Internal Hiring Process Procedures

Updated: August 12, 2023

Flowchart of AGNR Hiring process

HR Employment Hiring Handbook

A training that gives necessary information to help recruit the top talent for a department.
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HR Hiring Toolkit – USU Jobs

Find job posting training, iCIMS training and other hiring resources to help you move through the hiring process.
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HR Job Descriptions
A list of job titles, salary grades, and links to job descriptions for staff positions at Utah State University from USU Human Resources.
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USU Salary Grade Table
An updated compilation of base salaries paid for staff positions at a given grade across the University.
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USU Policies:

Contact Information:

Faculty Hiring Process:

  1. Engage in Faculty Hiring Strategy and Practices process (AGNR Leadership Team, process led by the Dean).
  2. Dean, Department Head and Financial Officer work together on position funding.
  3. Department Head appoints a committee (see USU policy 4003.2.3.3).
  4. Search committee should seek additional training to ensure an accurate search process (see Hiring Handbook in the USU Hiring Toolkit or contact Danielle Anderson in HR at 435-797-0207 or Danielle.Anderson@usu.edu).
  5. Compose a position announcement and include:
    • Anticipated start date
    • Rank(s) considered
    • Tenure-track or a term appointment
    • AY or FY appointment
    • Minimum educational requirements (see USU Policy 4000.2.3 through 4000.2.5)
    • Minimum qualifications
      • Assessed with a yes/no/maybe and serve to either move a candidate forward to full evaluation or not.
      • Typically, a short list.
    • Preferred qualifications
      • Forms the basis for the evaluation matrix to be used by the search committee to evaluate candidates.
    • Application review date
    • Detail the major responsibilities for the position as well as the duties required to accomplish each of the responsibilities
    • If the position is temporary, state the length of the term
    • College and Department highlights
    • University highlights (must use exact HR statement)
    • Notice of non-discrimination (must use exact HR statement)
  6. Compose a proposed role statement. Use the most current role statement forms found on the provost office web page.
  7. Review position announcement and role statement with Dean.
    • Also review with Ken White if there is an extension role
  8. Position number: either a or b.
    1. Filling an Open Position (99 position number already exists)
      • Send the BSC Personnel Facilitator (they will submit a Faculty Search Request):
        • Position announcement
        • Proposed role statement
        • Purpose of search: any special circumstances the Department Head or Dean would like the Provost to be aware of
        • Location of position
        • Proposed begin date
        • Proposed salary and FTE
        • Name and A# of person this search will replace
        • Position number
    2. Creating a New Position (need to create a new 99 position number)
      • Send the BSC Personnel Facilitator (they will submit a New Position Request):
        • Position announcement
        • Proposed role statement
        • Reason for new position
        • Earliest begin date
        • Position duration: ongoing, temporary, or contingent upon funding
        • Salary and FTE
        • Description of funding
  9. Once the Faculty Search or New Position Request has been approved (the BSC Personnel Facilitator will notify you), complete a Post a Job request in ServiceNow.
    • Prior to the step, the search committee and Department Head will develop a comprehensive recruitment strategy that includes venues/outlets where the position will be posted, advertised, shared through list-serves, etc.
  10. BSC Personnel Facilitator initiates the faculty search through iCIMS (USU’s applicant tracking system).
  11. iCIMS approval process: Department Head, Dean and HR
  12. Evaluation rubric is created by the search committee (or by the chair and agreed upon by the search committee), based on the minimum and desired qualification, taken directly out of the position description.
    • Ensure you are considering the job description, duties, and qualifications against the candidates we are evaluating.
  13. Department head will establish a mechanism to involve students in the evaluation of faculty candidates. USU Policy 4003.2.3.6 
    • Instructions for how students shall provide feedback will be provided to students when the invitation to interview is extended to the candidate.
    • Student feedback shall be reviewed by the search committee.
    • County Extension faculty searches are excluded from this requirement.
  14. Search committee reviews applicants with a set rubric for evaluating applicants.
  15. The committee sends Department Head their committee report following initial evaluation and/or post-Zoom of candidates outlining strengths and weaknesses for each candidate aligned with the preferred qualifications and the position's role statement. 
  16. Department Head sends Dean committee report for approval along with their recommendation for candidates to invite for on-campus interviews.
  17. Department Head gives approval for committee to invite candidates for on-campus interviews. 
  18. Upon completing the interview process and identifying the desired applicant to hire:
    • Department Head emails Dean, BSC Personnel Facilitator and Financial Officer their request to begin the offer process, and includes the following:
      • Resume/CV
      • Search committee report, including a summary of strengths and weaknesses of each candidate interviewed
      • Department Head recommendation
    • BSC Personnel Facilitator includes Faculty Search Request or New Position Request, and initiates request to Dean
    • Dean requests approval from the Provost to move forward with an offer
    • Once Provost approval has been given, Department Head makes verbal offer to candidate
    • Department Head composes the following items using the most current templates:
      • Start-up agreement from Office of Research
        • Work with the Dean and other funding departments to negotiate funding coverage
      • Draft offer letter from the Provost Office
      • Draft role statement from Provost Office
      • Upon completion, Department Head sends documents to the Dean, BSC Personnel Facilitator and Financial Officer for review
    • Department Head sends start-up agreement to Office of Research for preapproval. Once approved, funds can be moved around but total amount cannot be changed.
    • Provost office reviews offer letter and role statement. Once approval is given, the documents are routed by BSC Personnel Facilitator for signatures with copies being sent to applicable parties.
    • Department Head provides Office of Research with finalized start-up agreement to route for signatures including signed offer letter and role statement
      • The department has 60 days from the date the offer letter is signed to provide
        the notice and necessary documentation to finalize the agreement. Failure to do
        so may result in the Office of Research rescinding the pre-approved funding commitment.
    • Financial Officer notifies BSC Business Manager to create salary plan, unit code, indexes, IDC index, and contact for first meeting and welcome.
  19. BSC Personnel Facilitator creates the hire EPAF in Banner and reaches out to new Faculty for onboarding documents.
  20. Department arranges office space, keys, signage, equipment and any other necessities. 

