STAFF (601A)

Updated 1/11

STAFF: INSTITUTIONAL STAFF MEMBERS

Kansas Athletics is committed to providing an equal opportunity for all qualified individuals to be considered for staff positions regardless of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, age, or status as a veteran. As a reflection of this commitment, Kansas Athletics recruits and employs the most qualified applicants available, consistent with the requirements of the position and the long-range objectives of Kansas Athletics. All decisions regarding the recruitment, selection and placement of staff members and employees are made solely on the basis of job-related criteria. Furthermore, every effort is made to allow existing staff members and employees the opportunity for advancement within Kansas Athletics and to place new staff members and employees in positions which best utilize their abilities and in which they are able to achieve both personal satisfaction and career opportunities.

The Director of Human Resources coordinates the hiring process and ensures compliance with Kansas Athletics policies for recruiting, interviewing and selecting applicants. Supervisors wishing to fill an existing vacancy or create a new position should contact the Director of Human Resources for approval to initiate the hiring process. If approved, the Director of Human Resources oversees the processing of the request. Staff members involved in the hiring process are expected to comply with established Kansas Athletics procedures for selecting candidates.

Equal Employment Opportunity

State and federal laws, as well as institutional policies, provide for equal employment opportunities for all individuals seeking employment with Kansas Athletics, regardless of gender, marital status, color, race, creed, physical or mental disability (unrelated to ability to perform professionally), age, ancestry, sexual orientation, political affiliation, status as a veteran, or any other unlawful reason. Additionally, Kansas Athletics is committed to more than simply non-discrimination in its compliance with U.S. Statutes and Executive Orders, by asserting the need for even-handedness in employment decisions and vigorously and affirmatively recruiting new employees and staff members, while assisting existing employees to prepare for advancement.

Kansas Athletics does not provide immigrant sponsorship. All non-resident aliens must have an appropriate visa prior to hiring. Non-resident aliens are responsible for all costs to obtain any required visas.

New Staff Positions

Administrative staff members (e.g. Directors, Managers, etc.) who wish to create a new position within their area of responsibility must provide the Associate Director of Athletics/ Internal Affairs with a written justification to establish the new position, including sufficient information to prepare the appropriate job description.

The job description should specify the position to be filled, describing primary and secondary responsibilities, as well as the required/preferred qualifications and experience. The job description justification should also provide the rationale for the position’s creation, as well as information on how this position will help meet the needs of Kansas Athletics and the hiring unit.

The Associate Director of Athletics/Internal Affairs must approve the creation of a new position and the Director of Human Resources determines the position’s classification and pay level based on the position’s scope of responsibilities and the job duties. Once a position for appointment is approved, the Director of Human Resources initiates the appropriate hiring procedure. Prior to initiating hiring procedure, the Director of Athletics must have final approval for creation of new position, classification, scope of responsibilities and job duties.

Recruitment

Local Search (e.g. Staff Support positions):

  1. 1. Position Vacancy Announcement posted on the Kansas Athletics website.
    2. Announcement may be placed in local newspapers.
    3. Announcement may be placed with electronic media via the Internet.

Regional Search (e.g. Administrative staff positions, Trainers, etc.)

  1. 1. Position Vacancy Announcement posted on the Kansas Athletics website.
    2. Announcement may be placed in local and regional newspapers.
    3. Announcement may be placed with electronic media via the Internet.
    4. Announcement may be placed in sport specific and professional publications (e.g. National Athletic Trainers Association newsletter).

National Search (e.g. Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Senior Administrators)

  1. 1. Position Vacancy Announcement posted on the Kansas Athletics website.
    2. Announcement may be placed locally and regionally.
    3. Announcement is placed in the

NCAA News.
4. Announcement may be placed with electronic media via the Internet.
5. Announcement may be placed in sport specific and professional publications (e.g. National Athletic Trainers Association newsletter).
6. The announcement of a high profile head coaching vacancy in the media shall count as the first day of notification in the search process.

