Dear Hagerstown Community College Administration:
We are writing with regard to the composition of current and future College search committees that will serve to select members, including administrative positions. In recent weeks, it has been expressed to faculty members of the Health Sciences Division that while college administration is looking to fill the Director vacancy soon, no faculty from the Division will be asked to serve on the search committee. Given the nature of certain College programs, and the nuances of accrediting standards, we firmly believe faculty representation from the respective division looking to hire a new member is paramount in identifying a qualified candidate, and are deeply concerned by the precedent this sets for our programmatic governance.
We, the undersigned full-time faculty, ask for a codified commitment for this and current search committees to include faculty from the respective divisions. We ask that a search committee be assembled during the full-time faculty’s contract time, allowing for appropriate representation by faculty who will ultimately be impacted by the hiring decision. If this request is not possible due to the urgency of filling an unforeseen vacancy, full-time faculty members of the College Divisions expect to serve on the search committee during off-contract time in exchange for college service recognition or compensation.
Please respond within two weeks time or prior to the first convening of the Health Divisions Director search committee, whichever occurs first.
Sincerely,
Full-Time Faculty of the Hagerstown Community College