EXCEPTIONS TO DEGREE REQUIREMENT

A bachelor's degree is required for academic staff positions. Degree waivers are considered to be exceptional.

CIRCUMSTANCES PERMITTING DEGREE WAIVERS

Waivers of bachelor's degrees require prior approval by the dean/director's office and the Academic Personnel Office (APO). The waiver will be granted only in extraordinary circumstances, e.g., individual is close to a degree and plans to complete it in the near future.

PROCEDURES

Deans/directors should consult via phone with APO to determine whether extraordinary circumstances exist before submitting a written request. If extraordinary circumstances exist, a letter requesting a waiver of the degree requirement stating why the person chosen is the best qualified, along with the applicant's vitae, should be forwarded through the departmental dean's office to APO. The following issues must be addressed:

• Extent and reasonableness of the search effort;
  
• Size of applicant pool and number interviewed;
  
• Composition of the Search and Screen Committee (if applicable);
  
• Description of the procedures followed;
  
• List of criteria (including degree requirement) used to evaluate the applicants and a description of how each candidate met each criterion;
  
• Basis for determining the proposed successful applicant to be the best qualified in comparison to the other candidates, including the circumstances described in section II. above.

APO may also request that the resumes of all applicants be submitted for review.

REFERENCES

Consult with appropriate APO staff (265-2257).