Confidentiality of Search Committee Records

PDAD&C #32, 2001-2002

M E M O R A N D U M

TO: Principals, Deans, Academic Directors and Chairs
FROM: Vivek Goel, Vice-Provost, Faculty
DATE: January 8, 2002
RE: Confidentiality of search committee records

Candidates submit material for positions at the University in confidence. In practice, these materials can contain CVs, letters of reference, and samples of scholarly work. Such material should remain confidential to the members of the duly constituted search committee.

Materials can be circulated more broadly, for example, to members of the department, when the consent of the author is obtained. That is, a CV can be circulated when a candidate consents to this. Normally, short-listed candidates should be asked if they agree to this at the time that a visit is arranged. The same would apply to unpublished scholarly work. Reference letters are normally sent by referees with the understanding that they will be kept confidential. The letters contain confidential information about the candidate, and it is usually the expectation that the identity of the referee will also be kept confidential. As such, these letters should not be circulated beyond the search committee unless both the candidate and the referee agree.