Hiring Processes
The Human Resources Office works with departments and colleges to perform organizational structure reviews, position development, recruitment advertising, selection, background checks, re-employment, and temporary employment while ensuring contractual and legal obligations are met.
The Office of Affirmative Action & Legal Affairs oversees affirmative action, hiring goals, and immigration processes for the University.
Employees at WSU are considered employees of the State of Minnesota. Positions with the university generally fall into two categories:
- Classified (ex: technical professionals, office and administrative specialists, maintenance workers)
- Unclassified (ex: faculty, adjunct faculty, deans, director of programs, vice presidents)
- Temporary Special Assignment Hires
- Emergency Hires
Classified Positions
Classified positions include those which are covered by the:
- AFSCME, MAPE, MMA, or MNA bargaining agreements
- Managerial Plan
- Commissioner’s Plan
To establish a new classified position, you will need to prepare a new position description which will go through a formal classification process.
To request to hire a temporary or permanent a classified employee, complete the Position Requisition Request form.
Learn how to conduct a search for approved permanent hires.
Unclassified Positions
Unclassified positions include positions which are covered by the:
- IFO or ASF bargaining agreements
- Administrators Plan
- Develop a Position: Filling an Administrator position on a temporary or permanent basis requires a position description that has been through the formal range assignment process. Contact the CHRO to initiate this process.
- Request to Hire: To request to hire an Administrator, complete the Position Requisition Request Form.
- Conduct a Search: Learn how to conduct a search for approved hires.
- Develop a Position: Filling an ASF position on a temporary or permanent basis requires a position description that has been through the formal range assignment process. To establish a new position, you will need to prepare a position description.
- Request to Hire: To request to hire an ASF employee, complete the Position Requisition Request Form
- Conduct a Search: Learn how to conduct a search for approved hires
- Develop a Position: Filling an IFO position requires a Faculty Notice of Vacancy (DOCX) on the current template. This does not apply to adjunct appointments.
- Request to Hire: To request to hire an IFO faculty, complete the Position Requisition Request – IFO Form.
- Conduct a Search: Learn how to conduct a search for approved hires.
In certain circumstances, permanent faculty may not be able to accomplish their entire workload— especially when it comes to overload. The President or designee may determine an additional faculty member is necessary and authorize adjunct appointments to:
- Meet temporary staffing needs due to enrollment increases for which normal full funding is not provided
- Meet temporary staffing needs when faculty are reassigned to other duties, are on sabbatical, or are on other leaves of absences
- Teach courses requiring special expertise and/or meet special programmatic needs of departments, such expertise and needs that cannot otherwise be provided by the faculty within the department
Hiring a New Adjunct
The hiring department initiates an Adjunct Pool Form.
The candidate will provide information relating to their expertise and experience in addition to a copy of a current CV or resume and unofficial transcript. They also must disclose whether they are currently employed at another state agency, as this can affect how the person is paid and could require their placement on an IFO contract salary schedule.
Once the candidate submits their information, the Chair will be notified via email to review the Adjunct Pool Form. The Chair will confirm the qualifications of the candidate in order to meet the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and program accreditation requirements.
Once the Chair approves the online application, the Dean will be notified via email to review the Adjunct Pool Form and initiate the hire of the new adjunct. When the Dean initiates a hire:
- The Chair is notified and may contact the adjunct with assignment details
- Human Resources is notified to complete the employee hiring process
If a Class is Cancelled
If a class is cancelled after the record in FWM has been approved and processed, update the Curriculum Management system and then immediately email Human Resources to stop the pay as soon as possible.
The Curriculum Management system will update FWM to show that the class is no longer being offered.
Temporary Special Assignment Hires
A supervisor who wants to hire a non-WSU employee to complete a short-term project or assignment can make a temporary special assignment hire.
Before any work is completed by the employee, the supervisor must complete the applicable hiring process if the employee is:
- Employed by another Minnesota State institution or Office of the Chancellor
- Employed by another state agency (e.g. Department of Health, Department of Education)
- Not employed by the state
Use these resources if the employee is employed within Minnesota State.
If the employee is employed by another state agency, you will:
- Complete a blanket order requisition in Marketplace
- Work with the WSU Business Office to complete an Inter-Agency Agreement (PDF)
If the employee is not employed through the State of Minnesota, review the process for vendor contracts.
Also follow the Independent Contractor Employee Status Checklist.
Emergency Hire
An emergency hire is a hire for a limited time (up to 1 year) that does not go through the full search process.
There are limited circumstances an emergency hire may be authorized such as:
- unexpected absence
- resignation
- death
- the result of a failed search in which there is insufficient time to conduct a full search
Contact Affirmative Action if you believe you will need to make an emergency hire.
Background Checks
Winona State University (WSU) seeks to ensure the health and safety of all WSU students, faculty, staff, and members of the public while on WSU campus property, and at WSU affiliated events and programs. As a result, WSU requires background checks for all WSU students, faculty, staff, and volunteers as required under WSU Policy 5-17 and WSU Procedure 5-17a.
WSU is authorized to conduct fingerprint-based background checks under Minnesota State Statutes 299C.66-299C.71 (Kari Koskinen Act), Minnesota State Statutes 245C and 299C.60-299C.64 (Minnesota Child Protection Act), Minnesota State Statute 326.336 subdivision 1 (Security Officers), and 299C.46 (Access to Criminal History Records Information).
The process for each of the required checks are as follows:
- Minnesota State Guideline FSR0002 (PDF) for Housing and Facilities personnel (Kari Koskinen Act Checks/Minnesota Statute 299C.66-299C.71)
- Minnesota State Guideline FSR0005 (PDF) for child care workers in the Daycare Center (Child Care Worker & Minnesota Child Protection Act/Minnesota Statutes 245C and 299C.60-299C.64)
- Minnesota State Guideline FSR0006 (PDF) for Security personnel (Security Officers/Minnesota Statute 326.336 subdivision 1)
- Minnesota State Guideline FSR0008 (https://mnscu.sharepoint.com/sites/hr/Resources/Guide_FSR0008.pdf) (PDF) for anyone working with minors on campus (Minnesota Child Protection Act/Minnesota Statute 299C.60-299C.64)
- WSU Process for CHRI Checks (PDF) (Minnesota Statute 299C.46) for anyone receiving Criminal History Records Information (CHRI) on others such as HR and Security personnel
- WSU Process for Working with Minors Checks (PDF) | Working with Minors Checks Waiver and Consent Form (PDF)