A robust search process is almost always required to achieve our goals for inclusive excellence. However, in extremely rare instances, the department or affiliated institution may request an exception to a search for an extraordinary Professor who will fulfill key institutional goals, including diversity. There is no target-of-opportunity recruitment mechanism for faculty below the rank of Professor.
Process:
Step 1: Department Head prepares case for a professorial target of opportunity recruitment
The Department Head will provide the candidate’s CV and a letter documenting the rationale for the recruitment without a full search, addressing the unique nature of the candidate’s qualifications and the specific circumstances that justify treating the situation as a ‘target of opportunity’ recruitment. An opportunity to enhance diversity is the strongest argument that can be made when requesting an exception, but all of the following factors are to be addressed in the request:
- Excellence: the singular nature of the individual’s academic accomplishments and the potential for contributions to the Harvard community;
- Diversity: the progress toward excellence through diversity and inclusion, if any, that would be achieved through the candidate’s recruitment;
- Field size: the nature of the field in which the candidate works and the small number of comparable leaders in the discipline available to join the Harvard community;
- Timing: the nature of the candidate’s availability that would preclude committing the time needed to conduct a full search;
- Urgent circumstances: for institutional specific reasons, whether there is an urgent need to be addressed by the recruitment; and
- Availability: how the candidate and his/her availability came to be known
Step 2: Department Executive Committee, Preclinical Chairs (PCC) or Social Science Council (SSC) reviews candidate
The Department Head will present the case to the Preclinical Chairs (PCC) or Social Science Council (SSC) or Department Executive Committee as appropriate and those bodies will share their recommendations with the Dean regarding whether the unique characteristics of the candidate present an exceptional opportunity for the Harvard community that would support bypassing the typical search mechanisms.
Step 3: Institution or Department petitions Dean for professorial target of opportunity exception
Materials should be submitted electronically to the Office for Faculty Affairs (OFA) at: professorial.materials@hms.harvard.edu
- Letter on behalf of the institution (in the case of a Basic and Social Science department (HMS Quad), on behalf of the Department) to petition the Dean’s office for a Target of Opportunity exception
- Opinion of the Preclinical Chairs (PCC) or Social Science Council (SSC), or Executive Committee (if available)
- Candidate’s CV (Does not need to be in the Faculty of Medicine format at this point)
Step 4: Dean’s and Provost’s offices review
The Dean will review the request with any advisory body deemed appropriate (e.g., the Council of Academic Deans (CAD)). If approved, the case will be reviewed with the Office of the Provost. If acceptable to the Dean and the Office of the Provost, the case will be managed as an evaluation rather than a search.
Step 5: Evaluation for appointment or search as appropriate
If approved, the search exception remains in effect for one year. During that period, the recruiting department may negotiate with the candidate, hire them, and if hired, should submit the materials necessary for a professorial evaluation. If not approved, the candidate may be considered through a typical search process.
Last updated June 2023