Last revised February 2023

Overview

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is committed to building and maintaining an excellent and diverse faculty. The university requires all appointees to faculty and academic staff positions to meet the highest standards in teaching, research, and service or public engagement. Faculty and academic staff members meeting these criteria are best identified through the regular recruitment and search processes, funded through departmental and college procedures. However, under special circumstances, the Office of the Provost may provide funding for a position and/or allow a search waiver when a special recruitment will contribute to the university’s strategic objectives and institutional priorities.

The Office of the Provost supports three programs in which partial or total central financial support for academic positions may be provided: the Faculty Excellence Program (see Communication No. 4); the Targets of Opportunity Program (see Communication No. 7); and the Dual Career Program, described herein. The overriding criterion for granting financial support and/or a search waiver is whether the request contributes to academic excellence as measured by usual standards for hiring and as outlined in the strategic goals of the unit, college, and campus.

Dual Career Program

The University of Illinois is committed to its faculty members and their partners. The Dual Career Program helps partners of tenure-system faculty members to identify and pursue employment opportunities in the community as well as on campus. 

Dual Career Liaison. The Office of the Provost, in collaboration with Illinois Human Resources, works with individual units and faculty members on dual career cases. The Dual Career Liaison works with Unit Executive Officers (EOs) to identify and explore appropriate employment opportunities for a faculty member’s partner both on campus and in the community. The Dual Career Liaison is also available to meet with faculty members and their partners to discuss university and community employment resources including assistance with application materials review, interview preparation, networking opportunities, warm introductions to hiring managers, and information about Champaign County and surrounding communities. The Dual Career Liaison has established a broad network of community contacts and can provide information related to area employers, job openings, and networking opportunities.

Guidelines, criteria, and the process for dual career support requests are described below. In addition, a definition of terms used in this document is provided in the attachments. 

Guidelines and Criteria

In this section, the parameters of the program are described.

Eligibility

The focus of this program is on the recruitment and retention of tenure-system faculty members, heretofore referred as the primary hire. Under certain circumstances, the Dual Career Program can facilitate the employment of the primary hire’s partner, heretofore referred as the dual career partner. The campus may also provide dual career support for primary hires at senior, campus-level administrative positions.

The program does not extend support to the recruitment or retention of specialized faculty members and other employment categories as the primary hire. For the partners of these individuals, the Dual Career Liaison may, under limited circumstances, provide guidance of job opportunities and general advice on the search process on campus and in the community.

Employment Placements for Dual Career Partner Hires

The placement for the partner of the primary hire is typically made on campus and, in some cases, financial support for the position is provided. Although this program is geared primarily to appointments of tenure-system faculty positions, compelling requests for dual career partner appointments for all other employment classifications will be entertained.

1. Tenure-system Faculty Position. Most partner hires involve an appointment to a tenure-system faculty position. To be eligible for a tenure-system faculty position, dual career partners must demonstrate the level of excellence, or potential for excellence, that is expected of candidates for tenure-system positions identified through a regular search process.
2. Specialized Faculty Position. To be eligible for a specialized faculty position, dual career partners must demonstrate the level of excellence, or potential for excellence, that is expected of candidates for the specialized faculty position identified through a regular search process.
3. Postdoctoral Fellow Position. Under certain limited circumstances, the Provost’s Office may extend support for a postdoctoral fellow position, including those funded by soft monies such as grant-funded research projects. It should be noted that the maximum duration of funding from the Office of the Provost will only be for the period the soft money is available or up to three years, whichever ends first.
   
   To be eligible for a postdoctoral fellow position, dual career partners must demonstrate the level of excellence, or potential for excellence that is expected of candidates for the postdoctoral position identified through a regular search process.
4. Academic Professional or Civil Service Position. Under limited and exceptional circumstances, the Dual Career Program may support Academic Professional (AP) and Civil Service hires. To be eligible, the AP or Civil Service position must be deemed “mission-critical,” but even then, funding is not guaranteed.
   
   There may be open vacancies for AP positions within a unit that are advertised and for which the dual career partner may qualify. The unit interested in hiring the dual career partner may also request a search waiver for a new position. Under certain limited circumstances, the Provost’s Office may extend support for a soft-money-funded AP position (e.g., state or federal contract), but only for the duration of the soft money or up to three years, whichever ends first.
   
