Employer Policy

All employers are subject to approval by USD’s Career Development Center to access Handshake and TEAM as online systems to post employment opportunities to recruit current students and alumni. In reviewing employer accounts and employment opportunities, our center assesses factors such as flags or negative feedback from students/other universities, as well as compliance with university policies and practices. As part of this process, the Career Development Center may contact employers about items where we need additional information from an employer. USD’s Career Development Center reserves the right to decline employers or job postings at any time and for any reason.

Internship Policy

All internships, whether paid, unpaid, or for credit, are eligible for posting. Employers directly post the internships with all relevant information and are subject to approval by Career Development Center staff.

For Credit Internships

The USD Career Development Center does not have an internship program where employers sign a contract or agreement, such as you may do at other colleges. Employers post internships on Handshake, and in the salary section state whether the opportunity is "Paid" or "Unpaid" Most students who do an internship for credit are simultaneously taking an internship class, where they pay tuition. When an organization finds the student they wish to hire, it is the student’s responsibility to take the internship to their academic department for approval to receive credit from the school. Some students may choose to accept an unpaid internship, without paying class tuition to receive credit, if they feel it will be a valuable learning experience. Employers will be responsible for determining whether their organization requires that students be registered in a class. USD’s Career Development Center will not be responsible if an organization chooses to proceed with hiring a student who is not enrolled in a class. Please review the NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers) Internship Statement for more information. Employers are responsible for ensuring their organization complies with all applicable federal and state wage and hour requirements and other laws with respect to any positions, whether paid, unpaid or for credit.

Job Offer Policy

The USD Career Development Center requires that all organizations participating in the recruitment of USD students adhere to the Principles for Ethical Professional Practice as prepared by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Organizations are responsible for all representations and offers made to students by their recruiters. When making an employment offer, students should be notified in writing, including position responsibilities, salary, location, benefits, and starting date. Students should be given sufficient time to make an informed decision regarding the offers they receive. We recommend that employers respect the commitment students have to their academics as well as any previously scheduled interviews with other organizations.

USD’s Career Development Center suggests employers give students 1-2 weeks from the receipt of the written offer to accept or decline that offer (based on the NACE’s Setting Reasonable Deadlines for Job Offers).

We advise recruiters to not pressure students to accept offers, attach bonuses that expire, or
attach bonuses that expire if the offer is not immediate. Additionally, we discourage recruiters
from pursuing students who have already accepted job offers from another organization.

Rescinding Offers:

Employers rescinding employment should carefully review the NACE guidelines and recommendations regarding rescinded and deferred employment offers. NACE recommends that employers who must revoke a commitment do everything possible to avoid rescinding offers and to consider alternatives that do not require rescinding employment offers. These may include changes in job responsibilities, salary reduction and/or reduced work weeks, changes in job location, delayed starting dates, and other reasonable options.

Industry Recruiting Policies:

Marijuana & Cannabis Industry

USD Career Development Center will not accept companies or positions involved with the use, production, testing, or distribution of recreational or medical marijuana. As the use of marijuana is illegal at the federal level, we must comply with federal law. In addition, the use of marijuana violates the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act and continues to be banned on campus.

Tobacco Industry

In support of the University’s decision to be a Smoking and Tobacco-Free Campus (effective August 18, 2015), the Career Development Center does not allow organizations to recruit at the university that support the use of tobacco or products associated with its use. This includes, but is not limited to: cigarette products, cigars, tobacco brands, logos, symbols, etc.

Private Families/Individuals

USD does not allow private families or individuals to be approved on its job boards nor allow them to participate in recruitment services. This includes, but is not limited to: personal care assistants, house cleaning, nannies, tutors, and pet care.

Multi-Level Marketing or Network Marketing Organizations

USD does not allow network marketing organizations to be approved on its job boards nor allow them to participate in recruitment services. Many terms exist to describe the practice of enlisting people in pyramid-like structures with the promise of potential income. The Career Development Center considers organizations that engage in the following to be network marketing organizations:

• Sponsoring an individual to set up their own business for the purpose of selling products or services and/or recruiting other individuals to set up their own business.
• Requiring an initial cash, credit card, or capital investment, account balance, or similar fiscal requirements from this individual, with the organization itself serving as an umbrella or parent corporation.
• The compensation is in the form of straight commission, fees from others under their sponsorship in the organization, and/or a percentage of sales generated by others.

Organizations in Support of Abortion

As a Catholic university, USD cherishes its Roman Catholic heritage and the institutions which founded USD, the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Diocese of San Diego. Due to its Catholic identity, USD does not allow organizations who promote abortion to be approved on its job boards nor allow them to participate in recruitment services.