Interviews

In compliance with Diversity and Equity guidelines, all candidates are to be treated equally and allotted equal interview time. A well-planned interview, that begins in a timely manner and provides the candidate an opportunity to represent him/herself appropriately, as well as allows the supervisor an opportunity to obtain necessary job-related information is important to the recruitment process.

Supervisors are advised to develop questions ahead of time and to ask follow-up questions based on the candidate’s responses. Similar questions should be asked of each candidate to provide a basis of comparison and an opportunity to select the most qualified candidate. Reference and background checks shall be verified and conducted before the decision to hire a specific person is finalized. As a matter of courtesy, candidates should be given a time-frame in which they can expect an employment decision and all candidates should be informed when the decision is made.

Selection

The requesting supervisor, after consultation with the Director of Human Resources, makes a recommendation to hire the most qualified candidate. The Director of Athletics or his designee must approve the recommendation.

Detailed records are maintained on each applicant and materials related to the hiring process. The Director of Human Resources ensures that all appropriate forms are completed and processed. In addition, copies of all related materials are retained in the personnel file of the new employee. The Director of Human Resources maintains the personnel files for all employees. Files are confidential and locked.

Background Checks for New Staff Members and Transfer Student-Athletes

Purpose and Policy

Kansas Athletics constantly strives to select the most qualified staff members to fill vacant positions and to provide a safe and secure environment for students, visitors, and employees and to protect its resources. Kansas Athletics believes that selecting qualified individuals to positions contributes to the department’s overall strategic success. Background checks serve as an important part of the selection process.

All new full-time and volunteer candidates who have been selected for employment as well as student-athlete transfer students shall have a background check conducted as a condition of employment, or volunteer status, or acceptance of a financial grant-in-aid. Kansas Athletics reserves the right to conduct investigations at its discretion on other employees who do not fall in these categories. Kansas Athletics may use a third party vendor/administrator to conduct background checks. The type of information that can be collected as part of the hiring process can include, but is not limited to, a criminal background check, education, employment history, credit, driving, sex and violent offender registry check, and professional and personal references. This process is conducted to verify the accuracy of the information provided by the prospective staff member and determine his/her suitability for placement at Kansas Athletics or receipt of a financial aid package. Kansas Athletics will ensure that all background checks are conducted in compliance with the applicable federal and state statutes, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Kansas Athletics reserves the right to make the sole determination concerning information or any employment decision arising out of the background check.

General Guidelines

  1. 1. 1. The applicant or transfer student-athlete must authorize the background check. Prospective job candidates shall complete the Kansas University on-line application form. Volunteer staff candidates must provide a current resume and must complete a Data Sheet. For applicants for whom a credit history check is appropriate, an additional authorization form (compliant with the Fair Credit Reporting Act) must be completed. Transfer students and volunteer candidates must complete a consent form, available in the Human Resources Office. Finalists or transfer student athletes who refuse to authorize a background check shall not be hired by Kansas Athletics or offered a grant-in-aid (scholarship).

2. The Human Resources Director shall initiate any and all applicable background checks on the final applicant or transfer student.

3. Before verbally making an offer of employment to the successful applicant or a scholarship offer to a transfer student-athlete, the supervisor or head coach must inform the applicant or student that a background check will be completed before an offer is extended.

4. Falsification of application materials, including failure to disclose criminal convictions, is grounds for disqualification from further consideration.

5. Background reports shall be treated as confidential and will be maintained in confidential files in the Human Resources Office. All results of criminal and sex and violent offenders’ convictions will be maintained in confidential files within the Human Resources Office.

6. Results of the background check shall be sent to the Human Resources Director who shall review the report. If the check is favorable, the Human Resources Director shall notify the hiring supervisor or coach that the candidate is approved and an offer of employment, volunteer position, or scholarship may be extended.

