Placement Screening Policy
PLACEMENT SCREENING POLICY
Policy Statement
This Policy sets out the standards and requirements for addressing program-relevant placement screening (e.g., collection of a police Vulnerable Sector Check and other placement and partner-required screening documents).
Reason for Policy
Nipissing University prepares students for roles of significant trust and responsibility, especially in fields such as education, health care, and social services. These fields require not only academic competence but also adherence to professional and legal standards to protect vulnerable populations and maintain public confidence. This policy exists to clearly articulate expectations regarding compliance with regulatory and placement partner requirements such as Police Vulnerable Sector Checks.
Policy Applies To
This Policy applies to all Nipissing students. It complements, and does not replace, other University regulations (e.g. Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Academic Integrity Policy, Policy on Responsible Conduct of Research, Respectful Workplace and Learning Environments Policy, Sexual Violence Response Policy for Students) and the codes/standards/policies of partner organizations and professional regulators. Where obligations conflict, the standard most protective of client/patient/pupil and public safety prevails.
Who Should Read This Policy
- All members of Nipissing University, including Deans, Associate Deans, administrative staff, placement coordinators, students, and faculty.
- All members of university non-academic departments, especially Student Development Services.
Contacts
Dean FEPS deaneps@nipissingu.ca
Dean FAS deanas@nipissingu.ca
Provost and Vice-President Academic pvpa@nipissingu.ca
Associate Vice-President Research, Innovation & Graduate Studies avprigs@nipissingu.ca
Definitions
- Student: A learner enrolled in any Nipissing program.
- Placement: Any supervised practice experience (practicum/field/clinical) with a partner organization, including student research activities with external partner organizations.
- Criminal Record Check (CRC): as defined by the Ontario [NC1] Police Record Checks Reform Act, a report on applicable criminal convictions, etc.
- Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC): as defined by the Ontario Police Record Checks Reform Act, a report onapplicable criminal convictions, charges, discharges, warrants, and judicial orders, etc.
- Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC): as defined by the Ontario Police Record Checks Reform Act, a report onapplicable criminal convictions, charges, discharges, warrants, judicial orders, findings of not criminally responsible, pardons for sexually-based offences, etc.
- Broad Record Check (BRC): as defined by the Ontario Child, Youth and Family Services Act, a report on criminal convictions and discharges, applicable youth findings, outstanding orders and charges, certain resolved charges, relevant police contacts (including specified mental health–related contacts), etc.
The Policy
- 1. Guiding Principles
1.1. Public trust and safety: Maintaining public trust and safety is essential in all placements where students engage with the community.
1.2. Partners determine requirements for placements: Placement partners set the requirements for placement, with the University reserving the right to impose additional requirements. In the case of any conflict of requirements, the requirement that best safeguards public safety will be used.
1.3. Confidentiality and privacy: Information is collected and stored minimally and securely, shared only on a need-to-know basis or as required by law/partners and in accordance with the University’s legal obligations and established policies/processes related to access to information and protection of privacy.
- 2. Policy Standards
2.1. Background screening: Students must obtain and maintain screenings required by partners at the intervals set by the University in alignment with partner requirements. Required screenings may include, for example, CRC, CRJMC, VSC, BRC, letters of attestation, and/or confirmation of vaccination status, mandatory training, etc. The process for handling screening documents is described in Appendix A. Failure to produce acceptable screening when required precludes placement participation and progression.
2.2. Mandatory disclosure: Students must disclose in writing to the program placement office within 2 business days any new charge, disposition, order, etc., or change in status or condition that may affect the status of previously submitted screening documents.
2.3. No guarantee of placement: While reasonable efforts will be made by the program, Nipissing University cannot compel partner organizations to accept a student. The ability to secure a placement for a student may be delayed or a placement may not be secured at all. Where no acceptable placement can be secured due to placement screening results/findings, the student cannot meet program requirements and may be withdrawn.
- 3. Roles and Responsibilities
3.1. Students: Know and comply with this Policy; self-report new issues immediately to the program that would affect screening status; uphold partner policies.
3.2. Dean: ensures program alignment with University policy and processes.
3.3. Partner Organizations: Determine screening requirements; determine local eligibility for placement; make the decision to refuse or remove a student from placement per their policies; inform programs of relevant screening/placement decisions.
- 4. Confidentiality, Records, and Retention
4.1. All documentation is stored securely and access is limited to personnel with a legitimate need to know.
- 5. Appeals
5.1. The decision by a partner to remove or refuse a student from placement due to screening concerns may not be appealed.
5.2. The Dean’s decision to remove a student from a program when it has been determined, after reasonable efforts to secure a placement have failed on grounds of screening concerns, that program progression is not possible, may be appealed to the Academic Appeals and Petitions Committee.
- Interaction with Other Policies
6.1. Nothing in this Policy limits actions under Nipissing University policies (e.g. Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Respectful Workplace and Learning Environments Policy, Sexual Violence Response Policy for Students, Academic Integrity Policy), School/Program handbooks, or partner policies, nor obligations to report to professional regulators, law enforcement and child-/client-protection authorities when appropriate or required.
Appendix A: Placement Screening Process
A1. Initial Screening
Placement partners will determine the screening requirements. At a minimum, placements involving vulnerable populations will require police VSC screening.
Students obtain screening documents at their own cost and submit to the partner or the program, as specified by the University, to meet deadlines established by the partner and as communicated by the University.
Programs may require annual or term-specific screening documents; students must ensure continued validity for each placement.
Where a screening document is not “clear,” the Program will need to share necessary information with partner organizations to secure an appropriate placement. The program will obtain consent from the student to do so. If a student does not consent to share necessary information, the decision shall be to determine no viable placement and the student will be recommended to the Dean for program withdrawal for inability to meet requirements. When a student does consent to share necessary information, the program will make reasonable efforts to secure a viable placement for each student, recognizing that such efforts are limited by available opportunities, partner requirements, timelines, and the necessity to uphold public safety and policy standards. In these cases, partners independently decide on acceptance; denial by partners may delay, constrain, or preclude program progression.A2. Pending Charges, New Orders, and Change in Placement Screening Status
Immediate notice (within 2 business days) by the student to the University program placement office is required for any matters which may affect placement screening status, particularly new police orders or charges.
The program will immediately need to share necessary information with partner organizations to determine if a current or planned placement can continue. The program will obtain consent from the student to do so. If a student does not consent to share necessary information, the decision shall be to determine no viable placement. If a student is currently in a placement, the placement shall be terminated immediately and the student will be recommended to the Dean for program withdrawal for inability to meet requirements. When a student does consent to share necessary information, partners independently decide on continuance/acceptance; denial by partners may delay, constrain, or preclude program progression.
[NC1]Redundant? Or should it be capitalized? Also in the next two definitions.