Criminal Background Checks

Policy

A criminal background check is required for all students enrolled in The University of Texas School of Health Information Sciences (SHIS), including those holding graduate research appointments, other full-time or part-time students admitted to degree programs, and non-degree students.

International students have a background check as part of their visum application.  International students who have resided in the United States for less than 30 days are exempt from the background check described in this page.  International students who have resided in the United Stated longer than 30 days are required to have a criminal background check.

Procedure

1) Each applicant to SHIS must disclose on his/her application any criminal charges pending at the time of application, any misdemeanor or felony convictions and any deferral of adjudication, other than minor traffic violations.  Failure to do so may be grounds for non-acceptance or subsequent dismissal. Students offered admission to SHIS must agree to undergo an independent criminal background check prior to matriculation. 

 2)  After accepting an offer of admission, but prior to the first day of the semester of initial enrollment, an independent criminal background check will be conducted and completed for each matriculating student. The criminal history check will be performed at the student’s expense by a vendor identified and approved by SHIS.

 3) All entering students will be required to pay for a criminal background check using the vendor approved by SHIS.

The SHIS Admissions Office shall be responsible for ensuring that information is treated confidentially as required by state and federal law.

4   International students who undergo an INS background check to obtain a visa for study at SHIS will thereby satisfy the SHIS CBC requirement, except in cases where the international student has resided in the U.S. for a time period in excess of 30 days prior to enrollment; in these cases students will undergo a criminal background check as outlined above.

5)         In the event an applicant discloses a criminal history, the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will decide whether the history is grounds for non-acceptance or dismissal. In the event of nondisclosure of criminal history (disclosed criminal history does not match background report or a background check reveals criminal history not previously disclosed), applicants or admitted students will be notified of all reports, will be given an opportunity to contact the vendor to challenge the accuracy of the reported history and will be asked to submit a written explanation to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.  A student wishing to challenge the accuracy of the vendor’s report must notify the vendor and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in writing of his/her intent within seven working days of notification. The student will then be allowed 30 days to resolve any stated discrepancy, with the option to petition the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for an extension if circumstances so require. At the discretion of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, the student may enroll and begin his/her studies at SHIS pending the resolution of the challenge.

6)         An applicant may appeal a non-acceptance or dismissal* from SHIS to the Dean of SHIS. This appeal must be presented to the Dean of SHIS in writing within seven working days of the receipt of the decision of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

7)         A completed criminal background check will be valid and satisfy the requirements of UTHSC policy for the duration of the student’s enrollment in SHIS, unless the student has a break in his/her enrollment or the School decides that an additional criminal background check is required due to the nature of the student’s research or other academic work, or as determined to be necessary.  Students will be notified of any additional background checks occurring after enrollment, and shall be required to provide consent for any additional background checks. 

Following enrollment, students are required to disclose any and all additional arrests, charges, convictions or deferrals of adjudication within 30 days of occurrence.

 
8)  Enrolled students are required to disclose to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs any misdemeanor or felony conviction or deferral of adjudication, other than minor traffic violations, within thirty days of occurrence.  The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will then determine whether a conviction or deferral of adjudication is grounds for disciplinary action, including, but not limited to dismissal from SHIS.  Non-disclosure or falsification of information required to be disclosed under this policy is grounds for dismissal.  This dismissal can be appealed to the Dean of SHIS, as in 6), above.