Almost 10 percent of colleges now require students to submit to background checks before they can live on campus to increase the safety of college housing.
UCF, however, does not check a student's background unless the student indicates a criminal history on his or her admissions application.
According to a press release by Elizabeth Bloch of Certified Background, the leading provider of student background checks in the nation, colleges have increased background checks due to incidents resulting in deadly violence on campus such as Virginia Tech. Bloch said that schools are realizing how hazardous it is to allow potentially dangerous students to live with others in school-sanctioned housing.
UCF does not have a formal process for background-checking students before they move into campus housing. According to UCF News & Information, however, every applicant is required to tell the univsersity of any criminal history when they apply.
UCF officials say they value its students' safety.
"The safety of our students, faculty, staff and visitors is our top priority at UCF," a statement from News & Information said.
Adam Ward, Florida's representative from Certified Background, contacted Christi Hartzler from UCF's Department of Housing and Residence Life last December. He said Hartzler said UCF was not ready to include background checks in the housing application process.
"Even if the search is as minor as a nationwide sexual offender search, it would save us from unsafe housing," Ward said. "Some schools are reactive while some are proactive," Ward said.
And UCF is not without a screening procedure. According to News & Information, cases of students with criminal histories are turned over to the Office of Student Conduct for investigation. Office of Student Conduct then decides whether to recommend students for admission to the college.
If admitted, the office of Housing and Residence Life reviews the Office of Student Conduct's recommendations for those students who have applied to live on campus.
If students are found out to have undisclosed their prior violation of law, other than minor traffic infractions, they may not be admitted and may face other disciplinary action, the statement from News & Information said. Punishments could include expulsion.
Question 23 B on the UCF Undergraduate Admissions Application reads "Have you ever been charged with or convicted of a felony." The student checks yes or no. It then reads "In the past 10 years and including any pending charges, have you been the subject of any criminal proceeding other than a minor traffic violation?"
Stephanie Lashway, a 21-year-old senior does not agree that the current screening process is sufficient.
"Freshman year I would get e-mails frequently about sexual predators in Nike," Lashway said. "If this is a problem, they should have required background checks sooner. Parents send their children to college with the assumption that they will be safe."
The statement from News & Information did include that many positions on campus do require background checks.
According to the statement, background checks are conducted on all staff and student employees of Housing and Residence Life, incuding residence hall assitants, before they are hired.
UCF also conducts checks on all newly hired faculty, including adjuncts and most staff members. Those include Executive, Administrative and Proffesional, or University Support Personnel System, the statement added.
There are also some departments on campus that have additional background requirements for students, faculty and staff.
For example, the College of Nursing requires two background checks for all students, volunteers and employees. One check is conducted when students or staff apply and another is completed when they are accepted to work or study.
Joe Finley from Certified Background said the main relationship between UCF and Certified Background is to give background checks to interns who are going into a workplace.
Ward says that if UCF wanted to begin using background checks, it would be a student-funded service. While filling out an application, the student could opt for a background check from their computer at home.
Ward said nationwide sexual offender searches cost $10.
"Some schools want to protect themselves from liability," Ward said. He added that co-ed dorms can be potentially hazardous. At UCF, although men and women reside in the same facility, they are prohibited from sharing apartments.
Finley said the approach Certified Background is taking is to have better programs for safety on campus. Background checks are another piece in the whole process toward a safer environment.
He said the main concerns in housing are residents with backgrounds of assault, theft and drug cases. If those are discovered from the background checks, then safety could be achieved, Finley said.
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