Reference Check Information
Reference Checks for the recruitment process of Academic Senate Ladder Rank Assistant Professor, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Professor, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Professor of Teaching, and Acting Professor of Law through Professor of Law positions.
Reference Checks apply to the following faculty titles being recruited:
- Academic Senate Ladder Rank Assistant Professor, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Professor
- Assistant Professor of Teaching, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Professor of Teaching
- Acting Professor of Law through Professor of Law
Because the hiring step is determined after the candidate has gone through the appropriate appointment process, all applicants for these faculty positions are required to adhere to the following instructions.
The campus shall include the following statement in the posting of these faculty positions providing notice to applicants that UC Davis will conduct reference checks on first-choice candidates prior to hiring:
The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment, UC Davis conducts a reference check on all first-choice candidates for Academic Senate Assistant Professor, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Professor, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Professor of Teaching, and Acting Professor of Law through Professor of Law positions. The reference check involves contacting the administration of the applicant’s previous institution(s) to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University’s Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search for these faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into UC RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists considered for these faculty positions will be subject to reference checks.
All applicants for these searches will be asked to sign and upload an “Authorization to Release Information” form into UC RECRUIT. If the candidate does not include the signed authorization with the application materials in UC RECRUIT, the application will be incomplete and, as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration.
When the selection of the first choice candidate has been made, the Dean and/or Department Chair should contact Academic Affairs (vpaa_apteam@ucdavis.edu) to initiate the reference check process through email with the attached completed/signed release from the candidate, and current curriculum vitae (CV). Note, for appointment at the Assistant Professor or Assistant Professor of Teaching level, the proposed step (4, 5, or 6) needs to be included. Academic Affairs shall contact the academic personnel office (or equivalent) at one or more of the previous institutions where the candidate has been employed. This may occur concurrently with the negotiation of the terms in the Tentative Offer Letter (TOL); however, the reference check must be cleared before finalizing and having the candidate sign the TOL.
The Tentative Offer Letter (TOL) must also include the following statement where the first choice candidate signs:
By signing this letter, the undersigned represents that they are not currently the subject of any disciplinary proceeding (investigation, hearing, etc.) at any and all academic institutions, places of employment, academic/professional societies, and/or professional licensing or certification bodies, nor have they in the past 10 (ten) years been formally disciplined at any of the following: any and all academic institutions, places of employment, academic/professional societies, and/or professional licensing or certification bodies. If there are questions about this attestation, please contact Sandi Glithero (sjglithero@ucdavis.edu).
Note: The candidate may append a statement of explanation regarding any information or materials shared.
Departments proposing search waivers, in accordance with the “Guidelines Search Waivers and Search Exemptions for Academic Appointees at the University of California,” must initiate the reference check process for these faculty positions (e.g., Spousal/Partner Hire or Target of Excellence [TOE]). The Dean and/or the Department Chair must follow the same steps to initiate the reference check process while the TOL is being drafted, and wait for the reference check clearance before finalizing and having the candidate sign the TOL for a Spousal/Partner Hire or Target of Excellence hire.
Academic Affairs will provide the signed release to the previous institution(s) and ask for information about misconduct related to teaching, research, service, and (if applicable) clinical care. Academic Affairs will not contact the candidate’s department or search chair, unless there is no other office of record for faculty misconduct at the institution.
Academic Affairs will limit its inquiry to substantiated findings of misconduct and associated discipline related to teaching, research, service and (if applicable) clinical care. In accordance with the signed authorization, the campus is entitled to this information, even if confidential, including any materials that have been sealed or agreed to be withheld pursuant to a prior agreement or court proceeding.
The dean and department chair, in consultation with Academic Affairs, will conduct an individualized assessment of any information received, including the nature of the conduct, the length of time passed, any corrective action taken, and any explanation offered by the candidate. After reviewing the information and in consultation with Academic Affairs, the dean and department chair will determine whether the candidate should still be eligible to be considered for the position. If it is determined that the candidate is not eligible, the candidate shall be notified and a second-choice candidate may be considered, subject to the reference check process.
This reference check program also applies to first choice candidates selected for hiring and appointment with no previous UC appointment as well as candidates with current or prior UC appointments. For those candidates with previous UC appointments, Academic Affairs may contact the current or previous UC campus(es) for any records related to disciplinary investigations or disciplinary action.
In order to protect a candidate’s privacy, all information received in connection with the Reference Check process will be treated as confidential and retained in accordance with UC policy. Should the candidate be offered and accept the position, any information received shall be securely maintained and held in the campus Academic Affairs Office.
Instructions for completing this process in the UC RECRUIT system are available at https://aadocs.ucdavis.edu/tools/recruit/reference-check-recruit-instructions.pdf.
Any questions regarding this program may be directed to Binnie Singh, Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Affairs (binsingh@ucdavis.edu).
- Historical Documentation related to Reference Checks
The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation.
To support this commitment, UC Davis initiated a pilot program for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 academic years to conduct reference checks on first choice candidates for academic appointments with tenure or security of employment, which became permanent in the 2020-2021 academic year. The current faculty hiring process solicits information regarding candidates’ qualifications through outside letters and enables UC Davis to obtain and review information about candidates’ conduct in their previous appointments that may be important to the hiring decision. The reference checks do not involve any process for criminal background checks, which are covered by other University policies.
In the 2020-21 academic year, a one-year pilot phase of this program was initiated to expand reference checks to all Academic Senate faculty who will be hired at the Assistant Professor or Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment, Steps 4, 5, or 6, or Acting Professor of Law. This became permanent in the 2022-23 academic year.