Policy Statement

It is the policy of the School of Social Work that no students or applicants who have been convicted of sex offenses against children shall be eligible for matriculation into the B.S.W., M.S.W., or Ph.D. programs.

Procedure

1. Responsible Office. The Office of Student Services, in conjunction with the Admissions Committee of each program, shall administer the Sex Offenders Screening Policy as it relates to student admissions and transfers.
2. Periodic Review. Periodically the Student Services Committee will review the policy and will make recommendations to the dean of the school regarding any possible changes to the policy and procedures for implementation.
3. Preadmission and Transfer Screening. Applicants will be asked to self-report any history of convictions of sexual offenses against children. As well, once students are accepted into the program, their names will be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar for screening against the registry. Any applicant or new admits whose name is on the registry will be ineligible for admission or transfer and shall be notified of nonacceptance or termination from the respective program.
4. Students in Affected Programs. Any student who is already in an IU School of Social Work Program and whose name appears on the registry during the time of matriculation, or who has been convicted of an offense for which the student can be listed on the registry, shall be ineligible for continuation or completion of the affected program. Any faculty member, student, field instructor, or other person within the school who becomes aware of such a situation should bring it to the attention of the respective program director for appropriate action.
5. Notice. The school bulletin shall include a statement giving notice to potential applicants that criminal convictions may render persons ineligible for certain practica.
6. Nonexclusive Policy. Nothing in this policy shall be deemed to preclude the school from taking other appropriate action in such cases, or in the case of applicants or students involved in other conduct or criminal activities not covered in this policy.
7. Right to Appeal. Any applicant or student already admitted to an IU School of Social Work program who is deemed ineligible for admission or continuation based upon a record of criminal conviction may appeal to the dean of the school for reconsideration if she or he believes there are extenuating circumstances that might mitigate the findings. The dean will appoint a review panel of three full-time faculty members to consider the student's appeal. The review panel, in consultation with the Office of University Counsel, will consider all pertinent information and make a ruling that shall be considered final.