Introduction

Like many liberal arts colleges in rural areas, Middlebury College understands that both a candidate for the Faculty and the spouse/partner of that candidate often seek employment simultaneously. In order that Middlebury College continue to be a desirable place to work and live, the College seeks to respond to these needs to the extent it is able by providing informational assistance to spouses and partners who seek employment.  One of the College's most important goals must be to attract and to retain the very best faculty and staff.  Spousal/partner employment is a vital consideration in realizing this goal.

Guidelines 

Middlebury College will try to facilitate spouse/partner employment in the following ways.  Certain College offices—the Provost’s Office, the Human Resources Office, and the Career Services Office—will extend assistance in helping the spouses/partners of present or incoming faculty and staff to secure employment in the community.  A person who is a spouse/partner of a Middlebury College employee, or a candidate for employment, shall be considered on an equal basis with all other applicants under the College's equal employment opportunity policies.

Middlebury College, however, cannot guarantee employment for any individual. Spousal/partner employment will be based upon the same principles pertaining to employment elsewhere at the College:

1) Middlebury will strive to attract and retain the best faculty and staff.

2) While doing so, Middlebury will also strive to increase the number of women and persons of color on its administration, faculty and staff.

In addition, Middlebury College is an active member of the Academic Career Network and the New England Higher Education Recruitment Consortium, both of which are regional ventures that seek to address dual-career problems in academic institutions. The Academic Career Network offers a number of faculty-oriented career support services, including a Web-based database of faculty partner profiles, a website that maintains links to academic and administrative positions at member institutions that is available exclusively to faculty partners, personalized notification of relevant career opportunities for registered partners; and career management and networking opportunities. Member institutions include Williams, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, Smith, Hampshire, UMass Amherst, Trinity, Connecticut, Vassar, Union, Skidmore, and Wesleyan.

The New England Higher Education Recruitment Consortium supports a higher education career website that provides one stop shopping for faculty and staff positions at member institutions.  The University of Vermont, Dartmouth, and Champlain College are among the 50 regional member institutions. 

Procedures

When a department chair schedules a campus interview for a candidate for a position on the Middlebury faculty, he or she should inform the candidate that it is College policy to offer informational assistance through the Human Resources Office to a spouse or partner who is seeking employment. The Dean of the Faculty will provide the candidate with information about the Academic Career Network.

A list of open positions at Middlebury College is maintained by Human Resources.

This website is linked to a listing of possible academic positions, which will be updated regularly by the academic administration.  The candidate should be given the name, address, and phone number of a staff member in Human Resources, as well as the home page website, so that s/he can undertake a search.  (Liaison in the Human Resources Office: Drew Macan, Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Organizational Development).

Extensive information on employers in the region is also available through the Vermont Department of Labor.

When a candidate visits Middlebury to be considered for a staff or administrative position, or when the spouse/partner of a current staff employee seeks staff employment, the candidate or the applicant shall be informed about the list of employment openings at the College, and shall also be given an opportunity to discuss College/area employment opportunities with a member of the Human Resources office.

Candidates who have been offered appointment at Middlebury College and current faculty may also avail themselves of the resources of the Career Services Office (CSO).  The CSO will make available:

• full use of website databases of potential employers (CareerSearch, Vermont Employer Showcase).  Passwords are available from the CSO at x5100.
• access to web page job listings (these are not limited to Vermont)
• job search coaching on a “first come-first serve” basis, schedule permitting.  Counselors will review resumés or CVs, consult on letters or interviews and discuss the best approach for exploring the local market. (Since the primary mission of CSO is to serve students and alumni, these groups have priority over faculty.  Consequently, the best time for faculty to take advantage of these services is between May and September.) It is also possible to conduct an initial inquiry and resumé review by email or telephone prior to arrival in Vermont
• appropriate referrals when possible

In addition, the spouse/partner of a current Middlebury faculty member will be eligible to apply for Middlebury College Staff vacancies posted for internal candidates.  Contact the Human Resources department for more information.

In dealing with issues of spousal/partner employment, the academic administration and other college offices can neither guarantee employment nor violate equal employment opportunity for all applicants.  The purpose of this policy and these procedures is to make certain that, for spouses and partners of current or prospective employees, information about job opportunities is made as readily and fully available as possible.