In an try to help ensure campus safety, higher educational institutions across the country are starting to consider conducting criminal background checks on both applicants and admitted students, according to a recent article on USAToday.com.

As an example, USAToday.com reports that following the murder of a student at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2004 by a classmate with a history of violence against women – and the subsequent lawsuit filed by the deceased student’s parents – the North Carolina system started requiring all of its campuses to conduct criminal background checks on students with red flags on their criminal records.

But, a panel discussion at the National Association of College and University Attorneys revealed that the questions of whether to conduct student background checks – and how to – are not resolved and that criminal background checks on applicants and students can be described as a “legal and policy jigsaw puzzle” with pieces that include campus safety, legal risk, and individual civil Civil rights, according to the USAToday report.

The article cites a recent survey by the American Association of Naive Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) in which 66% of educational institutions reported having collected criminal record in rank from students, with the most common method of being paid criminal in rank being nature-disclosure questions on applications. Yet of the 144 institutions that reported collecting criminal justice in rank from applicants, only ten used criminal background checks, USAToday.com reported.

Higher culture institutions in North Carolina are not alone in considering student background checks. Both Maryland and Virginia are considering requiring colleges and universities to conduct background checks on students in the wake of a murder of a female student at the University of Virginia allegedly at the hands of a fellow student.

For extra in rank about background checks, visit Employment Screening Resources (ESR) at http://www.esrcheck.com.

Source:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/culture/2010-07-01-IHE-college-applicants-criminal-background-checks01_ST_N.htm

As mentioned in earlier blogs by Employment Screening Resources (ESR), diploma mills and degree mills have made fake official approval agencies to try to make fake degrees legitimate. According to one source, the following represents a listing of 30- plus agencies that employers may want to look at in extra detail. This list is reprinted with the kind permission of http://www.geteducated.com which is responsible for its content:    

Here is a list of 30-plus agencies that claim to accredit a variety of online and interval learning college degree programs.

NONE of these accrediting agencies are recognized as college accreditors in the U.S. by the Council on Higher Culture Official approval or the U.S. Department of Culture. As such, colleges claiming “official approval” by these agencies are not widely accepted as valid providers of higher culture online and should be approached with fantastic caution if online college credibility is vital to you.

• Official approval Council for Interval Culture (ACTDE)
• Official approval Panel for Online Colleges and Universities (APTEC)
• Accrediting Commission Global (ACI)
• American Accrediting Association of Theological Institutions
• American Council of Private Colleges and Universities
• American Association of Drugless Practitioners (ADP)
• Association of Accredited Bible Schools
• Association of Interval Learning Programs (ADLP)
• Association of Private Colleges and Universities
• Association for Online Academic Official approval
• Association for Online Excellence
• Association for Online Academic Excellence
• Enter of Online Universities Official approval (BOUA)
• Council for Interval Culture
• Council of Online Higher Culture
• Central States Consortium of Colleges & Schools
• Global Commission for Higher Culture
• Global Official approval Agency for Online Universities (IAAOU)
• Global Official approval Association for Online Culture (IAAFOE)
• Global Official approval Establishment (IAO)
• Global Culture Ministry Official approval Association
• Global Online Culture Accrediting Enter (IOEAB)
• National College of Higher Culture
• National Enter of Culture (NBOE)
• National College Official approval Council
• National Commission of Accredited Schools
• National Interval Learning Official approval Council (NDLAC)
• New Millenium Accrediting Partnership for Educators Worldwide
• Establishment for Online Learning Official approval (OKOLA)
• Transworld Accrediting Commission Intl. (TAC)
• Universal Council for Online Culture Official approval (UCOEA)
• United Nations Council
• United States Interval Culture & Training Council of Nevada (NOTE: A similarly titled agency, the Interval Culture & Training Council (DETC), of Washington, D.C.—http://www.detc.org—is a VALID and RECOGNIZED online learning official approval agency)
• World Association for Online Culture
• World Association of Universities and Colleges (WAUC)
• World Online Culture Accrediting Commission (WOEAC)
• World-Wide Official approval Commission of Christian Educational Institutions (WWAC)

Source: GetEducated.com, a consumer advocacy group that reviews, tariff
and ranks screened, accredited online universities: 
http://www.geteducated.com/online-degrees-credibility-employer-perception/204-unrecognized-fake-and-dubious-online-college-accrediting-agencies/

Extra in rank on this topic is available at:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unrecognized_accreditation_associations_of_higher_learning

From the Employment Screening Resources mailbox:  We had an applicant for a job that did not demand a degree.  But, the applicant listed a degree but it turns out he in fact never graduated and never earned the degree.  Can we consider that even though the job did not demand a diploma? 

