Hiring Tool Kit

Visiting Faculty

EEO Category 2

What is a visiting faculty appointment? Visiting appointments are a means of accommodating a particular need for instruction, research, or professional endeavors for four and one-half months or more and not expected to exceed one year.

What positions may be filled with a visiting appointment?

Faculty positions only.

Can a visiting faculty position be extended beyond the stated termination date? Yes, with written request to, and approval of, the dean or director of the unit and approval of the divisional vice president, and with concurrent approval of the director of Human Resources Management and the director of the Office of Diversity and Equity Programs. The letter must state the reason(s) for and number of days of the extension.

Is a visiting faculty employee benefits eligible? Yes, if the FTE is 50% or greater.

Can a visiting faculty employee be converted to a regular employee? Yes, with a full Affirmative Action search.

Step 1

ACTION(S) TAKEN BY

ACTIONS and RESOURCES

Hiring Department

Complete a Position Approval Request Form (PARF)
Develop job description
- Preparing a Job Description
  Note: The application procedure and address to which applicants submit materials can be included on the job description for positions that will not be advertised.
- Sample Job Description: Professional Position
- The Elements of a Job Description (with examples)
Submit the PARF, along with a copy of the job description, for approval and signatures, up to the final administrative authority

Beginning May 1, 2003, posting a position announcement on the University's web site will be considered a form of advertising and will constitute statewide, regional and/or national coverage for affirmative action purposes.

April 14, 2003 memo, Procedural Changes Regarding Advertising Vacant Positions

If the hiring department chooses to advertise the position, either through paid or unpaid print or electronic media, a Position Announcement, which is the ad copy, is prepared and forwarded to HRM for review.

Guidelines for Preparing Position Announcements
Advertising a Position (includes process for both paid and unpaid advertising)

HR Policies - See Employment

Step 2

ACTION(S) TAKEN BY

ACTIONS and RESOURCES

Hiring Department

Send a copy of the signed PARF, a copy of the job description, and position announcement (if the hiring department chooses to advertise) to Human Resources Management
- Mail Stop 9603
- 150 McArthur Hall,
- Phone: 1-662-325-3713
- Fax: 1-662-325-0753

Step 3

ACTION TAKEN BY

ACTIONS and RESOURCES

Human Resources Management Generalist and Hiring Department

HRM reviews the job description and PARF

Hiring Department:

Seeks applicants
Determines which applicant should be offered the position
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Questions and Answers
- Requesting a Job Accommodation under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
For Teaching Faculty, see SACS, Principles of Accreditation,

Comprehensive Standards - Faculty
Verbally offer the position

Formal Offer:

Offer letter is written. See sample Faculty Letter of Offer
Applicant signs and returns offer letter

HR Policies - See Employment

Step 4

ACTION TAKEN BY

ACTIONS and RESOURCES

Hiring Department

Hiring paperwork is completed, including:

Employment Action Form (EAF), which requires the same signatures as the PARF.
- Employment Action Form requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0 or higher
- Employment Action Form opens in Excel
Employment Eligibility Form (I-9) (includes instructions).
- The I-9 must be completed within 3 days of date of hire, but may be completed once the applicant accepts position.
- See BANNER form PWAININ to check for I-9 status for an existing or previous employee. The form will indicate whether a new I-9 is required.
Personal Demographic Data, which replaces the Biographic Data section on the previous version of the Employment Action Form, and the Vietnam Era Veterans, Special Disabled Veterans, and Other Eligible Veterans Identification Request Form.
Form W-4 Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate (federal)
Mississippi Employees' Withholding Exemption Certificate, or applicable form for the state of employment, if other than Mississippi
Requesting a Job Accommodation under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) (if applicable)

For teaching faculty who do not explicitly meet SACS Comprehensive Standards - Faculty, a letter justifying the applicant's credentials must be signed by the department head, dean, and vice president for academic affairs.

The letter should provide evidence of outstanding professional experience and demonstrated contributions to the teaching discipline. Credentials for a foreign institution should be justified with an appropriate transcript analysis, such as that provided by AACRAO.

Send the above completed, signed forms to HRM, mail stop 9603, along with

Original Position Approval Request Form (PARF)
Original letter of offer, with acceptance signature
Applicant Reference Check (completed as part of the Screening and Selection process).
- See also Reference Checks of Prospective Employees
Recruiting Report
Official transcript of the highest degree.

Recordkeeping (see Records Management and Security HRM 60-109)

Applicant materials (resumes, copies of applications, interview questions, etc. – including materials for non-selected applicants) should be kept for a minimum of three years beyond the date the position is filled.
Materials for non-selected applicants should not be placed in the file of the employee who was hired.
All files should be kept in locked storage.

HR Policies - See Employment

Step 5

ACTION TAKEN BY

ACTIONS and RESOURCES

Hiring Department and Human Resources Management Generalists

New Employee Orientation: Hiring departments should contact HRM to schedule employees for the next-available orientation.

Orientation is conducted each Wednesday morning, 8:15 to 10:30 a.m., 150 McArthur Hall,

phone: 662-325-3713.

New employees must complete benefits selections within 31 days of hire date.

MSU Employee Benefits Overview

What is an Official Transcript?

For Faculty appointments, degrees must be from an accredited institution or documentation must be provided to show evidence that the faculty member has appropriate academic preparation. The transcript(s) must be an official transcript. An official transcript is an original transcript issued to the department or other responsible party (such as a screening committee) with the appropriate seal and/or signature of the school Registrar. Transcripts will not be accepted if they are duplicated, faxed, or marked "Unofficial" or "Issued to Student." If the employee received their degree from Mississippi State University, the department may request the MSU Registrar’s Office to forward a "Departmental Copy" to Human Resources Management at no charge to the employee.

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Last modified December 18, 2006