Non-USU Faculty Hiring Process (Federal and State Cooperators):

  1. Department Head and Cooperative Unit initiates discussion with Dean.
    • Job posting and interviews are done through the Cooperative Unit.
  2. Upon completing interview process and identifying the desired applicant to hire:
    • Department Head emails BSC Personnel Facilitator and Financial Officer request to start offer and needs to include the following:
      • Cooperative agreement
      • Appointment affidavits (if applicable)
      • Resume/CV
      • Role statement (use most current role statement forms
      • USU offer letter (contact BSC Personnel Facilitator for offer letter template)
    • BSC Personnel Facilitator sends documents to Provost office for review.
    • BSC Personnel Facilitator initiates email to Dean.
    • Dean requests Provost approval to move forward with offer.
  3. Once Provost approval is given, BSC Personnel Facilitator routes documents for signatures and copies signed documents to applicable parties.
  4. Financial Officer notifies BSC Business Manager to create unit code, indexes, IDC index, and contact for first meeting and welcome.
  5. BSC Personnel Facilitator creates hire EPAF in Banner and reaches out for onboarding documents
  6. Department arranges office space, keys, signage, equipment and any other necessities.

Benefitted Hire Process (Exempt and Non-Exempt):

If utilizing appointment of opportunity or needing a new position number, there will be an approval process for each, plan for at least two weeks processing time.

  1. Contact Dean and Department Head with a brief description to obtain preliminary approval and cc BSC Personnel Facilitator.
  2. Work with HR Compensation Team to determine what Banner job title best fits your position, what pay scale you can advertise, and if a job description is available or one needs to be created.
  3. Does your position qualify for Appointment of Opportunity USU Policy 3300?
    • Position must be exempt to qualify
    • Positions must meet one of the following criteria:
      • Institutional Need
        • Must be nationally recognized or highly regarded for outstanding achievement in their areas of expertise
      • Temporary Position
        • Cannot exceed three years
      • Employment-at-Will
        • Postdoctoral Fellow positions qualify
      • Sponsored Program Supported Positions
        • Must be named on the USU approved grant budget sheet

If yes, complete the following steps. If no, proceed to step 4.

