The Daily Bulletin Archive

PeopleAdmin, a new electronic application and search-process system, is set to launch July 1. The system will allow search committee chairs to develop recruitment plans; review applications, résumés, and cover letters; and complete search documentation in a paperless environment.

PeopleAdmin also allows job applicants to search and apply for faculty, professional staff, and administrative positions online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from any computer with Internet access.

The system is used at more than 400 higher education institutions nationwide. Buffalo State joins other SUNY schools such as Fredonia, Geneseo, and the University at Buffalo with the implementation of PeopleAdmin. The Web-based tool will not change the hiring process but will automate and simplify the recruitment process.

“We’ve been moving to a more electronic process for hiring the past three or four years,” said Dolores Battle, senior adviser to the president for equity and campus diversity. “PeopleAdmin provides us a structured system. It’s a ‘green’ approach.”

“PeopleAdmin will improve our communication with applicants,” added Susan Earshen, director of human resource management. The system sends confirmation receipts to applicants and allows them to verify “received” status online.

A committee led by Ted Schmidt, chair and associate professor of economics and finance, began investigating online application systems for Buffalo State two years ago. The committee reviewed various vendors and determined that PeopleAdmin, which specializes in higher education, offered a superior applicant-tracking system. Applicant data also is saved and backed up on PeopleAdmin’s servers.

Dennis McCarthy, senior research associate and former associate dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, is leading an implementation team of staff members who are working to prepare PeopleAdmin for its July 1 debut. “Initially, we’ll be using PeopleAdmin for non-classified positions that require a search,” he said. “Once the system is up, Human Resources will set up targeted training for new users and provide technical assistance.”

Battle said PeopleAdmin should also aid in the collection of EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) data, such as the gender and race/ethnicity of applicants. This information is required by the U.S. Department of Education and is used to monitor the success of recruitment efforts.

“The system allows us to see who applied, who was offered an interview, and who was hired—tracking the employment application process from beginning to end,” Battle said. “The Equity and Campus Diversity Office will continue to work with search committees to increase diversity in our applicant pools and make sure all applicants are treated fairly.”

Battle added she would have been concerned a few years ago about computer accessibility, but doesn’t see the electronic format as a limitation today. She also said users find PeopleAdmin intuitive.

With the online system, Earshen expects a reduction in paper, immediate access to applications, a shortened time frame for hiring, an increase in EEOC responses, and improved communication for users. Electronic routing for approvals, the elimination of shared-drive folders, and no further need to scan applications should all contribute to greater efficiency.

McCarthy best summarizes the forthcoming implementation: “We’ve made it to the twenty-first century.”