   The Dual Career Program does not provide search waivers for Civil Service positions on campus due to the State Universities Civil Service System’s rules and procedures. However, the Dual Career Liaison can discuss the Civil Service application/hiring process with dual career partners and can connect them with staff members in Illinois Human Resources who can assist with any Civil Service questions. If a dual career partner is found to be competitive in Civil Service searches, the hiring unit may request dual career funding, which will be awarded on a case-by-case basis upon completion of the search.
5. Visiting Position. Visiting appointments for dual career partners are not eligible for support from the Office of the Provost, except in special circumstances.
6. Graduate Assistant Position. The Dual Career Program does not cover placement into graduate programs. Dual career partners must apply to a graduate program and if the dual career partner is admitted on their merits, the primary hire’s department/unit may provide funding toward the dual career partner’s education.
7. Non-university Position. Appointments for dual career partners hired in organizations and companies outside of the university are not eligible for financial support through the Dual Career Program.

Units must recognize that providing an opportunity to the dual career partner is a resource commitment. Therefore, employment opportunities for the dual career partner must be mission-critical to the campus. A dual career partner is hired to perform a specific role that benefits a campus unit. Dual career partner hires must meet the high standards of excellence expected of all university employees.

Amount and Duration of Funding for Dual Career Partners

Subject to the availability of funds, the Office of the Provost may provide up to 1/3 of the required funding for the base salary of an approved dual career partner. This funding commitment represents the portion of the dual career partner’s initial base salary to the dual career partner’s unit. Salary adjustments come out of the annual salary pool distributed to units.

Funding is recurring for dual career partners hired as tenure-system faculty members. For appointments to all other positions, the funding commitment may last up to three years, after which it is expected that the dual career partner’s employer will assume the full cost of the commitment. 

For positions funded on soft money, once the original commitment of funds from the Provost’s Office expires, it is expected that the partner’s employer will assume the full cost of the commitment (e.g., by writing the cost of employing the partner into the next grant application) or that the position will end. All parties, including the dual career partner, primary hire, lead unit, and the dual career partner’s unit, should clearly understand that the dual career partner’s position would rely fully on soft funds in order to be renewed.

Additional information about the funding limits and appropriation guidelines for the positions supported through the Dual Career Program are described in Section VI of this Provost Communication.

Process

During Recruitment of the Primary Hire

The recruitment and interview period are a critical time during the faculty search process. During the recruitment and interview phase of the search, units must remember that it is inappropriate to ask candidates if they have a partner or any questions related to their partner’s situation. It is important that units provide each candidate with information about campus and community resources, including Illinois’ robust program for helping partners find employment on campus and in our community. If the candidate volunteers information that they have a partner who would be seeking employment, units can specifically inform the candidate about the Dual Career Program.

After the Unit Extends an Offer to the Primary Hire

Once the unit selects a final candidate (i.e., primary hire) from its faculty search, it is acceptable to ask the final candidate if there are other considerations regarding their potential move. When communicating about the Dual Career Program, it is important to set reasonable expectations and not overpromise or guarantee employment for the final candidate’s partner.

1. Role of the Executive Officer of the Lead Unit. When the final candidate expresses a desire to find employment for their partner, the lead unit’s EO is encouraged to refer the candidate and their partner to meet with the Dual Career Liaison to assist with locating opportunities in campus units and in the community.
   
   If the final candidate’s partner is interested in a position on campus, the EO of the lead unit is responsible for contacting the appropriate unit to discuss opportunities for possible employment and negotiate an appropriate position for the final candidate’s partner. It is encouraged for the EO to collaborate with the Dual Career Liaison who may assist in the process. The liaison may be able to initiate contact between the lead unit and potential dual career partner’s unit and provide guidance through the necessary next steps.
2. Role of the Executive Officer of the Dual Career Partner Unit. When the EO of a lead unit or the Dual Career Liaison reaches out to another unit regarding a potential dual career partner hire, it is usually with urgency to enable them to firm up the job offer to the final candidate. Thus, EOs of the potential dual career partner units are highly encouraged to respond promptly to the request and maintain communication until a final decision is made. Immediate next steps for the potential dual career partner unit are for the EO to engage in multiple discussions with key colleagues about the potential dual career partner hire. This should include the Dean, School Director (if applicable), members of the unit’s advisory/executive committee, faculty members, and/or other interested parties.
   