  • Send BSC Personnel Facilitator the following:
    • Job description
    • Resume/CV of candidate
    • Justification for utilizing USU policy 3300
    • Draft offer letter and draft role statement (faculty positions only)
    • Official USU approved grant budget sheet (sponsored program supported positions only)
  1. Position type: either a or b.
    1. Creating a new position
      • Send BSC Personnel Facilitator the following information:
        • Job description
        • Position begin date
        • Is position ongoing, temporary or contingent upon funding
        • Salary and FTE
        • Reason for new position (can be as simple as new funding)
        • Description of funding
    2. Filling an open position or once the new position request is complete
      • Submit a Post a Job request in ServiceNow. This will initiate the position being posted through iCIMS (USU’s applicant tracking system).
        • Hiring Toolkit
        • Pre-Posting Checklist
        • Job posting will need to be active in iCIMS for 7 days for non-exempt positions and 14 days for exempt positions before you can start interviewing and hiring
        • Non-exempt and hourly searches should have at least 2 people on the search committee (committee chair +1) to avoid bias. Exempt positions should have at least 3 committee members (committee chair +2).
  2. Compose offer letter using template from Hiring Toolkit
  3. Submit a Unified Hiring Form in ServiceNow to initiate the hire process
    • BSC Personnel Facilitator will complete the hire EPAF and reach out for onboarding documents
  4. Department arranges office space, keys, signage, equipment and any other necessities

Non-Benefitted Hire Process:

Hourly

The position must be posted through USU's Applicant Tracking Systems to ensure legal compliance with hiring guidelines are met. USU's Applicant Tracking Systems are Handshake and iCIMS. All applicants will need to apply and be hired through one of those systems. 

Definitions:

  • Wage Hourly: Paid an hourly rate for actual hours worked  
  • Set Amount Hourly: Set amount employees are paid on a set amount (lump sum) pay basis rather than a rate for actual hours worked. For the purposes of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), these employees are required to record actual hours worked.
  • New Hire: Has never worked for USU or the department
  • Department Rehire: For a re-hire in the same department, it is not necessary to post the position

Applicant Tracking Systems:

  • Aggie Handshake
    • Use only for hiring student employees
    • Waiting period before hire is three applicants or 24 hours
  • iCIMS
    • Use for hiring student or non-student employees
    • Waiting period before non-benefited hire is 7 days
    • Hiring committee for non-benefited hire is committee chair and at least one other person

Hourly Hiring Process:

  1. If new hire, see step 2. If rehire, move on to step 4.
  2. Complete a post a job request in ServiceNow and BSC Personnel Facilitator will post position
    1. Determine the following criteria:
      • Wage hourly or set amount hourly
      • New hire or rehire
      • Aggie Handshake or iCIMS
      • Position title
      • Number of openings
      • Hours worked per week
      • Is a background check needed USU Policy 3301
      • Telework eligible
      • Committee chair and members (iCIMS posting only)
      • ACA full-time or ACA variable
      • Required documents (cover letter, resume/CV, etc.)
      • Job description
        •  Overview
        • Responsibilities
        • Qualifications: list minimum and preferred
  3. Review applicants: a OR b.
    1. Aggie Handshake
      1. Review applicants
      2. Mark chosen applicant hired
    2. iCIMS
      1. Review applicants
  4. Complete Unified Hiring Form in ServiceNow and BSC Personnel Facilitator will reach for onboarding documents.

Teaching Non-Benefitted:

Teaching non-benefited employees are paid to teach a minimum of one course per semester and are not covered under faculty code.

  1. Department completes Unified Hiring Form in ServiceNow
    • Mark position type as Non-benefited teaching (P07)
    • In Job Ad / Req Number list NA

Adjunct:

Per USU Policy 4003.2.4.1, department head or supervisor shall consult with the faculty and then make a recommendation to the academic Dean and, where appropriate, the Chancellor, Vice President for extension and agriculture, or the Statewide Campus Associate Vice President.  

Adjunct appointments have been delegated by the Provost to the Dean with the Provost included in EPAF approval and receiving a copy of finalized letter. 

