veteran and military employment preference if six or fewer interviews are conducted; if more than six interviews are conducted, 20 percent of the interviews must be with individuals having veteran and military employment preference. If there are no veteran and military employment preference individuals in the pool, this requirement does not apply.

c.    Within the applicant tracking system, hiring managers should add an interview feedback form for all interviewed applicants and update the HR status to Interview Complete. All interviews should be documented in the applicant tracking system.

6.  Selecting and Offering Employment

The hiring manager is responsible for selecting a qualified applicant. The hiring manager should take the appropriate steps to have the hiring matrix and applicant pool reviewed by Human Resources. In order for Human Resources to review the pool, the following steps should be taken:

a.    The hiring manager should attach the hiring matrix and interview questions to the job requisition and complete the staff selection summary form.

b.    The staff selection summary form should be routed to Human Resources. Human Resources will review the hiring matrix, interview questions, and staff selection summary form. Once the staff selection summary form has been approved, the department may proceed with the offer process. Human Resources will respond to the request for review within three business days of the receipt of the request.

c.    Once the applicant pool has been reviewed and before extending an offer, the hiring manager should check references by verifying the information supplied during the application process and any additional information provided during the interview. Hiring managers should also verify the following information on the applicant(s):

(1)    Verify employment history and professional references from the application and/or resume. Forms to document the information are available in the applicant tracking system. Two documented references should be added to the candidate file prior to making the offer of employment.

(2)    If the applicant is a current or former employee of Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University System, or Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, hiring managers should contact Human Resources to review the applicant's performance evaluations and prior work history before extending an offer of employment. Email hrs.recruiting@ttu.edu to schedule a time.

(3)    Obtain copies of official transcripts if the completion of a degree is a required qualification or selection factor. Verification procedures should be followed if education is a trade-off for experience.

(4)    Obtain copies of professional certifications and/or affiliations if this is a required qualification or selection factor.

(5)    Following departmental procedures for hiring approval from the appropriate vice president, dean, or department head, offers of employment must be confirmed in writing. Offer letters serve the purpose of confirming a new employee's start date, beginning monthly salary or hourly rate, and beginning job title.

(6)    Offer letters do not constitute a contractual agreement regarding employment, expressed or implied. No contracts for employment are authorized, nor will such contracts be binding upon the university unless the President, the Chancellor, and the Board of Regents give prior written approval.

(7)    Exceptions to this policy must have the appropriate written justification and approval prior to the extension of any offers of employment, whether verbal or in writing.

7.  Employment Contingencies

a.    Pursuant to the provisions of OP 70.20, Conducting Criminal Background Checks for Employment Purposes, applicants for positions designated security sensitive may be subject to a background check and may be subject to post-offer, pre-employment drug and alcohol testing. Employment with the university is contingent upon the receipt, review, and acceptability of the background information.

b.    Employees required to operate university-owned vehicles must hold, at their own expense, an appropriate valid driver’s license for the type of vehicle operated and must be insurable on the university automobile liability insurance policy. Failure to maintain a valid driver’s license and/or safe driving record for insurability purposes may be cause for removal from the position and/or corrective action, up to and including termination.

c.    Employment is conditional upon satisfaction of the requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA). All new employees must complete and sign a Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification and provide appropriate documentation. The employee section of the Form I-9 must be completed on or before the employee's first day of work for pay, and the employee's eligibility to work in the United States must be verified by the hiring manager on or before the employee's third business day of employment. Continued employment of nonimmigrant employees will require periodic re-verification of employment eligibility. Nonimmigrant employees who fail to maintain valid status and employment authorization will be placed on leave without pay (LWOP) until valid status can be regained and employment authorization verified. Termination may occur if employment authorization and valid status are unable to be verified.

d.    Prior to being hired by the university, all males between the ages of 18 and 25 must provide proof of having registered for or been exempted from registration with the Selective Service System. Acceptable “proof of registration or exemption” is a copy of the registration acknowledgment card that is mailed to the individual after they have submitted a completed Selective Service System Registration Form or a copy of the online verification screen from the Selective Service System's web page at www.sss.gov. A copy of the proof of registration must be attached to the initial appointment ePAF.

8.  Completing the Process

a.    Once a candidate has been hired, the hiring manager should contact each interviewed candidate to inform them of the hiring decision. In addition, the hiring manager should complete and provide a disposition form with the non-selection reason for all non-selected candidates in the pool. All dispositioned candidates should receive an automatic email from the applicant tracking system.

b.    Departments should retain all records of recruitment activity for three years (unless instructed to maintain longer) from the time the position is filled. These records should include the position requirements; applicant qualifications; committee results, if any; and reasons for the hiring or rejection of applicants.

9.  Assistance

Human Resources is available to offer assistance with the procedures outlined in this policy.

More information can be obtained by visiting
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/hr/ManagersSupervisors/TalentAcq.php.

10.  Authoritative References

Texas Government Code, Sections 656, 651, 672, 657
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986

All related forms are available on the Human Resources website:
https://www.depts.ttu.edu/hr/forms.php.

11.  Policy Information

The information in this OP is intended to provide a general explanation of employment provisions. This document is not meant to include the complete details of all available options. Every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate; however, if there is ever a conflict between this document and the governing authority, the governing authority rules will prevail.

12.  Right to Change Policy

Texas Tech University reserves the right to interpret, change, modify, amend, or rescind this policy, in whole or in part, at any time without the consent of the employees.

OP Categories

• 01 Chancellor
• 02 Development
• 04 Audit Services
• 10 President
• 30 Academic and Student Affairs – General
• 32 Academic Policies – Faculty
• 34 Academic Policies – Students
• 36 Academic Programs
• 40 Equal Opportunity
• 48 Communication Services
• 52 Information Technology
• 60 Environmental Health and Safety
• 61 Facilities Management
• 62 Financial and Accounting
• 63 General Services
• 64 Graduate Programs (Faculty and Students)
• 65 Research Accounting
• 66 Libraries
• 67 Mail Services
• 68 Communications and Marketing
• 69 Payroll and Tax Services
• 70 Human Resources
• 72 Purchasing, Contracting, and Payables
• 73 Data Management
• 74 Research
• 76 Security
• 77 Student Services and Registrar
• 78 Traffic and Parking
• 79 Travel
• 80 Vehicles