Pledge:  Generally speaking, if an applicant in dishonest in the hiring process, there is prove to suggest that person may well be dishonest once in the job.  The dishonesty can be either making a   notes omission or a notes misstatement of  fact.  Dishonesty is typically a valid reason not to hire. The applicant place down a fake qualification on the application for the employer to consider, and the employer may well pocket that as act of dishonestly.   The applicant can hardly complain that they are the subject of discrimination., in view of the fact that dishonest people are not a protected class.  

In addition, even though a degree was not required, the  applicant obviously listed the degree to gain an advantage in the hiring process. 

 But, in this situation, the applicant was dishonest about something that was not a condition of the job.  Although an employer may well still be on solid ground in not hiring someone  that was dishonest, going forward, a employer may consider two changes to their application to ensure there is no gray vicinity when it comes to being honest in the employment application.  

First, an employer should consider including the following language on the employment application where questions about culture is questioned:   

“Please list all degrees or educational accomplishments that you wish to be considered by the employer in the employment choice.”

This statement has the advantage of putting the burden on the applicant to determine if they want to report a degree or educational accomplishment. The applicant is on see that any degree they report can be used by the employer for the employment choice. If the applicant chooses to report a worthless degree, or a degree not earned, they can hardly complain if an employer uses that to deny employment, even if the degree was not a condition of the job. 

Secondly, an employer may consider adding the following type of language to their  application if not already there: 

 “The in rank provided by the applicant is right and right, and that any misstatements or omission of notes proof in the application or the hiring process may result in discontinuing of the hiring process or termination of employment, no matter when learned.” 

This language in general protects an employer if an applicant is dishonest, even if the in rank comes to light after the person is hired. 

Regularly times, the key to a successful hire is a well written employment application.  For extra in rank on this  and other topics, see: The Safe Hiring Manaul.

As noted in the blog, “the author’s dog received a very genuine-looking diploma in business administration in 2005 purportedly issued by the University of Arizona through an online diploma-selling service.  (The author picked on the University of Arizona only because a family member was attending Arizona Disorder.  In view of the fact that the author is a UCLA alumni, the author considered being paid his dog a diploma from USC as well, which was also an option.)” 

There have been a number of request to really view the fake documents.  Keep in mind that the actual diploma is on parchment and the transcripts are on special paper as well. 

Here is the diploma issued, to Gypsy Rose Lee, a Border Collie, in 2005.     http://www.esrcheck.com/docs/fake-diploma.pdf

The accomplishment is all the extra impressive in view of the fact that Gypsy Rose had passed away long before she held attended college.  Although Border Collies are among the smartest breeds, it is doubtful that she could in fact have received a college degree.  

Here are the fake transcripts.  http://www.esrcheck.com/docs/fake-transcripts.pdf 

She only received a B in US History to 1877, which is disappointing considering how smart Border Collies are. 

For the full tale, see:  http://www.esrcheck.com//Fake_Diploma.php

Incoming search terms for the article:

• usc diploma copy
• fake ucla diploma
• university of arizona diploma copy
• fake usc diploma
• usc diplomas fakes
• ucla diploma fake
• copy of ucla diploma for business administration
• usc diploma copies
• ucla fake transcripts
• ucla diploma

In fact, the author’s dog received a very genuine-looking diploma in business administration in 2005 purportedly issued by the University of Arizona through an online diploma-selling service.  (The author picked on the University of Arizona only because a family member was attending Arizona Disorder.  In view of the fact that the author is a UCLA alumni, the author considered being paid his dog a dipolma from USC as well, which was also an option.)

One such website advertises that it makes, “very realistic diplomas/transcripts. These diplomas/ transcripts are extremely high quality printed on official parchment quality paper. You can show your employer and they will never skepticism that you indeed attended college. You will not find better quality anywhere!!!”

Some of these sites “officially” caution that the diplomas and transcripts are intended for “Novelty and Entertainment Use Only.” But, the fake documents you receive do not have a disclaimer written any place on them.