  1. Department Head consults faculty and makes recommendation to Dean
  2. Dean gives approval
  3. Department Head completes adjunct appointment letter and sends to BSC Personnel Facilitator
    • Contact the BSC Personnel Facilitator for Adjunct appointment letter template from Provost office
    • Provost encourages including a start and end date in appointment letter
  4. BSC Personnel Facilitator routes letter for signatures, submits EPAF and reaches out to Adjunct for necessary onboarding documents
  5. BSC Personnel Facilitator sends finalized letter to Department Head and Provost office
  6. Department Head sends finalized letter to Adjunct

Graduate Assistantships:

  • New Hire
    • Faculty submit a Unified Hiring Form in ServiceNow to initiate the hire process
    • Items to be aware of for the Unified Hiring Form:
      • Title: Graduate Research Assistant, or Graduate Teaching Assistant, or Graduate Instructor
      • Job Ad / Req Number: NA (this is the iCIMS or Handshake job # and is not applicable in this case)
      • FTE: .5
      • Start Date:
        • If needing a non-resident tuition waiver, GA must be set up on or before first day of semester.
      • End Date:
        • If needing a non-resident tuition waiver, GA must be set up through the last day of semester.
      • Estimated Hours Per week: 20 hours
      • ACA Type: Variable ACA
      • Rate: Pay/Month
        • Be aware of your department’s minimum pay requirements
      • Grad Insurance Code: Leave blank – BSC Personnel Facilitator will follow up with Grad Insurance Coordinator
      • Labor Distribution: Index
    • BSC Personnel Facilitator will complete hire EPAF and reach out for onboarding documents.
  • Continuing
    • BSC Personnel Facilitator will reach out for the following information prior to end date:
      • Account (Index)
      • Amount/month
      • Start date
      • End date
    • Changing Current GRA, GTA, or GI

Extra Service Compensation (ESC):

Provost Office Important Guidance on ESC 

  • Eligibility- ESC is applicable for those faculty or exempt employees who are asked to teach classes or perform duties outside of their primary responsibilities (i.e., an assignment that is in addition to the employee’s primary workload) where it is not possible to increase FTE or use summer months for payment.  
  • Hiring Department Responsibilities- Hiring departments will need to work with faculty and staff they have hired to complete tasks outside of their primary work assignment, as well as business services personnel, to determine the method of payment for the requested work.  If it is via ESC, the hiring department must work with the employee to ensure requests are submitted in a timely manner so that all approvers have ample time to review prior to the work being performed. 
  • Sponsored Programs Funding- Extra service related to sponsored programs sourced funds needs to be authorized by the sponsoring agency before any extra contractual work is done.  The Office of Research will need time to verify this, so please build in time to allow them to do so. Therefore, ESC requests using Sponsored Programs funding must be approved prior to the work being performed.  Please understand that a late submission may result in the ESC not being approved under sponsored programs, requiring the department to use other funding sources to pay for the work performed.
  • Requests- Extra Service Compensation requests are processed through ServiceNow: Please work with those you hire to initiate this request.  Your Financial Officer or ESC BSC Personnel Facilitator can assist you with understanding this process. 
  1. Department/Supervisor completes Extra Service Compensation (ESC) request in ServiceNow.
    • Reference procedures 376-PR while completing this form.
  2. Source of funds BSC: Personnel Facilitator task created
    • Ensures the justification description provides full detail
    • Completes the estimated payment and cumulative extra service payment fields
  3. Employee home department: BSC Personnel Facilitator task created
    • Checks employee compensation and ensures employee is eligible for ESC
  4. Source of funds: Financial Officer task created
    • Completes source of funds field
    • Changes department approver if necessary
  5. Source of funds: department approval
  6. Employee approval
  7. Source of funds: FO approval
  8. Employee Department Head approval
  9. Employee Dean/VP approval
  10. Assistant Provost approval
    • If the ESC exceeds 20% of salary, additional approvals will be required
  11. BSC Personnel Facilitator submits EPAF and updates the employee salary distribution sheet.

*There are additional approvals for ESCs that involve sponsored programs and for Statewide campus faculty.