   If the potential dual career partner’s unit is interested in hiring the dual career partner and a possible position has been identified within the unit, the EO will commence the process to evaluate the dual career partner’s credentials and match with the unit’s needs through a process appropriate to the position. This will usually involve a review of the dual career partner hire’s CV or resume, an interview, a campus visit, and reference letters.

When the Lead and Partner Units Agree on a Hiring Plan for the Dual Career Partner Hire

After the interview process and if both units agree to move forward, they must take the following actions before sending the proposal to the Office of the Provost for review:

1. The EO of the lead unit should prepare a letter of justification addressed to the Provost requesting to appoint the dual career partner in order to recruit or retain the faculty member who is the primary hire. The letter should also describe how the primary hire will enhance the unit’s mission and indicate that the lead unit is willing to furnish at least 1/3 of the salary of the dual career partner for the duration of the Provost’s commitment.
2. The EO of the dual career partner unit should prepare a letter addressed to the Provost to justify the appointment of the dual career partner based on legitimate unit needs and the candidate’s qualifications. The unit must also be willing to support 1/3 of the dual career partner’s proposed salary for the duration of the Provost’s commitment and indicate a plan to fund the position for the long-term.
3. The EOs of the units should forward the proposal through the appropriate channels for review and approval, including the deans of both the lead and dual career partner units.
4. Upon obtaining approval of the proposal from both the lead and dual career partner units, the EO of the employing unit of the dual career partner hire should transmit a request to the Office of the Provost, via Cornerstone, to appoint the individual. Please note that a separate search waiver request is not necessary.

Retention of the Primary Hire and the Dual Career Program

Tenure-system faculty members already employed by the university may also utilize this program. This program may benefit units when the employment of a tenure-system faculty member’s partner can contribute to their retention. The process described in Sections IV.B. and IV.C. apply similarly in retention cases.

Review Process

If the dual career request involves awarding tenure to the dual career partner hire prior to their arrival at Illinois, the decision at the campus level is made by the Provost using the off-cycle promotion and tenure review process. This process normally takes 5 to 10 workdays after the Office of the Provost receives the paperwork from the lead and dual career partner hire units.

In cases that do not require tenure review, the process normally takes 2 to 4 workdays after the Office of the Provost receives the required forms and supporting documents.

Funding Limits and Appropriation Guidelines

The Office of the Provost will provide up to one-third of the required funding for the initial base salary of an approved dual career partner hire. The Provost does not provide funding outside of the salary such as start-up funds, moving allowance, etc. For dual career partners hired in a tenure-stream position, the funding from the Provost is recurring. For appointments to all other positions, the Provost may commit funds up to three years from the time of hiring (see Section III.C.). Salary adjustments come out of the annual salary pool distributed to units.

It is possible to request a search waiver to hire a dual career partner without requesting funding from the Provost’s Office. In this situation, both units must come to an agreement if the lead and dual career partner units or solely the dual career partner unit will fund the entire position. The unit that wishes to hire the dual career partner must still follow the procedure described in Section IV.C. and attach all pertinent documentation to obtain a search waiver. The requested waiver must support the excellence of both the unit in which the faculty member is being recruited, or potentially retained, and the unit to which the partner would be appointed. If mutually agreed upon by both units, funding time limits can be set for the lead or dual career partner unit. In these situations, it is imperative that both units and the dual career partner hire have a clear understanding of what will happen at the end of the funding commitment.

At the conclusion of the funding commitment from the Provost, the unit employing the dual career partner will assume the full salary commitment, unless otherwise specified in the written agreement between the lead and dual career partner units.

Upon the resignation, termination, or retirement of the dual career partner hired through the Dual Career program, the funds allocated by the campus to the dual career partner’s unit and by the lead unit to the dual career partner’s unit will revert to the initial funding units.

Funding commitments by the lead unit and dual career partner hire unit remain intact until the dual career partner separates from the University, regardless of a change in personal status of the partners (e.g., separation or divorce) or departure of the primary hire (e.g., retirement, resignation, or termination).

Note that funding does not automatically follow the individual. Dual career funding is allocated not to help a person obtain employment, but rather for that person to perform a specific role that benefits a campus unit. If the dual career partner changes positions within campus, the new hiring unit must initiate a new request following the processes described in Section IV.C.

Attachments

1. Glossary of Terms
2. Frequently Asked Questions