Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Procedures

Procedures for Appointment to a Non-Advertised Position of Lecturer, Senior Lecturer or Associate Professor

Parent Policy

Recruitment, Selection and Appointment Policy.

Introduction

These procedures provide for appointment to a non-advertised position of lecturer, senior lecturer or associate professor due to exceptional quality, special or extraordinary circumstance.

Such appointment could be fixed-term (up to a maximum of 5 years) or continuing.

In the case of a fixed-term appointment proposal for a continuing staff member, the fixed-term appointment would be by way of a fixed-term variation to the staff member's employment contract.
At the end of the fixed-term contract variation, the staff member would revert to his or her substantive level unless, in the interim, he or she has been promoted to a higher level through the university's academic promotions process or appointed to an advertised vacancy at a higher level.

These procedures enable the university to recognise and reward staff who have displayed exceptional quality over a significant period of time or to respond to needs of special or exceptional circumstance.

Appointment approval is by the Committee for Academic Promotions and Appointments Levels B-D (CAPA). Under it terms of reference (Council 6/2006), CAPA is responsible for considering the following:

Applications for academic promotion to lecturer, senior lecturer or associate professor for academic staff members not located in a faculty, in accordance with the Academic Promotion Guidelines for Candidates and Committees.

Proposals for:
- Accelerated appointment to lecturer, senior lecturer or associate professor.
- Fixed-term or ongoing appointment to lecturer, senior lecturer or associate professor due to exceptional quality or special or extraordinary circumstance.

Process

Introductory Comments

It is envisaged that most appointments of academic staff to a higher level (to lecturer, senior lecturer and associate professor positions) at Monash University will be by way of the university's academic promotions process or appointment to an advertised vacancy.

It is expected that these special procedures will apply in only a very small number of appointment cases.

It is essential that throughout the process due regard is given to the university's commitment to equal opportunity.

Step 1: Nomination

In normal circumstances, a dean will make a formal, written nomination, to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) [DVC(E)], that the exceptional quality of an assistant lecturer, lecturer or senior lecturer be recognised by offering the staff member a fixed-term or ongoing appointment at the next higher level.

In the event that a suitable nominee comes to the attention of the DVC(E) in some other way, the DVC(E) will request that the dean of the relevant faculty consider whether it is appropriate to make a nomination.

The nomination will be comprised of the following:

A written proposal that includes -
1. purpose of the appointment;
2. proposed appointment period - fixed-term (up to a maximum of 5 years) or continuing;
3. details of funding availability;
4. case for appointment to the level proposed (lecturer, senior lecturer or associate professor), including a brief summary of the basis for the claim that the nominee has achieved distinction of a high order in his or her field of scholarship, appropriate to the level of appointment being proposed, and a case that the nominee would be judged as outstanding if being assessed for promotion or for an advertised position, at Monash University, in his or her field at the level proposed;
5. evidence of the nominee's exceptional quality and/or details of the special or extraordinary circumstance giving rise to the faculty's need for the appointment;
6. reasons for proposing that the position not be advertised;
7. an indication of why the candidate has not yet attained the proposed appointment level by way of the academic promotions process; and
8. reasons why the proposal is being made outside of the academic promotions process.
An up-to-date CV of the candidate for appointment.
Nomination of three referees and, if possible, reports from the referees (in the case of a proposal for appointment as a lecturer, nomination of one referee would be acceptable, although up to three would be preferable).
Completed “Recommendation to Appoint” form.

The nomination should be signed by the relevant head-of-department, the head-of-school (if applicable) and the dean for support and signed endorsement.

The dean will forward the nomination to the Senior HR Specialist (Academic Appointments), Monash HR, for consultation with the DVC(E).

Step 2: Referral to Committee for Academic Promotions and Appointment Levels B-D (CAPA)

In consultation with the DVC(E), the Senior HR Specialist (Academic Appointments) will refer the nomination to CAPA.

The membership of CAPA is as follows:

the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Chair;
two deans;
two members of the University Associate Professor Promotions Committee;
a member of the University Professorial Promotions Committee; and
a professorial member of Academic Board.

The committee shall have the power to co-opt other staff members, recommended by the DVC(E), to the committee. Co-option will be for purposes of ensuring balanced perspective, equity and gender balance. A staff member with expertise in the candidate's discipline area may be co-opted to provide additional context.

Step 3: Consideration by CAPA

The nomination will be considered at a meeting of CAPA or, if a meeting is not possible, will be considered by mail circulation to the members of CAPA.

The committee may approve the nomination if it is satisfied that:

the nominee meets the criteria for appointment (below);
the proposed appointment is consistent with objectives of the university; and
funding is available for the appointment.

The criteria for appointment in such cases are as follows:

the nominee is of exceptional quality and/or there is a special or exceptional circumstance;
the nominee has achieved distinction of a high order in his or her field of scholarship, appropriate to the level of appointment being proposed;
the nominee would be judged to be outstanding if being assessed through the normal academic promotions and appointment processes of the university; and
it can be demonstrated that advertising the position would not provide an advantage to the university.

In considering the nomination, CAPA may initiate further enquiries, which may include:

where appropriate, seeking written reports from independent assessors or referees additional to those nominated in the proposal submitted for consideration; and/or
inviting the nominee to a formal interview.

In accordance with the standard appointment procedures, all processes and deliberations of the committee are strictly confidential. Decisions reached by the committee are confidential until formally announced. Decisions of the committee are final.

The committee's decision will be communicated as soon as possible to the dean.

Step 4: Making an Offer

Where the nomination is approved, a formal offer of the appointment will be made to the nominee. The formal offer will be sent by Human Resources Division, with a copy to the dean and, where applicable, to the head-of-school and head-of-department.

Responsibility

Mr John Noonan, Senior HR Specialist (Academic Appointments)