Appointments at the ranks of Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor, and Research Professor are subject to Affirmative Action procedures. These positions are normally based on external funding and must be approved by the Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Recruitment prior to starting the recruitment process. This can be as simple as an email but written approval is recommended and must be provided up front. Then, all such appointments must be submitted to the Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development by submitting the Request to Negotiate packet via DocuSign PowerForm.
The Faculty Recruitment Office in the Office of the Provost (OTP) will no longer be accepting requests to negotiate via email submission. The new procedure uses DocuSign PowerForms and is the only method for submitting these requests moving forward. The request to negotiate process and required documents has not changed.
Unit heads should continue to work with their department staff to initiate the submission of the request to the Dean's Office. The RTN form is now a DocuSign PowerForm, replacing the PDF version. Search Committee Chairs and unit heads will now get a DocuSign request to sign the RTN form, making the process streamlined and more efficient.
Before we make an offer of appointment, either verbally or in writing, permission to negotiate must be approved. After interviews of the finalists and appropriate consultation with the faculty as described in the Dietrich School Bylaws, the unit head should submit such requests to the office of the Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Recruitment via DocuSign PowerForm to the Faculty Actions Manager. Requests may be submitted to negotiate with more than one finalist for a given faculty position, but such requests must clearly rank-order the finalists. Approved negotiations may take place only in that order and may not be undertaken simultaneously.
Enclosures should include (submitted via PowerForm to the Faculty Actions Manager at faffairs@pitt.edu):
- Chair’s Cover letter
- CVs for all finalists listed
- Top candidate's personal statement, if applicable
- Recommendation letters for top candidate (at least three) from individuals outside the University.
- Search committee report, if applicable
- The completed RTN PowerForm listing and including:
- the proposed candidate;
- the names of all finalists;
- job ad from posting
- How hiring the top candidate adds to the unit's mission?
7. An electronic draft offer letter should be emailed to the Faculty Actions Manager and not uploaded to the PowerForm. See "Offer and Non-Renewal Letter Templates".
Once approved by the Dean’s Office, this will be submitted to the Office of the Provost for review and approval. Once that approval is obtained, the Dean’s Office will send the offer letter directly to the candidate.
For Research Faculty reappointments, please see Reappointment in the Appointment Stream (AS) | Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences | University of Pittsburgh.
Updated December 2025