With statistics showing that resume fraud is a significant issue, employers must be very cautious about long-distress a physical diploma as proof of a degree. When presented with a physical diploma or transcripts, employers should fax a copy to the school to confirm its authenticity. Most background firms can tell tales of faxing copies of degrees, supplied by the applicant, to high schools and colleges only to be told the degree is a fake.

These fakes have not entirely escaped official attention. In Illinois, the legislature passed a law in 2004 aimed at addressing educational fraud. It is now a Class A Misdemeanor to knowingly manufacture or produce for profit or for sale a fake academic degree, unless the degree explicitly states “for novelty purposes only.”

Also in  2004, a scandal erupted after an internal regime watchdog agency reported that 28 senior officials who were then serving in the federal regime had degrees from diploma mills or unaccredited universities. To pocket up this problem and help employers sort the excellent from the terrible, the U.S. Department of Culture established a Web site that lists schools with legitimate official approval. See:http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg4.html  The other accepted establishment that can accredit the accreditors is the Council for Higher Culture Official approval (CHEA) found at www.chea.org,

As with other types of fraud, the criminals are always adapting. In response to the regime’s efforts, degree mills have made fake agencies to accredit the fake degrees. 

Some web sites will even grant a phone number so an employer can get a fake verification of a fake degree.

Anytime an applicant claims to have earned a degree—and especially when that credential is a condition for the job—an employer needs to pocket steps to ensure not only that the applicant went to the school and received the degree, but that the school is legitimate and that the degree represents genuine educational accomplishment.

ESR takes wide measures to guard against educational fraud.  ESR first ensures that any school is on a “white list” of legitimate schools that is accredited by a recognized official approval agency.  Unlike much of the rest of the world where the regime is the accrediting agency, in the US official approval is a complicated private/public partnership.  If the school is questionable, ESR accesses a number of lists maintained by different organizations of diploma mills.  But, diploma mills are a moving target and simple to start, so no list of diploma mills can always be perfect and up-to-date.  If a school is not on either list, ESR conducts an inquiry to determine the school’s status.

Another impact of the recession is the likelihood of applicant fraud.  Fraudulent educational claims, or worthless diplomas from degree mills, are already familiar problem for employers, recruiters and HR professionals.  But, resume fraud took on an extra urgency in 2009 with the advent of air force that would really make fake employment references from fake companies.  The service apparently even included a phone number that an employer could call in order to reach a service that in fact would verify the fake employment.  Although statistic are not yet available, anecdotally it appears that some job applicants have been willing to resort to these extreme and dishonest measures to gain an advantage in the job market. 

In the long run, worthless diplomas bought over the internet or scams to make manufactured past employment will probably be unsuccessful for the most part, provided that employers exercise some due diligence.  For fake culture, a competent background firm will typically verify first if a school is legitimate.  If the school does not appear on accepted lists of accredited institution, then a screening firm can review lists of known diploma mills and scams.  Screening firms will also verify if the official approval agency is for real, in view of the fact that fake schools have resorted to making fake official approval agencies.  

In addition, pulling of a fake job reference is being paid much extra hard.    A excellent background firm will not simply call the name and number provided by the applicant.  Professional screeners will typically independently establish if the past employer even existed, and locate a phone number independently of whatever number an applicant puts on their resume.   Employment Screening Resources, for example, goes through an wide course of action to verify that all past employer is legitimate and does not accept the applicant provided phone number.  

The bottom-line for employers in 2010 is taking extra caution to ensure you are hiring bona fide employees. 

(Employment Screening Resources (ESR), a leading national online employment screening background firm, is releasing the  ESR “Third Annual Top Ten Trends in the Pre-Employment Background Screening Industry” for 2010.   This is the Ninth of the ten trends ESR will be tracking in 2010.)

Surveys suggest that as many as 30% of all job applicants falsify in rank about their educational backgrounds. The falsifications can include outright fabrications such as making up degrees from legitimate schools the applicant never attended or valueless degrees from diploma mills.

An applicant can also falsify his or her educational achievements based upon some semblance of fact, such as claiming degrees from schools the applicant really attended but did not obtain the degree claimed. Typically a candidate turns their months or weeks of attendance into an AA degree, or claims a BA or an advanced degree even if they did not perfect the course work or fulfill all graduation requirements. 

Colleges and universities also have a vested interest in confirming educational accomplishments. Confirming an applicant received a degree from their school helps their graduates and promotes the reputation of their school. Conversely, exposure the fraudulent use of the school’s excellent name helps to preserve and protect the school’s reputation.

