| Policy Title | Recruitment and Initial Appointment, Professional Employees |
|---|---|
| Responsible Office | Human Resources & Diversity, Equity and Inclusion |
| Policy Type | Personnel and Payroll |
| Policy Number | 602 |
| Last Revision Date | 11/1/2023 |
Appointment of Professional Staff
- Once a search has yielded a successful candidate, the department should complete the
electronic HR form outlining the appointment. This form then is electronically forwarded
to the Human Resources Office where the appointment is entered into SUNY HRMS and
other required systems.
- Appointment Types:
The type of appointment to be offered is to be determined with reference to the position being filled. Temporary appointments are generally given to individuals whose service is expected to be one year or less or when an appointment is made to a position vacated by a professional employee serving in a probationary appointment or on leave of absence without salary. Sometimes, temporary appointments are also extended when the appointment is based on “soft” funding or funding that is not considered a permanent part of the allocation based at the University.
Term appointments are generally the more routine kind of appointment extended to employees, ranging from one to three years in length and providing assurance of employment for that period of time. Appendix A, B and C term appointments are extended to individuals holding titles as named in those sections of the Policies of the Board of Trustees. Guidance on the length of appointment for these types of appointments should be gained from discussions with the Human Resources Office.
Individuals holding positions designated as management/confidential serve at the pleasure of the President and their appointments are made for unspecified periods of time and may be terminated at any time.
Individuals who fall within the parameters of Division I athletic appointments are subject to the rules and regulations of Appendix B 1, 2 and 3 of the Policies of the Board of Trustees. These titles were created specifically for individuals serving as coaches in Division I sports and for employees closely affiliated with that function at the University. Reference should be made to that section of the Trustees Policies regarding questions about term appointment duration and other provisions or questions may be directed to Human Resources for clarification. - Documentation
The originating office or dean’s office of the area prepares the offer letter to the potential staff member and after it has been signed and returned, this must be forwarded to the Human Resources Office for the official personnel file. In addition, other documentation that should accompany the appointment includes:
Candidate’s resume
Letters of reference if provided as hard copy
The Oath of Office form - Offer letter
Offer letters are prepared by the originating office (either the department or the Dean’s office) and must be accompanied by appropriate forms and paperwork. Sample offer letters are provided by the Human Resources office for the use of the University community. Because of a variety of union, state and federal guidelines, it is critical that offer letters contain the correct language and information. Again, offer letters may not be extended until all affirmative action rules, regulations and procedures are met, claimed credentials of the candidate are verified, and budgetary approval of the position is assured. All offer letters are subject to final confirmation by the President of the University.
The letter must indicate that those materials are being included with the letter. Reference should be made in the letter that the UUP Agreement may be accessed on the UUP website or by contacting the UUP President at the University.
To accept the offer, the prospective employee must sign and date the acceptance, and return it to the appropriate department or dean’s office for processing. - Confirmation / Presidential letter
Upon receipt of all required documentation, the Human Resources Office will process the appointment and prepare an employment confirmation letter on behalf of the President of the University. This letter will include all of the legally and contractually required language to confirm the staff member’s appointment to the University.
As the process concludes, then, all paperwork will be filed in the official employee personnel file attesting to the terms and conditions of the employee’s hire. - Requirements prior to being added to the payroll
There is essential information that Human Resources needs to place a person on the payroll in a timely manner. The newly hired person should be given instructions to contact Human Resources directly at 607-777-3321 to supply their social security number. Federal law dictates that all faculty and staff complete an I-9 form, which confirms that an employee is employable and has been identified appropriately as per the law. This critical form must be on file within the first three days of employment under penalty of law. It is therefore very important that every University office communicate this to the prospective new staff person to assure that their transition to the payroll is a smooth one.
Any questions regarding appropriate documentation to use for this form or how the form should be completed should be immediately directed to the contact personnel noted at the end of this procedure. - Benefits information
It is also critical that new staff members be well acquainted with the complete benefit package offered by the University very soon after their arrival on campus. Human Resources communicates with all new faculty and staff regarding their benefits package and that there are strict deadlines for benefits enrollment and retirement system selection. - Background Checks
Please refer to Management Procedure #633 for complete details regarding background checks.
Some offers of employment will be conditional and contingent on the University's completion of a criminal history check. After completion of the University's paper or electronic employment application, the following background checks must be completed as a condition of employment:
- identity verification
- employment verification
- criminal history check
- sex and violent offender registry check
- educational verification (when required)
- license verification — includes certifications and professional credentials (when required)
Contacts:
Vice President for Diversity, 607-777-4479
Employment Team (professional), 607-777-4885
Senior Associate Director of Human Resources, 607-777-6613
Director of Human Resources, 607-777-4939
Associate Vice President for Human Resources, 607-777-2187
Benefits Team Members, 607-777-2042
