Idaho University: Background Checks For Students?

The University of Idaho requires criminal background checks for all non-student positions, graduate student appointees, postdoctoral scholars, and temporary help positions. Criminal background checks for student workers, interns, and volunteers are only required if their work involves significant contact with minors or is deemed security-sensitive by the hiring authority. The university also requires all faculty, exempt and classified employees to pass a criminal background check and driving record check to maintain a safe and secure working and learning environment. The university reserves the right to reject students from specialized programs or those with specific responsibilities based on background check findings.

Criminal background checks for student workers

The University of Idaho requires criminal background checks for all faculty, staff, and non-student employees. The university also requires criminal background checks for student workers in specific circumstances.

The University of Idaho mandates criminal background checks for student workers if their work involves two key factors:

• Significant Contact with Minors: If a student worker's role includes regular interaction with minors, a criminal background check is necessary. This measure ensures the safety and well-being of minors on campus and aligns with state regulations for individuals working with children.
• Security-Sensitive Work: The university leaves it to the hiring authority's discretion to determine if a student worker's position is security-sensitive. This classification may include access to restricted facilities, resources, finances, data, confidential information, or research. If the hiring authority deems the work security-sensitive, a criminal background check is required.

Procedures for Criminal Background Checks:

The University of Idaho has outlined specific procedures for conducting criminal background checks:

• Notification: All job postings that require a criminal background check must include a statement indicating that the position is subject to the successful completion of such a check.
• Contingent Offer of Employment: If necessary, the university may extend a contingent offer of employment before the background check is completed. However, the candidate cannot begin work or attend orientations until the background check is satisfactorily completed.
• Authorization: The hiring unit must submit a "Department Request for Criminal Background Check" for hires outside the online recruitment system. The candidate will receive an email to initiate the process and must provide the required personal information and electronically sign the necessary forms.
• Review of Results: The university's Human Resources (HR) department will review the background check results to determine the candidate's suitability for the position. HR will notify the hiring authority of the outcome.

Maintaining a Safe and Secure Environment:

The University of Idaho prioritizes maintaining a safe and secure working and learning environment for its faculty, staff, and students. By conducting criminal background checks for student workers in specific circumstances, the university reinforces its commitment to the well-being of its community.

For further details, refer to the University of Idaho's official policies and procedures regarding criminal background checks.

Background checks for graduate student appointees

The University of Idaho requires criminal background checks for graduate student appointees. The university also requires background checks for non-student hourly employees, J-1 scholars, and postdoctoral scholars.

Criminal background checks are also mandatory for student workers, interns, and volunteers if their work involves significant contact with minors or is deemed security-sensitive by the hiring authority. Security-sensitive work may include access to restricted facilities, resources, finances, data, confidential information, or research.

The university's Human Resources (HR) department handles all background check requests and inquiries. The official procedure for Criminal Background Checks can be found in the Administrative Procedures Manual Chapter 50.16.

For graduate student appointees, the background check process involves the following steps:

• The hiring unit submits a Department Request for a Criminal Background Check via the online request system.
• The request includes the candidate's name and email address, position title/action number, budget number, and unit.
• The candidate receives an email to initiate the background check and must submit the required personal information and electronically sign the Disclosure and Authorization forms.
• The candidate will receive a summary of their rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) before the background check commences.
• A third-party consumer reporting agency conducts the background check and provides the results to HR.
• HR reviews the background check results to determine the candidate's suitability for the position and notifies the hiring authority of the outcome.

It is important to note that no candidate for a position requiring a background check shall commence employment until a satisfactory criminal background check has been received by HR. Any job offers made before the completion of the background check must be contingent on a satisfactory outcome.

The University of Idaho's background check policy aims to maintain a safe and secure working and learning environment for all members of the university community.

Background checks for students in security-sensitive work

The University of Idaho requires criminal background checks for student workers, interns, and volunteers if their work involves significant contact with minors or is deemed security-sensitive by the hiring authority. Security-sensitive work may involve access to restricted facilities, resources, finances, data, confidential information, or research.