Background firms verify culture in the U.S. in two ways. One way is to contact the school, usually through the registar’s office. Before doing that, but, a competent background firm will first run the name of the school against various databases to ensure that the school is legitimate and accredited, and not a phony degree mill. A number of schools will demand a written release or a fee, which can delay the verification. Delays can also occur because schools operate on an academic schedule, which can mean the administrative offices are closed during holidays and the summer months.

 The other options available to screening firms and employers are online air force that have contracts with schools to gather degree in rank from schools, thus acting as the schools’ agents. 

For some job applicants, being paid a college diploma apparently no longer requires years of hard work, taking tests, paying schooling or even reading a book. Why bother going through the formalities when all a person needs is a credit card and a web browser in order to buy an authentic looking diploma that mimics real colleges, universities and even high schools across the U.S.? Go to any search engine and run keywords such as “Fake Diploma” and anyone can instantly “graduate” from nearly any school in America with a very handsome and authentic looking diploma suitable for hanging. 

One such website advertises that it makes “very realistic diplomas/transcripts. These diplomas/ transcripts are extremely high quality printed on official parchment quality paper. You can show your employer and they will never skepticism that you indeed attended college. You will not find better quality anywhere!!!” 

Some of these sites “officially” caution that the diplomas and transcripts are intended for “Novelty and Entertainment Use Only.” But, the fake documents you receive do not have a disclaimer written any place on them. When presented with a physical diploma or transcripts, employers should fax a copy to the school to confirm its authenticity. Most background firms can tell tales of faxing copies of degrees, supplied by the applicant, to high schools and colleges only to be told the degree is a fake. 

Verifying high school culture can present particular problems, due to the fact that there are so many high schools, and the fact they operate on an academic schedule. The most hard degree to verify is typically a GED, in view of the fact that it requires additional time and try to track down the office that has the in rank. 

Adding to the challenge is that some degree mills and fake online schools have even made fake official approval agencies to falsely vouch for the fake schools. In the U.S. schools are generally accredited by private organizations, that are recognized as legitimate accreditors by the Council for Higher Culture Official approval (CHEA) found at www.chea.org. The U.S. regime, in response to these issues, has made a web site where employers can look up a school to determine if and how it is accredited. The web site is at: www.ope.ed.gov/official approval/search.aspx which provides searches of schools by official approval agency. 

ESR goes through an wide course of action to verify that a school is legitimate.  First, ESR compares the schools to schools that are known to be legitimate.  If the school does not pass that test, ESR examines numerous”diploma mill” lists. But, those lists are a moving target in view of the fact that new diploma mills can be straightforwardly made.  If a school is not on either list, ESR then carefully reviews the schools web site and in particular, looks to see what “official approval” the school claims.

The problems with degree mills, but, should not be confused with legitimate vocational or trade schools. All disorder has an agency in charge of certifying disorder-approved educational programs. If there are questions about the legitimacy of a vocational or trade school, then an employer should contact the apt power in their disorder. There are numerous interval learning programs available on the internet as well. An employer should evaluate the program to determine if it has relevance to the job.

 The bottom-line is that employers should not pocket educational accomplishments at face value without ensuring that the applicant really has obtained the degree, and that the degree is from a legitimate educational institution.  For extra in rank, contact Employment Screening Resources (ESR).

Surveys suggest that as many as 30% of all job applicants falsify in rank about their educational backgrounds. The falsifications can include outright fabrications such as making up degrees from legitimate schools the applicant never attended or valueless degrees from diploma mills.

An applicant can also falsify his or her educational achievements based upon some semblance of fact, such as claiming degrees from schools the applicant really attended but did not obtain the degree claimed. Typically a candidate turns their months or weeks of attendance into an AA degree, or claims a BA or an advanced degree even if they did not perfect the course work or fulfill all graduation requirements. 

Colleges and universities also have a vested interest in confirming educational accomplishments. Confirming an applicant received a degree from their school helps their graduates and promotes the reputation of their school. Conversely, exposure the fraudulent use of the school’s excellent name helps to preserve and protect the school’s reputation.

Background firms verify culture in the U.S. in two ways. One way is to contact the school, usually through the registar’s office. Before doing that, but, a competent background firm will first run the name of the school against various databases to ensure that the school is legitimate and accredited, and not a phony degree mill. A number of schools will demand a written release or a fee, which can delay the verification. Delays can also occur because schools operate on an academic schedule, which can mean the administrative offices are closed during holidays and the summer months.

