HR Memorandum 90-6:
Credentials and Reference Review
TO: Deans, Directors and Departmental Chairs
FROM: Office of Human Resources Management
DATE: April 27, 1990
SUBJECT: CREDENTIALS AND REFERENCE REVIEW
This is a policy memorandum which should be filed in your "Personnel Memoranda" binder previously issued by this office.
BACKGROUND
A recent audit by the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) cited the campus for not having a formal procedure in place to verify and document that all employees have the necessary qualifications for their positions.
Our "Professional Service Employment Procedures" and the campus "Affirmative Action Guidelines" delegate responsibility for selection procedures for faculty and professional staff to the individual departments. As indicated in our "Professional Service Employment Procedures" it is the responsibility of the search committee, screening committee or department head to "thoroughly review resumes to screen-out unqualified applicants based upon selection criteria established in the recruitment plan." Inherent in this process would be conducting the review of each qualified applicant’s background.
Before a department tenders a final offer to a candidate, the highest degree should be verified by contacting the institution that granted the degree. Prerequisite qualifying experience should be verified by contacting the most recent employer. As part of the written record prepared in support of your selection, the results of these inquiries should be documented. In order to assure consistency in this process, we have developed a short attachment, "Verification of Employee Credentials," (download this form) that should be completed and included with the Appointment Request (HRM-2) form for academic and professional staff. We would expect that the highest degree and any prerequisite work or teaching experience would have been verified and appropriate notations made on the attachment. The attachment should then accompany your submission, whereupon the documentation will be made part of the employee’s permanent record.
In contacting references for candidates for positions in the Professional Services Negotiating Unit (PSNU), the provisions of Section 31.2 of Article 31 of the UUP Agreement should be followed. If a statement is solicited pursuant to Article 31.2, such statement shall be made available to the candidate (if later employed) according to the respondent’s reply to the following:
- May the candidate read this recommendation? yes/no
- May the candidate read this recommendation if all identification as to its source is deleted? yes/no
If the respondent does not reply to the above, or if the respondent’s reply is negative, the statement shall not be available to the candidate/employee.
Effective upon receipt of this memorandum, a department head or other signature on the “Verification of Employee Credentials” form will serve as certification that the appropriate verification has taken place. Also, any written documentation resulting from the verification process such as letters of reference, official transcripts and statements from school officials and/or past employers should be forwarded with the HRM-2 and attachments for inclusion in the new appointee’s official personnel file.
Questions regarding this procedure should be directed to Personnel Operations at extension 437-4720.
