A policy increasing criminal background checks at Ohio University might be added soon to the university's Policy and Procedure Manual for the first time ever, but faculty members fear it could make attracting desirable applicants harder.
The Office of Legal Affairs is drafting a policy formalizing an occasionally haphazard process, said Nicolette Dioguardi, associate director of the office. Hiring units, such as college deans, now conduct background checks through University Personnel Services at their discretion, but the new policy would give more specific instructions on which types of background checks to conduct and when.
We are going to implement a policy on criminal background checks
Dioguardi said.
The policy would make more frequent use of Full Service Screening (formerly PeopleWise), the online investigation service with which OU already has a three-year contract. The service searches information such as criminal records, licensing records and credit reports. It is unclear which OU hires would require background checks if the policy were implemented.
A name, address and telephone verification using a Social Security Number costs $5; a county criminal record check costs $16.50 per county; and a state criminal record check costs $16.50 per state, according to an e-mail memo from Provost Kathy Krendl to faculty.
There was not a specific incident that sparked the conversation about background checks, Dioguardi said. Rather, she said her office has had a hand in the project since former Provost Sharon Brehm (1996 to 2001) first expressed desire to standardize the process. Krendl came to the legal affairs office after several college deans requested action on background checks.
This time they decided yes we are going to move forward
Dioguardi said.
But faculty members were not involved in the discussion of the new policy, said Phyllis Bernt, Faculty Senate chair.
It took faculty pretty much by surprise
Bernt said.
The legal affairs office has heard suggestions from faculty to improve the language, which would have to be reviewed first by OU President Roderick McDavis and his cabinet and later by the Policy and Procedure Committee before becoming effective, Dioguardi said.
Many faculty said they thought the new policy would require fingerprinting, Dioguardi said. Fingerprinting will not be required in investigations for faculty and staff, for the most part, according to Krendl's memo. University professors are not required under state law to be fingerprinted, unlike employees who work with minors, such as high school teachers and daycare workers.
Where it gets tricky is when you have kids from the high schools taking courses on campus
Dioguardi said. Do you have to fingerprint that faculty member? Our answer is no.
Faculty have raised many concerns about privacy and the image OU projects with respect to workplace environment, Bernt said.
I don't want to give people the wrong idea of what OU is like
she said. You send a certain kind of message.
But a more over-arching concern might be the effect the policy has on attracting outstanding faculty, Bernt said.
If I looked at two jobs
I would go with the one which said you didn't need a background check - and I don't have a criminal record
she said.
However, a look at the results of background checks highlights the advantages of the process, Dioguardi said.
There was a part-time faculty member at a regional campus
and they received notice the university was not renewing their contract
Dioguardi said. We found out that person was not licensed in the subject they said they were licensed in
