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Office
of News and Information
December 9, 2002 |
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AUSTIN - After extensive discussions with faculty, staff and administrators from all University of Texas System component institutions, the system has completed the revision of a policy on criminal background checks. A new Business Procedures Memorandum allows each institution to develop its own policy on criminal background checks for security-sensitive positions. The memorandum specifies some requirements for such policies but gives each institution great flexibility in determining the details of its policy. The BPM revises a policy that was adopted in March. Compliance with that policy as to faculty was delayed in July after concerns were raised about its provisions. The revised BPM is posted on the U.T. System website at www.utsystem.edu/bpm/bpmtable.htm. Unlike the policy adopted in March, the revised policy applies only to security-sensitive positions. Each institution will decide for itself which areas of the institution are designated as security-sensitive, except that three categories of jobs must be included – senior-level administrative positions; child-care and patient-care positions; and positions that involve access to pharmaceuticals and other controlled substances. The BPM includes guidelines for defining "security-sensitive" positions beyond those three requirements, as well as guidelines for determining how the results of a criminal background check may affect a hiring decision. Institutions will be required to obtain criminal history information on applicants who are finalists for a security-sensitive job. Information only on criminal convictions, as opposed to a complete criminal history, will be obtained for current employees who are under consideration for transfer from a job that is not security sensitive to one that is. Criminal conviction information will also be obtained on a current employee moving from one security-sensitive job to another, if such a check has not been made previously. Each component institution, as well as the System administration, will be asked to submit its policy under the new BPM by Jan. 17, 2003.
Contact
person: Emily Battle,
(903) 565-5604
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