Policies and Procedures
Policy on Partner
Accommodation
The University of Maine recognizes the importance of accommodating dual
career partners in attracting and retaining a quality workforce. The
University community also recognizes the ways in which dual career
partners can enrich the campus culture. Because dual-career partnerships
often involve employment needs or opportunities across units,
University-level policy is required. The following guidelines govern
domestic partner accommodations at The University of Maine.
All candidates in a job search as well as University employees have a
right to inquire about opportunities and procedures for partner hires.
Equal Opportunity policy dictates that such inquiries will not influence
hiring or promotion decisions.
When any candidate or employee inquires about employment opportunities
for a Partner, the Chair/Director of his or her unit will request a copy
of the partner's curriculum vitae and other relevant materials. This
information will then be forwarded to the appropriate administrator and
department/unit in which the accompanying partner is seeking employment.
The Office of Equal Opportunity may also be contacted for information
and assistance.
An accompanying partner, like any other candidate, must be
systematically reviewed by the hiring department or academic unit. If
that unit believes the accompanying partner has appropriate credentials
and has skills that are compatible with the department's needs and
mission, they may request that the accompanying partner be considered
for the University's Opportunity Hire Program.
University policy ordinarily requires a national search for faculty and
professional appointments of more than seven months. The Opportunity
Hire Program, however, includes a process for requesting a search waiver
and/or single or multi-year financial support for highly qualified
individuals who can make a unique contribution to the University and its
strategic plan. Criteria for granting waiver and funding requests
include:
-
Qualifications of the
individual proposed, including likelihood of future success (promotion
and tenure, where applicable)
-
Relevance of the hire to
the university's strategic priorities
-
Agreement of the hiring
unit for the requested appointment
-
Degree to which
department/college funds will support the position over time
-
Rationale for waiving the
normal search requirement, including the employment of partners of
prospective and current employees.
Questions about the
Opportunity Hire Program should be directed to the Director of Equal
Opportunity.
Other alternative for
partners include the following:
A partner of a finalist in a University search may request an interview
for another open University position as long as they meet the published
qualifications. If a search committee chair receives such a request, the
Office of Equal Opportunity should be contacted.
Faculty partners in the same academic discipline may ask to be
considered for a joint appointment. The university of Maine now has
several partners who are successfully sharing one or one and one-half
positions. In such cases, the concerned department must determine
whether both individuals have appropriate credentials and have the
potential to become tenured members of the department.
This appointment sharing policy
(see
www.maine.edu/sharedappoint.html) also applies to professional
employees and administrators
Partners of candidates who have received tentative job offers may seek
the services of the Career Center, Human Resources, Equal Opportunity,
or the Alumni Association in searching for appropriate employment
opportunities off campus.
7. While The University of Maine recognizes the value of promoting
opportunities for dual career partners, and has established these
policies to help secure this value, it cannot guarantee employment to
anyone simply on the basis of the policy.
Approved by President Hoff , August, 2002
