CofC Employee Background Checks
posted 03/26/09
5:59 pm
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Charleston, SC -
Two College of Charleston employees have been arrested in the past two months and the college is putting new measures in place to screen employees.
The College employs about 1,800 people in the Lowcountry. Before now, background checks have not been required for all its workers.
The recent arrest of two of its workers is prompting the college to change the way it screens potential employees.
“Previously what we've done is done SLED background checks on some positions,” College of Charleston spokesman Mike Robertson said.
In February, a mail services worker was fired after being accused of stealing at least 19 pieces of student mail.
On March 12, a second arrest came when North Charleston Police arrested public safety officer James Crawford. He is accused of operating a chop shop. Both had undergone background checks by SLED.
”They have helped weed out some people who applied for jobs here at the college,” Robertson said.
But for some students that's just not enough.
“I work at Target over the summer and I was required to submit to a national background check performed by a private company. It's shocking to me,” student Jason Parker said.
Parker’s a junior at the college and uses the campus mail services. He said the school has to take some responsibility.
“Unless the administration takes a really radical approach to accountability at the school then things like this are going to continue to happen,” Parker said.
The College insists they are making every effort to protect the community.
“We're very serious about the people we hire here at the College of Charleston and we want to make sure that the people here: the faculty, the students and the staff are all safe,” Robertson said.
The college hopes to hire a background check firm by the end of the semester. Employee screenings should start by the beginning of the summer.
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