What is an External Program?

An external program, or third-party program, is one that is not owned or operated by The University of Alabama, but is held on the UA campus.  Except for the use of the facilities, an external program is not otherwise affiliated with The University of Alabama.  These programs must have a University department or college sponsor.

External programs must comply with all University policies, including all University standards as described in the Youth Protection Policy for External Entities/Third-party Programs and the Guide for Third-Party Youth Programs.

Requirements for External Programs

UA Sponsor

A member of University personnel or a UA department must sponsor a third-party Youth Program in order for the program to be held on UA campus. The Program Sponsor maintains responsibility for the program throughout the registration process, during the program activities, and until the program has ended.  For more details on the role played by the Program Sponsor, see the Guide for Third-Party Youth Programs.

Contract

External programs must establish a contractual relationship with the University.  This may be in the form of a traditional contract or a permissive use agreement (PUA).  A copy of the fully executed contract or PUA must be submitted with the program registration.  To initiate a contract, the UA Sponsor must submit a Contract Request Form.

Certificate of Insurance

The University requires that external entities operating youth programs on-campus must carry minimum levels of insurance coverage and that the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama must be listed as additionally insured.  A copy of the insurance certificate will be required with the program registration.

Staff Training

All program staff must be trained on the University’s child abuse reporting policy and procedures.  To facilitate this process, the program director must complete the Staff Information Form and email it to youthprotection@ua.edu.  Staff will be contacted by email to complete the online training.  A finalized staff list must be provided a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the start date of the program to ensure enough time for staff to complete the training requirement.

It is also expected that the program will be responsible for ensuring that staff are trained on the following topics:

• Code of conduct for participants and staff
• Techniques for managing participant behavior
• Emergency procedures
• Supervision standards
• Appropriate contact with participants
• Management of participant medications and disability accommodations
• Pick up and drop off procedures

Background Checks

External programs must conduct background checks on all program staff who will be working with children and submit a completed Background Check Certification Statement.  The Office of Compliance, Ethics, and Regulatory Affairs will not manage background checks for external programs.

Each check must meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Criminal Search
   1. 10-year felony and misdemeanor search based on all jurisdictions provided on
      application and social security number trace.
   2. Hands on county criminal search or direct access to county court terminals that are
      updated daily are utilized.
   3. Statewide searches conducted in the following areas: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona,
      Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas,
      Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, New York (when applicable),
      North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Wisconsin
   4. Federal criminal search conducted on a nationwide basis in all United State District
      Courts.
   5. All maiden names and AKAs are included in the search.
2. Social security number traced through multiple sources to include the three credit bureaus.
3. National DB Offender Scan: The scope is a multi-jurisdictional search consisting of court records,
   incarceration records, prison/inmate records, probation/parole/release information, arrest data,
   wants and warrants, 50 state Sex Offender Registry search, and the USA Patriot Act Search (U.S.
   and foreign sanctions and watch lists as provided by states, U.S. and foreign government, and
   international organizations). Any hits are verified at the court of original jurisdiction.
4. Social media search conducted consistent with the requirements and parameters employed by
   the University’s vendor, Risk Mitigation.

See the FAQ section below for more details.

Frequently Asked Questions for External Programs

Who should fill out and submit the registration form?

The registration form must be completed by a UA employee.  All external programs are required to have a sponsoring department at UA, and a person from that department will serve as the liason throughout the registration process.

How are background checks managed for external programs?

The external entity may conduct background checks through a vendor of their choice, at their own expense, as long as they provide written certification that all staff have been checked AND as long as the checks conducted meet University standards as explained in the Guide for Third-Party Youth Programs.

How do I contact the university’s background check provider to set up an account?

Once your program registration is received, you will be provided with contact information.

Does the Background Check Certification have to be notarized?  Where is notary service available?

Yes.  Notary services are available on campus in the Ferguson center at the University Union or at the Alabama Credit Union.  If these are inconvenient, check with your local bank or mail store.

Do I need to submit a Staff Information Form?

Yes.  While we do not manage the background check process for external programs, we do still require that all program staff complete the University’s training on child abuse reporting.  We need your staff list so we can send out the training invitations and track the completion.

What do I do if a staff member is not approved to work due to their background check results?

If you find that a staff member cannot be approved to work in your program due to results from their background check, please notify our office at youthprotection@ua.edu immediately.  Please be sure that you are carefully following the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act before you take action on background check results.