Recruitment & Selection Procedures
UAlbany’s recruitment and selection procedures for academic and professional employees are designed to guide search committees through a fair, inclusive search process that adheres to the University’s Affirmative Action Plan.
Academic and professional employees include those represented by United University Professions (UUP) or designated Management/Confidential (M/C), collectively defined as “professional staff.”
Note: The procedures outlined on this webpage do not apply to classified employee hires (Civil Service placements) or Research Foundation hires.
Human Resources' Workforce Planning (WFP) unit assist deans, departments and hiring authorities as they complete these procedures.
Questions? Please contact Workforce Planning at [email protected] or 518-437-4700.
Hire via Search Waiver
To request a Search Waiver for a position that would typically require a formal search, and is not otherwise covered as a search exception, follow the steps detailed below and await final decision before making any offers of employment.
Step 1: Obtain Workforce Planning (WFP) approval
Step 1: Obtain Workforce Planning (WFP) approval
Staff, M/C & Non-tenure-track Faculty Positions
To fill an existing position or create a new position, the hiring manager must first initiate a Workforce Planning Request to obtain approval to fill the position.
The WFP Request form will request certain attachments:
- A Job Description is required for all positions. For staff positions, an organizational chart is also required.
- A Search Plan and Candidate Rating Matrix are not required for a search waiver request.
In the Comments section, please include that you will also be submitting a Search Waiver Request.
Tenure-track Faculty Positions
To fill an existing position or create a new position, the Dean or their designee must first consult with the Provost’s Office and obtain their approval to move forward.
Once the Dean or their designee has been granted approval, the Dean’s Office submits a Workforce Planning Request in HRTS.
When completing the form, please follow these instructions:
- Add a New Value.
- HR Details tab: Fill in the various form fields. Then, in the comments section, add the time frame for the search and start date. For example: “2025-26 Faculty Search for Fall 2026 Start Date.”
- Attachments tab: Attach a completed Job Description and any other applicable information. A Search Plan and Candidate Rating Matrix are not required for a search waiver request.
A designee from the Provost’s Office will review the Workforce Planning Request. They will let the Dean’s Office know if there are any questions or if any modifications need to be made to the documents.
The Assistant Vice President for Administration from the Provost’s Office will also review and approve the request.
Next, Workforce Planning will review and approve the request.
Step 2: Request a search waiver
Step 2: Request a search waiver
Immediately after submitting the WFP Request form, the hiring manager should submit a Search Waiver Request.
The form will require a justification for requesting a search waiver, as well as information about:
- The WFP number (provided after you submitted the WFP Request form)
- The hiring unit's division, department name and Account Number
- The position, including the Budget Title and Job Description
- The selected applicant, including their resume or CV
- Justification for hiring the candidate from the Dean
Depending on the hiring unit’s division and the type of waiver requested, the form may ask additional questions.
Note: If a search waiver request is denied, the hiring manager may appeal the decision by emailing the Vice President for Inclusive Excellence and Affirmative Action Officer at [email protected].
Step 3: Obtain approval to make an offer
Step 3: Obtain approval to make an offer
Search waiver requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and approval is not guaranteed. Approval is only granted when the request meets the established criteria and demonstrates a compelling institutional interest.
An offer of employment may not be extended until after the WFP Request and the search waiver request are both officially approved by WFP and the Provost’s Office. The Dean’s Office will be notified once the Provost’s Office and WFP have granted approval to extend the offer.
Once the offer is made and accepted, the supervisor is responsible for initiating the appointment forms. (New employees should visit the On-boarding page for additional required forms and other important first-day information.)