Dear University Employee:
California University of Pennsylvania and all of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education remain committed to ensuring that our campuses are safe places for learning, living, and working; you play an important role in that effort. Recent laws passed by the Pennsylvania legislature and a policy passed by the Board of Governors further enhance that commitment in the following ways that involve you, as an employee:
Protection of Minors on Campus
In a situation of suspected child abuse involving individuals under the age of 18, all employees are considered “mandated reporters” and have or will receive training from the University regarding the reporting of suspected child abuse. More information about training will be forthcoming from the University.
In the meantime, if there is a situation of suspected child abuse you must immediately make an oral report to Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services (DHS)—formerly named the Department of Public Welfare—by calling 1-800-932-0313. If an oral report is made, a written report must be made within 48 hours to DHS. Immediately following the report to DHS, you must notify Dr. John Burnett, the designated person in charge here at the University who will assume responsibility for facilitating the institution’s cooperation with the investigation of the report.
Arrest and Conviction Disclosure
Related to the protection of minors on campus, all current employees will be required to report to the University if they have been arrested or convicted of crimes enumerated in the Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa.C.S. §6344(c). Beginning December 31, 2014, you must contact our human resources office if you have been 1) arrested for or convicted of a reportable offense or if you have been 2) founded or indicated as a perpetrator in a report of child abuse. You must provide such written notice within 72 hours of the arrest, conviction, or notification that you have been listed as a perpetrator in the statewide database. Failure to make a written notification as required by law could be a misdemeanor of the third degree and could subject you to discipline up to and including termination. Contact our human resources office for more information.
Background Checks
All current and prospective employees and volunteers will be required to have the following background clearance checks:
1) A criminal history record check or statement from the Pennsylvania State Police indicating the individual has not been convicted of a reportable offense;
2) Certification from the Department of Human Services as to whether the individual is named in the Statewide Database as a perpetrator in a pending child abuse investigation, a founded report, or an indicated report of child abuse; and
3) A federal criminal history record information, including fingerprinting and review by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of verifying the identity of the individual and obtaining a current record of any criminal arrests and convictions.
These are the same background clearance checks that are routinely required of all K-12 teachers in Pennsylvania as well as others who have regular contact with minors, including those who volunteer with churches and other community organizations.
You may be asked to obtain the above background checks immediately if the University has reason to believe that you were arrested or convicted of one of the crimes enumerated in the new law. Otherwise the timing of the checks will depend on whether you have ever had background certifications in the past. The University will fully review the results of the background checks and act pursuant to both Board policy and the law. Details regarding the process for obtaining the certifications will be provided in a separate communication.
We want to thank you for your continued commitment to keep our campus a safe and productive environment for learning and discovery. We look forward to 2015 as another remarkable year for our students, faculty, staff, and the community we serve. If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact our human resources office.
Thank you,
Robert Thorn, Vice President for Administration and Finance
California University of Pennsylvania