Adjunct Hiring Process Guidelines

Adjunct faculty members are critical to the success of our teaching mission at Minnesota State University, Mankato. However, it is also critical to ensure that we continue to employ qualified adjunct faculty members through an approved hiring process that facilities their on-boarding at the University. This process is designed to efficiently and effectively assign teaching load with appropriate compensation to adjunct faculty. The deadline for completing the adjunct hiring process (e.g., all paperwork completed and processed through Human Resources) is on or before the last duty day of the semester prior to the adjunct hiring.

Adjunct positions may be posted through Human Resources. However, if the department has an existing pool of qualified adjuncts, a department is not required to post the position online through Human Resources although a department is required to follow the process for employing adjunct faculty members as follows:

1. Offer Overload
   Departments are first required to offer course(s)/assignment(s) to current Minnesota State University department faculty, per the IFO Master Agreement, before any possible adjunct assignment(s) can be made. If none of the current Minnesota State University faculty in a department expresses interest in teaching the proposed coursework on an overload assignment, a department may move forward with the approval process for hiring the adjunct position.
2. Communication to Adjunct Candidate
   The department sends an email to the adjunct candidate which includes a link to the online Perceptive Content (Image Now) application Word Version . The completed application will indicate whether the individual is currently working in another department or at another state agency as this may affect how the person is paid and may require placement on the IFO contract salary schedule.
   • The adjunct candidate will be asked to provide a copy of a current CV/Resume and Unofficial Transcript during the application process.
   • If the documents were previously submitted, the adjunct candidate can indicate that information by checking the appropriate box on the application.
3. Adjunct Approval Process
   • Once the candidate has submitted their completed application, the Chair will receive an email notification indicating that a new application is ready to be processed.
     • The Chair will need to confirm the qualifications of the candidate in order to meet the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and program accreditation requirements pertaining to faculty qualifications.
     • Once the Chair approves the online application, an email will be sent to the Dean indicating an application needs to be reviewed.
   • The Dean, Office of the Provost Budget Officer and Associate Provost will review the application and confirm/deny (in respective order). Email notifications will be sent along the way to notify the next approver.
   • Human Resources will verify that an Official Transcript is currently on file. An email will be sent to the Chair & Dean, indicating a job offer may be extended to the candidate at this time.
4. Create Written Offer
   • As the hiring authority, the Dean is responsible for extending the job offer to the intended adjunct candidate. All offers will be made contingent upon receipt of an official transcript (if not already on file in HR), sufficient enrollment and available budget to meet the University’s obligations. As a reminder, the Department Chair does not have the hiring authority.
     • All new adjuncts, or current adjuncts who have completed another degree, are required to submit an official transcript of his/her highest relevant degree(s).
     • The official transcript must be received before an adjunct can begin teaching.
     • The applicant must request the official transcript be sent in a sealed envelope directly from the granting institution to our Human Resources Department, 336 Wigley Administration Center.
     • Any exceptions to the degree requirements must be approved in advance of an offer by the Dean in accordance with the University’s process for recognizing “tested experience” under HLC faculty credentialing requirements referred to above.
   • When it is determined an adjunct will be assigned to teach a specific course, the Dean's office will send the Adjunct Offer Letter to the candidate.
   • Once the Offer Letter has been accepted, signed and returned to the Deans Office, please scan and email the Offer Letter to HR-Adjuncts@mnsu.edu.
     • New Hires – Human Resources will send a Welcome Email to the employee which will include a link for the Retirement Checklist . Human Resources will also send a Secure Token email to the employee. Once the employee activates the Secure Token, a StarID and Tech ID are created. The employee will be asked to submit the following information in Employee Home:
       Direct Deposit and W4 information should be entered into Self Service once the employee receives a letter and brochure in the mail from the payroll office. The letter will contain a Payroll ID number, which is used to log into Self Service.
       • Name
       • Personal Information
       • Contact Information
       • Emergency Contact Information
       • I-9 Information
       • Credentials (Transcript information)
     • Rehires – Human Resources will send an email reminder to adjuncts with the following information:
       • Review/update personal information in Employee Home
       • Review/update Direct Deposit/W4 in Self Service
       • Submit a new Retirement Checklist if there are any recent changes
       • Update I9 information if required to do so
5. I-9 Form
   • Section 1 of the I-9 is required to be completed online by the employee no later than the first day of employment, but not before accepting a job offer.
   • Section 2 of the I-9 is required to be completed by Human Resources within 3 business days of the employee’s first day of employment. The original documentation required for Section 2 must be viewed by Human Resources, 336 Wigley Administration Center, to meet I-9 regulations. If the adjunct will not be working on the Mankato campus, immediately contact Human Resources 389-2015 to make the necessary Remote Hire arrangements.
   • I-9 regulations require that if the guidelines listed above are not met, employment will be terminated, and the department may be charged an audit fee.
6. Faculty Workload Management (FWM)
   • For a new adjunct, the Secure Token must be activated by the employee before his/her name can be entered into the Term Course Schedule tab in the Curriculum Management system. (Returning adjuncts can be entered into Curriculum Management after a job offer has been accepted)
   • Curriculum Management will feed the information into FWM at which time the Department/Dean's Office should approve the assignment details.
   • The signed offer letter needs to be uploaded and attached to every assignment in FWM.
   • Once the Dean has reviewed and approved the FWM record, Human Resources will process and upload the data into SCUPPS.
   • For an adjunct employee to be paid on the first full pay period after the start of a semester, the FWM record must be processed through Human Resources one week before the first duty day of the semester, if not before. Earlier submissions are appreciated due to volume.
     Note: For spring semester, this means the transaction must be processed before leaving for the holiday break or the adjunct faculty member may not be paid until the second full pay period--at the earliest.
   • No adjunct faculty member may teach without an offer letter, official transcript, resume and completed Form I-9 which has been processed through Human Resources.
7. Class Cancellations
   If a class is canceled after the record in FWM has been approved and processed, update the Curriculum Management system and then immediately email hr-adjuncts@mnsu.edu to notify HR, so that pay can be stopped as soon as possible. The Curriculum Management system will update FWM to show that the class is no longer being offered.
8. Staff login and help documentation