Background Checks

University Policy 8.8 requires all individuals who will have direct contact with minors to successfully complete a criminal background check and sex offender registry search before participating in a Cornell-affiliated youth program.

Background Check Procedures:

Ithaca, Geneva, and Cornell Tech:

Students and Volunteers:

Background checks for students and volunteers are conducted by CYS through First Advantage, Cornell's third-party background check vendor.

Background checks are initiated automatically when a student or volunteer is added to an upcoming youth program in the youth program registration system. First Advantage will email the individual directly with instructions for completing the background check.

If the email is not found and a new one is required, please Contact us.

Please note: Completing the background check form is only the first step in the process. Individuals will remain "Not Compliant while the background check is being processed, even if they have already submitted all of the required information. Compliance is not achieved until the background check results have been successfully cleared.

Program Directors: An individual's background check has been approved when the registration system displays a green check mark that says "Compliant" rather than a red X that says "Not Compliant." Individuals whose background checks are still being processed will continue to display a red "Not Compliant status, even if they have already submitted their information to First Advantage.

The registration system will automatically initiate a new background check for individuals whose clearance is scheduled to expire while they are actively participating in a youth program.

Students and volunteers must successfully complete a background check annually.

University Employees:

For employee privacy, faculty and staff background checks are conducted through Human Resources (HR).

If the Ideal-Logic registration system does not contain a valid background check record for an employee, the system will automatically email the employee with instructions to contact their HR representative and request a criminal background check and sex offender registry search.

Once the background check has been completed, the employee's HR representative must email the background check clearance date to youthprogramadministrator@cornell.edu. After the clearance date has been entered into the registration system, the employee's status will display a green check mark labeled “Compliant.”

Please note: Requesting or completing a background check does not immediately make an employee compliant. Employees will continue to display a red “Not Compliant” status until the background check has been completed and the clearance date has been received and entered into the system.

The registration system will automatically notify employees whose background checks are scheduled to expire while they are participating in a youth program, and provide instructions for how to request a new one.

Employees who have direct contact with minors must clear a criminal background check and sex offender registry search every three years.

Weill Cornell Medicine-NYC:

Email PathwayProgramIntake@med.cornell.edu for more information.

Third-Party Programs:

Third-party organizations are responsible for ensuring that all individuals who will have direct contact with minors have successfully completed a criminal background check and sex offender registry search in accordance with University Policy 8.8.

Background check results do not need to be submitted to Cornell University. However, during program registration, the program director must attest that all required background checks and sex offender registry searches have been completed and that only individuals who have successfully cleared those screenings will have direct contact with minors.

Compliance:

Program directors are responsible for ensuring that all authorized persons have satisfied applicable background check requirements before engaging with minors.

Individuals who have not completed required background screening may not have direct contact with minors in Cornell-affiliated programs.

Programs found to be in violation of University Policy 8.8 may be subject to delays in program start, removal of authorized persons from positions involving interaction with minors, program cancellation, or loss of future eligibility to operate youth programs. Student organizations found to be noncompliant may also risk the loss of organizational funding and/or recognition from Campus Activity and Sorority & Fraternity Life.

Children's Camps:

For children's camps, as defined by New York state, the state and local health departments may impose background check requirements under the Public Health Law.

Camp staff must satisfy both Cornell and NYSDOH background check requirements.

Adverse Information:

A specialized committee evaluates background check findings to determine an individual's eligibility to work with minors.

The presence of adverse information does not automatically disqualify an individual from participation in a Cornell youth program. Factors considered during review may include:

The nature and severity of the offense
The amount of time that has passed since the offense
The circumstances surrounding the offense
The individual's age at the time of the offense
Evidence of rehabilitation

Confidentiality:

All background check materials and results are treated as confidential and are shared only with individuals who have a legitimate business need to know.

Background check records are maintained separately from academic records.