Glendale Community College Northwest State College Case Study

Case: Northwest State College
Northwest State College (a disguised name) is a four-year regional state college
and has an enrollment of about 3,500 students. Its business department has a
faculty of seven full-time instructors, and other part-time instructors are used as
needed. Currently about 900 students are majoring in business. The college is
located in a medium-sized northern community of about 70,000. Most of the
faculty recruiting is done by one person, the department head, who makes the
initial contact with prospective faculty members at various professional meetings
held during the school year. If the department head cannot attend a meeting
recruiting is done by an instructor from the business department.
Projections are that enrollment at Northwest State will increase about 25%
in the next five years. Most of the increase is expected in the business area.
The ideal faculty size would be about 16 full-time instructors. Most of the full-
time instructors currently in the Department of Business Administration hold MAs
or MBAs from various northern colleges. The salary scales and fringe benefits
are considered to be slightly lower than the compensation available at similar
colleges in the region. In addition to any increase in faculty members needed
due to enrollment, three replacements are needed for this fall in the business
area to replace individuals who have gone elsewhere.
Northwest State has a recruiting policy that requires final approval of
candidates by the department head, the vice president for academic affairs, and
the president of the college. In addition, the school has a policy requiring that at
least two candidates be invited to the campus before any candidate can be hired
so that adequate screening can take place. Often the result is a waiting period of
two months between initial contact, application, and campus interview for most
applicants. Some other small colleges in the area pay full travel expenses for
potential candidates, while the majority of the others pay at least half. Northwest
State does not pay any travel expenses if the candidate is not hired. Only if the
candidate is offered a position and accepts is full reimbursement for travel
expenses given. Usually the payment comes about two months after the campus
interview.
In the past Northwest State has not been very successful in filling empty
positions. The president is concerned and wants to evaluate the recruiting
program so that a better one can be designed.

Questions
Applicant Perspective
1. List and explain two reasons why you would not consider a
position at Northwest State if you were a potential applicant.
HR Perspective
1. Do you think the current recruitment process is effective? Why or
why not? Include three reasons that support your position.
2. What components in a recruiting system would you use for this
position?
3. What recruitment sources do you think would be most effective to
attract instructors?
4. Identify two job search recruitment sites that you would
recommend. Explain why you chose those sites.