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National News

Hidden Camera Scandal Blamed on Lack of Employment Screening

November 01, 2012 posted by Steve Brownstein

After returning from their spring break vacations, students living in the dorms at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga were faced with a scandal that has brought attention to the need for background checks and employment screening within the university system.

This past Monday, UT student and Resident Assistant Bernard "Junior" Morris was arrested by police for allegedly installing hidden cameras in female dormitories. The surveillance camera's were found within alarm clocks that Morris had placed in these rooms while residents were away on break. After students had returned to find the mysterious clocks, campus security was contacted, stemming an immediate investigation. University officials reviewed security footage within the dorms which revealed images of Morris going from room to room, knocking on the doors, and later entering if there was no reply. With this evidence in hand, Chattanooga police were contacted and Bernard Morris was immediately arrested.

Following his arrest, Morris will be arraigned on April 13th on more than a dozen charges including felony burglary and theft. However, parents and students alike are still upset that this occurred in the first place--especially considering that Morris had an extensive criminal history yet no background check before his appointment. What would an employment screening have revealed if the university had run one? A lengthy criminal record including felony aggravated burglary, stalking, and harassment.

Since the incident, the school immediately changed their screening policy on Resident Assistants, but some feel that it was too late as the damage had already been done. Not only were students violated, but the incident has drawn a large cloud of negative attention that has the school working to maintain their public relations. Unfortunately, it took this scandal for the school to realize the importance of background checks and employment screening . . . a lesson that should noted by other universities and employers alike.