Unit Policy
Title
School of Nursing: Policy On Student Criminal History Check
Introduction
Purpose
To be evaluated at next review.
Scope
To be evaluated at next review.
Policy
In order to comply with the "Regulation on Student Applicant Background Checks" (#700.5.1[R]) policy adopted by the General Administration of The University of North Carolina as well as clinical agency contractual requirements, the School of Nursing requires all affiliated students* to undergo a Criminal History Check. The Criminal History Check (CHC) shall be performed: 1) at the initiation of this policy, 2) following admission acceptance but prior to program matriculation, and 3) upon program re-entry subsequent to a leave of absence, program withdrawal or program separation greater than thirty consecutive days. All offers of admission to the School of Nursing issued subsequent to August 2007 will stipulate the applicant's admission as contingent upon the results of the CHC. Any student who fails to comply with this requirement may not enroll in the School of Nursing.
The CHC must be performed, at student's expense**, by a qualified vendor selected by the University and will meet the following criteria:
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CHC must be completed by program matriculation or re-matriculation.
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CHC will be conducted using student's full legal name and date of birth as identifiers.
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CHC must cover the past seven (7) years, or the time period since the student's 16th birthday, whichever is less.
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CHC must cover the student's complete residential history, to include domestic and international addresses,*** for the last seven (7) years or since turning 16 years of age.
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CHC must include:
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all felony and misdemeanor charges and crimes (except minor traffic related violations),
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a review of The UNC Suspension and Expulsion Database, The National Student Clearinghouse and The NC Department of Public Instruction enrollment database (when available),
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a national Sexual Offender/Predator Database check, and
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a check against the Office of the Inspector General's List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE) and the General Services Administration's Excluded Parties List (EPLS).
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The vendor must provide a paper or electronic copy of the report directly to the School.
Students must sign a "Release to Share Background Information and Agreement to Report Future Felony or Misdemeanor Convictions" form, which allows the School to share information obtained in the CHC with clinical agencies for the purpose of securing a clinical placement as part of the student's educational experience. Students must agree to report any felony or misdemeanor charges and convictions (excluding minor traffic related violations), which occur during their enrollment in the School of Nursing to the appropriate Program Director. Failure to report in a timely (within 10 business days) and complete manner is a violation of the University's Honor Code. The offense will be reported to the student Judiciary System and may serve as grounds for dismissal from the School of Nursing.
The School agrees to use student information for admission screening and to obtain clinical education placements only. In the event the CHC report reveals an incident of concern, the appropriate Program Director will discuss the issue directly and immediately with the student prior to sharing the information with School leadership or the clinical agency. In the event the student determines the positive CHC report is problematic, the student may request a repeat check be conducted at student expense using his/her Social Security number as the primary identifier.
The School and University make the final decision as to whether a student with a positive check may proceed to matriculation. The clinical agency makes the final decision about whether a student with a positive check will be placed at that site. The Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, will hear student appeals of administrative actions taken as a result of Criminal History Check findings.
All positive reports will be maintained in paper copy in the School's permanent file for a period of at least ten years post-graduation. Negative reports will be maintained electronically in a secure database. With the exception of students in the AHEC RN Refresher Program, students less than 16 years or greater than 65 years of age are exempt from completion of the Criminal History Check in accordance with University policy
Notes/Clarifications
*Affiliated students include: degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate students, post-doctoral fellows of the Schools' T-32 NRSA fellowship programs, students admitted via The Office of Part-Time Studies with special permission to enroll in selected nursing courses, and students participating in the AHEC RN-Refresher Program.
** Admitted students who initiate the background check but subsequently withdraw or defer enrollment, are responsible for the expense incurred in producing the check report.
***Students who resided outside the US due to active military deployment, service in the Peace Corps or employment with the US Foreign Service, may submit one of the following alternative forms of documentation in lieu of securing an international CHC:
- A copy of the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty Form (Form DD214) detailing an "honorable" discharge status, OR
- A copy of the final Description of Peace Corps Volunteer Service detailing completion of services assignment in "good standing", OR
- A copy of the letter terminating service in "good standing" from the US Foreign Service or affiliated agency.
Exceptions
N/A
Contact Information
Policy Contact
Kacy McAdoo, Assistant Dean School of Nursing
Other Contacts
N/A
Important Dates
- Effective Date and title of Approver: Draft 07/2004
- Revised: 11/2004
- Revised: 07/2005
- Revised: 02/2006
- Revised: 10/2007
- Revised: 12/2008
- Revised: 03/2009
- Revised: 04/2009
- Revised: 08/2009
- Revised: 11/2009 Clarifications approved by Office of University Counsel (UNC-Chapel Hill) and Office of General Counsel (The University of North Carolina General Administration)