When Wendy Adcock was hired by Ohio State as an accounts clerk for the University Libraries in 2005, she was under police investigation for stealing more than $11,000 from her previous employer, according to court records.
She was later convicted and placed on probation.
In September, Adcock was charged with stealing more than $13,500, this time from University Libraries during her tenure with the department.
Adcock’s case reveals flaws in background checks, which are not required for all employees who handle university money.
Adcock transferred to OSU’s College of Medicine, which requires background checks of all its employees, after working for University Libraries, where she is accused of embezzling the money.
“A background check was conducted … in January 2007 and did not reveal any issues,” OSU spokesman Jim Lynch said.
It is unclear why Adcock’s background check failed to reveal her arrest and felony conviction.
“The Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation conducted the background check regarding Wendy Adcock,” said Olga Esquivel-Gonzalez, a representative from OSU Human Resources. “The Bureau used fingerprint information to conduct this check and on January 26, 2007 notified the unit that Wendy did not have an arrest record.”
University officials said a new policy on background checks has been drafted, which will be implemented early next year.
“It includes establishing minimum standards pertaining to mandatory background checks,” Lynch said.
Esquivel-Gonzalez was unable to specify details of the new minimum standards, saying only that they are still under development.
“Our hope is that an effective background check will indeed result in the disclosure of any criminal convictions,” she said.
The scope of the background check is also going to be addressed, she said, but did not mention whether this would extend to employees who are in assignments handling money.
Policy regarding the hiring of people with criminal records will also be addressed.
“The upcoming policy changes will provide guidance regarding what factors should be considered if indeed an applicant has a criminal record,” Esquivel-Gonzalez said. “Some of the factors include job relatedness, length of time since the conviction, nature of the offense, degree of seriousness, i.e., misdemeanors versus felony, etc.”
Adcock’s prior conviction was for stealing more than $11,000 from the Obetz Comfort Inn, her former employer. She is currently charged with theft from OSU for stealing more than $13,500 during the period of August 2006 to December 2006, said Rick Amweg, assistant chief of University Police.
“She was in an assignment that involved handling money,” Amweg said. “She was able to move university funds to her own use.”
Discrepancies in the library’s accounts were discovered by another employee in the administrative office, who notified police. An internal audit was conducted and led police to Adcock as the suspect, Amweg said.
Police were unable to provide further details about how she was able to steal the money because the investigation is ongoing.
The same month the police investigation began, Adcock resigned from University Libraries on her own accord to accept a position with General Internal Medicine for the OSU College of Medicine, said Larry Allen, a spokesman from University Libraries.
She remained an OSU employee until Nov. 16 when she was terminated, Lynch said.
Briony Clare can be reached at [email protected].