Terminations and Resignations:

Termination of Exempt and Non-exempt Staff USU Policy 3310

  • Voluntary Terminations
    • Voluntary termination occurs when an employee resigns, retires, or fails to return to work after an approved leave of absence. Employees are expected to give the University advance written notice when ending their employment.
      1. Written notice must be submitted by employee to supervisor.
      2. Supervisor sends written notice to Business Services Personnel Facilitator who sends a copy to Department Head, Dean, Financial Officer, HR, and adds document to personnel folder.
  • Involuntary Termination (Dismissal)
    • Council with Department Head and HR before dismissal
      • Dismissal is determined at the discretion of the University and not by the employee. It may result from an employee's negligence, poor job performance, insubordination, excessive absence, misuse or theft of University property/funds, disorderly conduct, incorrect or misleading statements, unsuccessful completion of introductory period of employment, end of temporary employment, or other reasons deemed valid by University administration. Dismissal can also result from reduction-in-force due to budget cuts, operational reorganization, expiration of outside funding, or dissolution of programs.
      • Whenever possible, employees should be counseled and given an opportunity to improve their performance before dismissal is warranted (refer to Policy 3001 Setting Expectations and Managing Performance). All dismissals require prior consultation with the Department Head/Director and the Office of Human Resources. The Office of Human Resources is available to counsel dismissed employees concerning the dismissal and available resources.
    • Submit Employee Status Changes & Termination Form in ServiceNow
      • Notate leave settlement instructions on ServiceNow request
      • USU Policy 345 Vacation Leave
        • Remaining vacation leave will be paid out
          • Notate index for payout
        • Remaining vacation leave will not be paid out: only used for soft funded leave
          • Soft funded leave: USU policy 3100.2.4 vacation leave accrued during a contract/grant funding period
        • All termination EPAFs must be processed and in the HR approval queue within two weeks of the resignation notice or termination date. Failure to meet this deadline impacts federal COBRA rules and ACA reporting requirements and can lead to fines.

Other Employee Related Information:

  • Telework: Utah State University (USU) permits telework arrangements when doing so benefits both the department and the employee. Per USU Policy 3008, the Dean/Vice President, Department Head/Director, supervisor, and teleworker must all agree to the work arrangements and expectations by signing a telework agreement prior to commencing telework. The telework agreement must address expected job performance and deliverables. Telework Agreement is located in ServiceNow.
    • Regular full-time telework: An employee works every workday at a location other than a USU location.
    • Regular part-time telework (Hybrid): An employee works one or more workdays at a location other than a USU location and the remainder of the week’s workdays at a USU location (e.g., M-W alternative work location from home; Th-F work from USU workplace). The schedule is fixed to be the same each week to facilitate meeting schedules and other office activities.
    • Flexible telework: An employee varies their work location throughout the week based on business and/or personal work/life needs. Only positions that can support this variety should be approved under this method.
    • Surge telework: For positions leaders have identified as being able to temporarily telework on days where the Utah Division of Air Quality has forecast an air quality of “unhealthy” (red) or higher at least 48 hours in advance for that county/location.
    • Out of State Telework Eligible: USU has implemented a fee for out-of-state telework employees to cover costs associated with additional Human Resource requirements as well as state-specific costs. The monthly telework charge is $200. In some specific cases when the wages are paid from a grant, there can be a waiver.
  • Affordable Care Act (ACA): In accordance with the Affordable Care Act, USU offers medical coverage to non-benefited employees who work more than 30 hour per week on average. IF EMPLOYEE ACCEPTS, THERE WILL BE A COST TO YOU OF Approximately $1,519 PER MONTH (as of 07/01/2025)
    • ACA Full-time Employee: There is a “reasonable expectation” at the start of employment that the employee will be working full-time (30+ hrs/week), even if only for a limited (> 3 months) time. The employee will be eligible for ACA medical benefits immediately.
    • ACA Variable Employee: A position with hours that fluctuate during employment. The employee may work 30+ hours/week at certain times. However, based on facts and circumstances at the beginning of employment, it cannot be determined that the employee is reasonably expected to work an average of 30+ hours/week.
    • Initial/Standard Measurement Period: A 1-year period of time during which work hours are measured to determine potential future eligibility for access to ACA Medical Benefit coverage. Initial Measurement Period will begin on employee start date. Standard Measurement Period is May 1–April 30.
    • Standard Stability Period: A 1-year period of time following the Initial/Standard Measurement Period where, if the employee became eligible for medical coverage during the Initial/Standard Measurement Period (averaged 30+ hrs/week for 12 months), the employee can be covered by ACA medical. Standard Stability Period is July 1–June 30.
    • ACA Pre-Qualified: If an employee who has previously qualified for ACA in a benefited position switches positions to non-benefited role, they have pre-qualified for ACA and can elect to continue insurance coverage. If they work 130+ hours per month, they can continue to have insurance.

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