The increase in budget cuts at Miami University has brought with it a need to look inside the university for academic job postings.
According to the Office of Academic Personnel, internal searches have become increasingly more popular within academic departments as the economic recession continues to affect the university.
Celia Ellison, assistant director of academic personnel, said internal searches limit job openings to those already working at the university while external searches are nationwide postings.
"Internal means we are only looking in the university," Ellison said.
Ellison said often internal searches are limited not only to university personnel but also tenured faculty within the current department.
According to the Miami employment Web site, a basic candidate qualification in the current search for the director of the Howe Center for Student Writing must be either a tenured associate or an English department full-time professor.
Ellison said the increase in need to fill open positions by internal candidates is directly correlated to budget restraints.
Each department may save money through an internal search because the newly appointed position can still teach classes at the university while performing job duties, Ellison said.
"It depends on the position that is vacated and what the need is," Ellison said. "The department would work with (the) dean to make sure the teaching mission is met."
Ellison said specific needs of each department dictate how that department saves money. Despite this need, each department must provide a rationale to the department of equity and equal opportunity to conduct an internal search, according to Ellison.
Each department must give a rationale, which Ellison said is usually due to budget restraints or the importance of prior networking specifically at Miami to properly perform the prospective job.
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According to Mary Jean Corbett, interim director of the Western Program, both of these factors have been important in deciding to conduct an internal search for the new Western College Program (WCP) Director.
"Starting in the fall of 2008, with the global economic meltdown, most people have come to see that hiring some outside of the university is challenging," Corbett said.
Corbett said it is not just the university that may experience budget constraints but future employees.
"Selling a house and moving a family in these financial times is very difficult," Corbett said. "(It) could potentially get in the way of hiring someone from the outside."
Corbett said in her search for a permanent dean she found it important to look for candidates that were well acquainted with the university.
"I think in this phase it's important that (the incoming director) know Miami well," Corbett said. "To be successful in an emerging program you have to have relationships with people."
According to Corbett, it has been difficult to cultivate interest in the position from within the university.
"People didn't come running over saying, 'Yes we want to be the next director,'" Corbett said.
Many see the role of a director to be a taxing one, Corbett said.
"It's a tough time to be an administrator; budget cuts in the state (and) the challenges of dealing with a financial situation that isn't what we saw five years ago," Corbett said.
Corbett said she has no plans of extending her time as interim director.
"I started July 1 and I conclude June 30,, 2010, and under no circumstance will I extend my term," Corbett said.
Some searches are closed forever if the role is not found, Ellison said.
"A year ago, with the onset (of the recession) there were many faculty positions in early fall and the searches are closed," Ellison said. "There would have to be a change in the status quo for budgetary reasons to be that the search isn't fulfilled."
Corbett will not need to fail her search or be asked back for a longer time commitment.
"We're fine with having one candidate and we're currently working on schedule in January," Corbett said.
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