 The other options available to screening firms and employers are online air force that have contracts with schools to gather degree in rank from schools, thus acting as the schools’ agents. 

For some job applicants, being paid a college diploma apparently no longer requires years of hard work, taking tests, paying schooling or even reading a book. Why bother going through the formalities when all a person needs is a credit card and a web browser in order to buy an authentic looking diploma that mimics real colleges, universities and even high schools across the U.S.? Go to any search engine and run keywords such as “Fake Diploma” and anyone can instantly “graduate” from nearly any school in America with a very handsome and authentic looking diploma suitable for hanging. 

One such website advertises that it makes “very realistic diplomas/transcripts. These diplomas/ transcripts are extremely high quality printed on official parchment quality paper. You can show your employer and they will never skepticism that you indeed attended college. You will not find better quality anywhere!!!” 

Some of these sites “officially” caution that the diplomas and transcripts are intended for “Novelty and Entertainment Use Only.” But, the fake documents you receive do not have a disclaimer written any place on them. When presented with a physical diploma or transcripts, employers should fax a copy to the school to confirm its authenticity. Most background firms can tell tales of faxing copies of degrees, supplied by the applicant, to high schools and colleges only to be told the degree is a fake. 

Verifying high school culture can present particular problems, due to the fact that there are so many high schools, and the fact they operate on an academic schedule. The most hard degree to verify is typically a GED, in view of the fact that it requires additional time and try to track down the office that has the in rank. 

Adding to the challenge is that some degree mills and fake online schools have even made fake official approval agencies to falsely vouch for the fake schools. In the U.S. schools are generally accredited by private organizations, that are recognized as legitimate accreditors by the Council for Higher Culture Official approval (CHEA) found at www.chea.org. The U.S. regime, in response to these issues, has made a web site where employers can look up a school to determine if and how it is accredited. The web site is at: www.ope.ed.gov/official approval/search.aspx which provides searches of schools by official approval agency. 

The problems with degree mills, but, should not be confused with legitimate vocational or trade schools. All disorder has an agency in charge of certifying disorder-approved educational programs. If there are questions about the legitimacy of a vocational or trade school, then an employer should contact the apt power in their disorder. There are numerous interval learning programs available on the internet as well. An employer should evaluate the program to determine if it has relevance to the job.

 The bottom-line is that employers should not pocket educational accomplishments at face value without ensuring that the applicant really has obtained the degree, and that the degree is from a legitimate educational institution.  For extra in rank, contact Employment Screening Resources (ESR).

If you’re one of the millions of Americans with a criminal record, you’ve likely experienced a few hardships as a result. There are countless difficulties that can arise if your background isn’t spotless and most of those affected have yet to realize the scale of their disabilities. Below are the top ten reasons to apply for expungement of your criminal record. Expungement can relieve the burden and restore hope that has faded with the “go sentence” that can come with mistakes made long ago.

1. Employment
• Employers regularly deny jobs to applicants with a criminal record.
• Some states even allow employers to terminate current employees if they are found to have had a conviction

2. Culture
• The Higher Culture Act of 1998 makes students convicted of drug related offenses ineligible for any grant, loan or work help.
• Having a criminal record may prevent you from attending the college of your choice or disqualify you from certain graduate programs

3. Housing
• Private landlords can with permission deny housing to someone with convictions.

4. Loans
• Having a criminal record may make you ineligible for a loan or result in higher interest tariff
• Certain offenses can eliminate the possibility of a student receiving fiscal aid

5. Licensing & Certifications
• Convictions can prevent you from obtaining disorder licenses and certifications
• Over half the states in the U.S. have no standards governing the relevance of an applicant’s conviction records for occupational licenses

6. Insurance Tariff
• High insurance premiums may result if a criminal record is found
• Specific offenses may deem you “uninsurable” or “high risk”

7. Firearm Civil rights
• Hunting civil Civil rights may be limited to archery or muzzleloaders
• Convictions can greatly restrict gun ownership

8. Federal Help
• Several states ban people with convictions from being eligible for federally funded public help and food stamps.
• Many public housing authorities deny eligibility for federally helped housing based on an arrest that never led to a conviction

9. Adoption
• Fifteen states ban people with a criminal record from becoming an adoptive or foster parent.

10. Volunteering
• Nearly all volunteer positions involving youth demand a clean criminal history

Click Here: Emancipated criminal record expungement eligibility check