The University of Texas at Arlington strives to provide the safest possible environment for students, visitors, faculty, staff, and physical resources. In an effort to maintain a safe environment the University conducts criminal background checks on applicants hired for those positions designated security sensitive.
A security sensitive position at UTA shall be so identified in the job advertisement for the position. All applicants for positions deemed security sensitive shall be required to have a criminal background check conducted prior to job offer. UTA shall conduct the criminal history record information or criminal conviction record information investigation before the hiring official makes the employment decision. If circumstances require that an offer be made before the completion of an investigation, the offer must be in writing and is contingent on the completion of a satisfactory criminal background investigation.
Levels of background check
It is the policy of The University of Texas at Arlington to obtain:
1. Criminal history record information
- on applicants who are under final consideration, following normal screening and selection processes, for a position that is designated as a security sensitive position;
2. Criminal conviction record information
- on a current employee who is under consideration for a transfer, promotion or reclassification from a non-security sensitive position to a position designated as a security sensitive position; and
- on a current employee who is under consideration for a transfer, promotion or reclassification from one security sensitive position to another security sensitive position and on whom the institution did not previously obtain either criminal history record information or criminal conviction record information.
Security Sensitive Positions
The President of UTA, or her or his designee, will designate which positions or areas are security sensitive for The University of Texas at Arlington. The President may designate each Vice President the responsibility for determining security sensitive positions in the area(s) reporting to that Vice President for all academic and nonacademic positions, including positions that require student status.
All senior level administrative positions, including all executive officers and other administrative positions identified in the UTA Handbook of Operating Procedures as follows:
- Chief Administrative Officer (President)
- Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
- Vice President for Academic Affairs
- Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration
- Vice President for Student Affairs
- Vice President for Development
- Vice President for Research and Information Technology
- Academic Deans and Directors of Colleges or Schools
- Academic Department Chairs
Guidelines for determining Security Sensitive Positions
1. In determining which areas/positions to designate as security sensitive, the President and/or his or her designee should consider offices, divisions or departments which perform functions that may pose increased risks to UTA, included, but not limited to areas with:
- Direct responsibility for the care, safety or security of humans and/or the security of UTA property
- Responsibility for operating, in the course of normal job duties, UTA-owned or leased vehicles, machinery or toxic systems that could cause death, injury or health problems
- Significant inventory control responsibilities, including receipt and release of inventory
- Direct access to, or responsibility for UTA-owned property, cash, checks, disbursements or receipts
- Responsibility for execution or approval of financial transactions
- Direct access to, or responsibility for, classified information pertaining to the national defense;
- Unsupervised access to UTA employee or student property, including access to student dorm rooms, or student apartment rooms in the course of normal job duties
- Responsibility for the preparation, maintenance or approval of the financial, payroll, personnel or purchasing systems and reports
- Direct access to sensitive data, including data protected by Federal or State law, medical records, personnel records, other personal data or confidential criminal justice information, or to critical data processing systems
- Positions that have responsibility for providing patient care or for providing child-care in a child-care facility
- Positions that have direct access to, or responsibility for, pharmaceuticals, select agents, or controlled substances.
2. UTA will not automatically disqualify from employment all individuals with conviction records. In the event the criminal history check investigation reveals criminal convictions or other relevant information, the designated "hiring official(s)" will determine on a case-by-case basis whether the individual is qualified based on a number of factors including, but not limited to:
- Specific duties of the position
- Number of offenses
- Nature of each offense
- Length of time intervening between the offense and the employment decision
- Employment history
- Efforts at rehabilitation
- Accuracy of the information that the individual provided on the employment application
Hiring Officials
For purposes of this policy, "hiring official(s)" at UTA shall be as follows for the areas indicated:
Chief Administrative Officer or his/her designee
- For all departments and/or divisions reporting to the Office of the President;
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs or his/her designee
- For colleges, schools, departments and/or divisions reporting to the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs;
Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration or his/her designee
- For all departments and/or divisions reporting to the Office of Finance and Administration;
Vice President for Student Affairs or his/her designee
- For all departments and/or divisions reporting to the Office of Student Affairs.
Responsibilities
The responsible party or parties who shall be responsible for key actions shown below are identified in the following:
1. Obtaining Criminal Background Check form to conduct the background investigation
The Office of Human Resources is responsible for obtaining the signed background investigation Criminal Background Check form from the hiring department for all Non-Faculty security sensitive positions (including Classified positions and "non-academic" Administrative and Professional positions);
The Office of the Provost is responsible for obtaining the signed background investigation authorization form from the hiring department for all Faculty security sensitive positions, as well as for all "academic" Administrative and Professional security sensitive positions;
2. Conducting the background investigation
The Assistant Vice President for Human Resources Management and Development (Office of Human Resources) and/or the Chief of Police (Police Department).
3. Making the decision to offer employment to an applicant for a security sensitive position
The employing department, subject to satisfactory results from the candidate's background investigation;
If either the Office of Human Resources or Police Department advises the hiring official that the results of the criminal background check indicate that the individual may be unacceptable for the position being filled, then the hiring official may not extend an offer to the individual without the prior written approval of the appropriate Vice President or his/her designees.
4. Making the decision to promote, transfer or reclassify an employee to a security sensitive position
The employing department, subject to satisfactory results from the candidate's background investigation;
Description of the Criminal Background Check Process
- The applicants self discloses criminal conviction in the application.
- Applicant must sign the Criminal Background Check form which authorizes UTA to request the background information.
- The University will require that prospective employees who are subject to a background investigation provide information on prior places of employment for the ten (10) years (if available) preceding the most recent date of application for employment at The University of Texas at Arlington. This information may then be used to determine from which jurisdictions background information will be obtained.
- The Hiring Department submits the completed Criminal Background Check form to the Employment Office by fax to #5810 or campus mail #19176.
- The Police Department sends results to the Employment Office in 5-7 business days. HR sends an email to department with the results.
- Meanwhile, the hiring department may extend a written offer to the selected candidate contingent upon successful criminal background check.
- If a criminal history is discovered in the search, the Employment Office will call the hiring supervisor to discuss the convictions.
Use of Criminal history record information obtained by UTA
- Criminal history record information obtained by UTA may be used only for the purpose of evaluating applicants for employment in security sensitive positions and shall in no way be used to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, handicap, or age.
- Criminal history record information, including conviction information contained therein, will be regarded as confidential as required by law and will not be made a part of the applicant's official file maintained by the university or the employee's personnel file.
- Criminal history record information shall never be communicated to any unauthorized person. Information obtained through a criminal history check will be maintained by the Chief of Police.
- After the expiration of the probationary term of the individual's employment (classified employees), the Chief of Police shall destroy all criminal history record information that the institution obtained about the individual. If the position is one that does not have a probationary period (Administrative and Professional and Faculty positions), the Chief of Police shall destroy the information 180 days after the institution obtains it.
If you have any questions, please contact Daniel Arellano at 817 272-3461.