The University of Idaho's background check procedures are outlined in the Administrative Procedures Manual Chapter 50.16, which states that all advertisements, notices, and postings for positions requiring background checks must include the statement, "This position is subject to the successful completion of a criminal background check." No candidate for such a position can commence employment until a satisfactory criminal background check has been received by Human Resources (HR).

The University of Idaho's background checks for student workers, interns, and volunteers aim to ensure the safety and security of its community and comply with state laws regarding individuals who have unsupervised contact with students in a public K-12 setting. The background checks are conducted through the Idaho State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Statewide Sex Offender Registry.

Background checks for students with significant contact with minors

The University of Idaho requires criminal background checks for students, interns, and volunteers if their work involves significant contact with minors. This is to ensure that the University of Idaho is a safe and engaging place for students to learn and be successful.

The University of Idaho's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) has implemented additional criminal background check procedures for volunteers who have significant contact with minors. Students and volunteers of CALS may be subject to additional screening requirements.

The University of Idaho offers many programs for minors, and youth-serving programs provide participants with many opportunities but also present unique challenges. The Protection of Minors Standards provides youth programs and employees with best practices, information guidelines, forms, and details for complying with policies. Youth-serving programs are responsible for implementing the Standards.

All University of Idaho programs must adhere to screening and selection criteria required by the university per procedures on file at University of Idaho Risk. These steps must be completed before an applicant is released to work with minors in a paid or unpaid position. Screening and selection apply to Authorized Adults and Supervised Adults.

Authorized Adults are individuals who may have direct and unsupervised contact with a minor. Authorized Adults are individuals (whether full-time, part-time, temporary, paid, or unpaid) who, in their official capacity, interact with, supervise, chaperone, act as a caregiver for, or oversee and have responsibility for minors in University of Idaho programs. Authorized Adults include but are not limited to University of Idaho faculty, staff, other employees, volunteers, graduate and undergraduate students, and interns.

Authorized Adults must complete training before working with minors and every three years or upon a change in position. The training consists of four modules:

• Idaho Child Protective Act: A 15-minute course informing Authorized Adults of their obligation to report child endangerment and providing an overview of the reporting process.
• Shine A Light: A 10-minute video covering the warning signs of sexual abuse by adults, specific locations to keep an eye on, and concrete steps for reporting incidents or suspicions.
• Hiring Staff Who Work with Minors: A 30-minute course covering hiring practices, background checks, investigations, and discipline.
• Identifying and Reporting Sexual Misconduct: A 30-minute course covering predators, warning signs, danger areas, boundaries, codes of conduct, and reporting.

Trainees will need to self-register with UE EduRisk by clicking the Authorized Adults Training Track and providing their name and email address in the registration field, then logging in to access the courses.

Supervised Adults are individuals who work with minors under the direction of an Authorized Adult and do not have unsupervised contact with a minor. The Supervised Adults Training Track consists of one UE EduRisk training course: Shine A Light. Trainees will need to self-register with UE EduRisk by clicking the Supervised Adults Training Track and providing their name and email address.

Background checks for J-1 scholars

The University of Idaho requires all incoming J-1 scholars to undergo a background check before an offer of employment is made. The Department of Homeland Security performs these background checks, and the university's Human Resources department can be contacted with any questions.

J-1 scholars are visiting temporary workers who are invited to perform specialized work. They are exempt from the same criminal background check procedures as other employees and scholars at the University of Idaho. However, the university requires criminal background checks for all non-student positions, graduate student appointees, postdoctoral scholars, and temporary help positions.

Criminal background checks are also required for student workers, interns, and volunteers if their work involves significant contact with minors or is deemed security-sensitive by the hiring authority. Security-sensitive work may involve access to restricted facilities, resources, finances, data, confidential information, or research.

The university also conducts periodic driving record checks for current employees who drive vehicles owned or rented by the university.

Frequently asked questions