APPENDIX G :  Glossary

The terms used in this monograph that need standard meanings are explained below:

1. Announcement – A printed or published notice of a vacancy. The announcement should list a position description, minimum requirements and qualifications and when applicable salary range.

2. Affirmative Action  - Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania has an Affirmative Action Plan which requires the University to make additional efforts to recruit, hire, and promote under represented groups within each classification.  Affirmative Action is a legally sanctioned employment practice/public policy to ensure equal opportunity in employment.

3. Applicant – The concept of an applicant is that of a person who has indicated an interest in being considered for hiring, promotion or other employment opportunities.  This interest may be expressed orally, depending upon the department’s practice.

4. Asian or Pacific Islander – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian sub-continent, or the Pacific Islanders.  This area includes China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa.

5. Black, Non-Hispanic – A person  having origins of any Black racial groups of Africa.

6. Candidate - An applicant who has satisfied the selection committee that he/she has minimal qualifications for the opening and will remain part of the pool after the second review.  He/she may expect to be asked for transcripts and to anticipate that persons who know him/her will be contacted for references. 

7. Candidate Disposition Codes -   Use detailed candidate disposition codes to tract decisions on individual candidates.  Ex.:  HR – hired; NOQ – Not minimally qualified; DEC = Declined job offer; PIP = Passed interview process; NPIP = Not passed interview process; AW = Application withdrawn.  See Appendix C-VII for additional codes.

8. Diverse Workforce – The University’s goal is to include qualified individuals in the workforce regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, disability, or age.  Diversity is recognition and valuing of individuals/group differences and is not legally sanctioned.

9. Equal Opportunity –Total elimination of all existing discriminatory conditions at the University, whether purposeful or inadvertent.  It is the legal premise based on Civil Rights Laws to ensure protections of the constitution.

10. Exceptional Hire – In the event of an unexpected faculty vacancy, the Vice President for Academic Affairs may approve the appointment of a faculty member without a full search.  The duration of this appointment shall not exceed one year.  An exceptional hire may occur when: (1)  a faculty member is unable to complete a semester already started; (2) a faculty member is unable to meet classes in a current semester for a period greater than one week;  (3) a faculty member advises management less than six weeks prior to the start of a semester that he/she will be unable to provide instruction; or (4)  Management is advised of the need to provide instruction less than six weeks prior to the start of a semester.

11. External Search -   The vacancy notice is posted outside the University, i.e., broadscale advertisement (The Chronicle of Higher Education) and focused contacts.

12. Finalist Pool – Procedures where the employer created a “finalist” list of its top three candidates following various tests.  (Three or four candidates that surviving the initial, second, and third screening, and meets the “minimum requisite qualifications” for the position.

13. Full-time, Temporary Appointments – A full-time, temporary appointment is of limited duration as specified in the appointment letter.  Except in the case emergency hiring, all full-time temporary appointments require a search.  Prior to the end date of the contract, a regular search must be initiated if the position is to continue.

14. Hispanic – A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.

15. Initial Screening – The first review of applicants’ files takes place after the closing date for applications.  The initial screening is a check to see that all requested application materials have been received and that the applicants have the required degrees and other forma requirements for the position.  Persons whose files are not complete are “screened out.”  This is not part of the process that evaluates candidates in terms of the quality with which he/she has met the requirements of the position.

16. Internal Search – The vacancy notice is posted within the University, i.e., bulletin boards.

17. Letter of Acknowledgement  - The term used for the letter that tells applicants and referees that their letters and materials have been received.

18. Local Search – The vacancy notice is posted in publications that will be available throughout the university, county, and contiguous counties.

19. McGuire Memorandum Approval – Approval to rehire a temporary faculty member for a third semester must be requested from LHUAPSCUF.  A recommendation from the department should be forwarded to the Provost for endorsement.  The Provost will then officially request approval from APSCUF.

20. Most Attractive Candidates – The candidates who are to be invited to the campus for interviews.  These are the last candidates in the search process.

21. National Search – The vacancy notice is posted in publications that will be available throughout the United States.

22. Native American or Alaskan Native – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition.

23. Part-time, Temporary Appointment – A part-time, temporary appointment is for one year or less.  In all such hires, departments should be mindful that affirmative action and equal opportunity principles are followed. 

24. Professional Staff – Staff persons who are not administrators or faculty but are employed in positions that are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.

25. Qualified Candidate – Competent, suited, or having met the requirements for a specific position.

26. Referee - A person who writes letters of recommendation – references – in behalf of candidates.

27. Regional Search – The vacancy notice is posted within the State of Pennsylvania.

28.  Reverse Discrimination – is an oxymoron. Discrimination is discrimination.

29. Search Committee - Constituted to find suitable persons to recommend for specified positions.  It conducts the search – the process by which persons are sought to fill positions.  The search committee refines the position description and the criteria being demanded, attracts applications and reduces the number of persons being considered to a few or one whom is to be recommended for employment.

30. Second Screening – After the initial screening, candidates’ qualifications are reviewed in greater depth.  This is part of the search that looks for quality and superior achievement within the listed qualifications.  At this point, an applicant may be telephoned for additional information.

31. Short List – Upon completion of the second screening, a list of persons still under review is made.  These persons are now candidates and will be investigated rigorously.

32. Tie Breaker – is a misnomer as candidates need not be exactly equal or tied to award veterans’ preference.

33. Time Tables – That period of time needed to conduct the search, e.g., advertisement, receipt of applications and appropriate documents, telephone inquiries, interviews, etc.

34. White, Non-Hispanic – A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, and Middle East.