Williams College Employee Handbook

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Vacancy Review Policy

The College is committed to keeping total non-faculty staff FTE (excluding grant-funded term positions) constant. In order to achieve growth by substitution, all regular or term positions will be formally reviewed. When a position becomes vacant it will be reviewed to determine whether it needs to be filled or if there are opportunities for redistribution and/or reorganization of the work.

Procedures:

The department head will:

1. If proposing the position be filled, review the job description to ensure its accuracy. If proposing the job be reconfigured, develop a position description questionnaire (see HR website, "Resources") for the new position.
2. Include an updated organizational chart for the department.
3. Describe the impact on the department if the position is not filled.
4. Submit request with supporting documentation to the senior staff member to whom the department reports and to Human Resources.

The Director of Human Resources will:

1. Review with the department head the organization of the department and current allocations of work to determine if there are alternatives that should be considered in refilling the position.
2. Review the position description questionnaire and supporting documentation submitted by the department and senior staff officer. If the position has been reconfigured, determine FTE, pay level, and salary range.
3. Review the request with the senior staff officer and the Budget Director.

The Budget Director will:

1. Review the requests and notify the Director of Human Resources about:
   • Budgetary impact of filling the vacancy
   • Budgetary impact of possible alternatives to filling the vacancy
   • Overall resource allocation trends at the College

The senior staff officer will:

1. Consider the materials submitted by the department and the Director of Human Resources.
2. Consider if there is an existing position within the department or division that might be eliminated if the position were replaced.
3. Review the request with the Director of Human Resources.

Next steps:

1. If the Director of Human Resources and the senior staff officer agree and the Director of Human Resources does not see a reasonable way for synergies across senior staff reporting lines, the position is approved for refilling.
2. If they do not agree, the full senior staff will consider the request at the first opportunity.

NOTE: Pre-planning for long range staffing needs is desirable. Opportunities to foresee openings may include anticipated retirements, restructuring, or consolidating work within or across the College; or anticipating needs for future new positions in competition with the need for existing and/or open positions.

Approved: May 2004

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