University of Wisconsin Enhances Background Check Requirements
Screening Now Required for Athletic Camp Volunteers, Employees
The University of Wisconsin Athletic Department officials adopted a policy this year – in effect as of April 1, 2012 – whereby background checks are done on all persons involved with various sports camps held on campus, according to an article from the Wisconsin State Journal.
It doesn’t matter if the person is a volunteer, hourly student employee, referee or guest instructor. All are subjected to a background check using state and national sex offender searchers and various criminal registries, the article says.
The policy expands and enhances the one used for years by the UW-Madison campus as it relates to all job applicants. UW Athletics also runs background checks on limited-term employees, which other campus units may not do, and includes a section on self-disclosure in its policy. In other words, if a charge or conviction occurs during the course of the year, the individual is required to bring it to the attention of the human resources office to ensure there is no link between the charge and the person’s employment, the Journal reports.
According to the human resources director for UW Athletics, Holly Weber, more than 700 camp-related background checks have been run since April. Each check costs $35. Depending on the position and applicant, the checks can take up to two weeks.
UW athletic director Barry Alvarez recently said that the background checks had altered the course of more than one hire this year, declining to get into specifics.
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