7. If a background check is returned with unfavorable results, the Human Resources Director shall inform the Corporate Counsel. The Corporate Counsel shall convene a committee to review the results. This committee shall consist of the Faculty Athletic Representative, the Senior Associate Athletics Director, the hiring supervisor or head coach, and others at the discretion of the Athletics Director. The existence of a negative report or a conviction does not automatically disqualify an individual from employment, a volunteer position, or receipt of an athletic grant-in-aid. Relevant considerations may include, but are not limited to, the relationship between a criminal conviction or negative credit report to the responsibilities of the position that will be held, the age of the person at the time a crime was committed, the number of convictions, employment history since the conviction, evidence of rehabilitation and whether the sentence has been commuted or reversed. A relevant job-related conviction or credit history is grounds for disqualification of an applicant.

8. Any decision to accept or reject an individual with a conviction or negative background report is solely at the discretion of Kansas Athletics.

Temporary Positions

Requests for temporary employees, to assist Kansas Athletics during peak operations or to substitute for absent employees, require advanced planning and are processed through the Director of Human Resources. Written justification for the temporary hiring of an employee should be included. All requests for temporary hiring are to receive the prior approval of the Associate Director of Athletics for Internal Affairs.

Volunteer Positions

Volunteers complement the available programs and provide valuable services to the student-athletes at Kansas Athletics. Volunteers who have completed the hiring process described above (submission of current resume, completion of Data Sheet, successful background check) and who have received hiring information from Human Resources are considered Kansas Athletics Staff members. In addition, volunteers who have medical or professional certifications must provide copies of their certifications and professional insurance to the Corporate Counsel.

Search Waivers

Direct appointments made without a search to a permanent position should be initiated only under exceptional circumstances. These circumstances may include:

  • Targets of Opportunity- opportunities to hire underrepresented group members or prominent individuals.

Underutilization-To correct the statistical disparity between underrepresented group members and the percentage actually employed in the workforce. Emergency- An unexpected vacancy needs to be filled immediately due to factors essential to the business operation. Domestic Partner Accommodation- An employment accommodation for a domestic partner of a person hired as the result of a search. Acting/Interim- A limited term appointment until a search can be completed or for special circumstances. Promotion- A Kansas Athletics employee is moved from one appointment to another that has increased responsibility and may have an increase in pay and/or a new title that reflects a position change. Reorganization-Position reassignment based on the extensive realignment of the administrative structure of a department.

Search waivers must be proposed by the Department Head, prepared by the Director of Human Resources, and approved by the Athletics Director.

Female Coaches

It is the goal of Kansas Athletics that each of its women’s sports teams employs at least one-female coach. While adhering to affirmative action practices, it is Kansas Athletics policy to implement the attainment of the goal by actively seeking out and encouraging applicants from qualified female candidates whenever coaching positions become available.

Internal Promotions

The Director of Human Resources will review recommendations for internal promotions based on individual job qualifications and written job descriptions and make appropriate recommendations to the Athletics Director for a final decision. Internal promotion recommendations must have the approval of appropriate supervisory personnel prior to review by the Director of Human Resources.

Other Recruitment Sources

There may be occasions when it will be appropriate to utilize other sources of recruitment such as: technical schools, employment and training services, job fairs, community colleges, or proprietary schools.

Employment of Relatives

A member of an employee’s immediate family will be considered for employment if the applicant possesses all the qualifications for the position under consideration. An immediate family member cannot be hired, however, if the employment would:

  1. 1. Create a direct supervisor/subordinate relationship with a family member, unless supervision is of a functional nature; or

2. Create either an actual conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest.

These criteria will be considered when assigning, transferring, or promoting an employee. “Immediate family” includes: the employee’s spouse, brother, sister, parents, children, step-children, father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, and any other member of the employee’s household.

Employees who marry or become members of the same household may continue employment as long as there is not:

  1. 1. A direct supervisor/subordinate relationship between the employees, unless it is of a functional nature; or

2. An actual conflict of interest or an appearance of a conflict of interest.

Should one of the above situations occur, Kansas Athletics should attempt to find a suitable position within the organization to which one of the affected employees may transfer.

The Director of Athletics, with approval from Chancellor, may grant exceptions.