Evangelizing & Targeting

As a Catholic university, USD celebrates and respects people from all religions, faith traditions and worldviews. Therefore, organizations that evangelize or target a specific population to convert to a certain religion are not permitted to participate in recruitment services.

Organizations that Require Up-Front Costs or Fees

USD does not allow organizations who require up-front costs or fees to be approved on its job boards nor allow them to participate in recruitment services.

Third-Party Recruiters

The Career Development Center defines third-party recruiters as agencies, organizations, or individuals recruiting candidates for temporary, part-time, or full-time employment opportunities other than for their own needs. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Employment Agencies
• Search Firms
• Contract Recruiter
• Online Job Posting or Resume Referral Services
• Temporary Agencies or Staffing Services
• Outsourcing Contractors or Leasing Agencies

Third-Party Recruiters must abide by Handshake’s Third-Party Guidelines when recruiting at the University of San Diego.

Third-party recruiters may take advantage of employer services and other events sponsored by the Career Development Center provided recruiters abide by the following designated rules:

• Identify themselves as a third-party recruiter on their employer profile and all job announcements.
• Identify, upon request, the name of the actual employer to the applicants once they’ve decided they want to represent their client.
• Not disclose to any employer, including the client-employer, any student information without obtaining prior written or verbal consent from the student.
• Under no circumstances can student information be disclosed for other than the original recruiting purposes nor can it be sold or provided to other entities.
• Align with all other University of San Diego and Career Development Center policies.

Screening Job/Internship Postings

Each individual internship and job posting on the Career Development Center’s job boards is subject to review and follow-up based on the following guidelines:

• Provide a detailed position description and pertinent information (including the location or remote status). See our job description template as an example.
• Fully disclose the duties, responsibilities, and expectations.
• Refrain from charging fees or monetary investments for employment.
• Refrain from requiring students to participate in multi-level marketing or on-campus sales/promotions.
• Refrain from requiring as part of an initial review credit card information, driver’s license, social security, or any investment of capital via requirements such as cashing checks and making wire transfers of cash.
• Employers with commission-based opportunities must:

• Disclose that compensation is based partially or solely on commission.
• Do not require payment of non-refundable fees for training and/or materials.
• Do not require that any part of the compensation be associated with recruiting others.
• Disclose the opportunity is running one's own business through a franchise.
• Do not charge penalties, fees or withhold earnings if the franchisee leaves the program.
• Employers are responsible for ensuring their organization complies with all applicable federal and state wage and hour requirements and other laws with respect to any positions, whether paid, unpaid or for credit.

Job/Internship Role Policies:

USD does not allow the following types of roles to be posted on its job boards:

• Door-to-Door Sales
• Modeling or similar type roles
• “Campus Ambassador” positions, or any positions in which USD students promote, sell, influence, or market services/products to other USD students/faculty/staff.
• Other jobs/internships as deemed not in alignment with our university and Career Development Center policies

Recruiting Event Policies

Organizations must be approved in Handshake in order to participate in USD recruitment services and recruitment events.

On-Campus Interview Day Policies

Organizations who would like to host on-campus interview days must abide by our On-Campus Interview Policies.

Alcohol and Marijuana Policies

The use of alcohol at any point during on- or off-campus recruiting events, including sports events, is discouraged. We request all organizations and students participating in a recruitment event on- or off-campus to carefully review and abide by USD’s Alcohol Policy. The use of marijuana at any point during on- or off-campus recruiting events, including sports events, is prohibited.

Events Posted on Handshake

Organizations approved on Handshake are welcome to post events for USD students to see. All events hosted by an organization on- or off-campus must abide by the University of San Diego’s Employer Policies & Guidelines. If you would like to request access for your organization to post events for USD students to see on Handshake, please email careers@sandiego.edu.

When your event is approved on Handshake, this disclaimer will be added to it:

*We encourage University of San Diego (USD) students & alumni to explore externally hosted events. Note, these are not affiliated with USD & are listed on Handshake because they may interest members of the community. The inclusion of these events does not indicate USD’s sponsorship/endorsement. Students may attend at their own discretion & are advised not to provide any personal or financial information that may compromise their privacy or financial accounts. Direct any questions/concerns to the Career Development Center, careers@sandiego.edu.

Student Information

Confidentiality

By completing the Handshake registration form and submitting resumes and other application materials for opportunities posted on Handshake, students provide the Career Development Center authorization to release employment materials to those selected prospective employers. Employment professionals must maintain the confidentiality of all student information released to them, regardless of the source, including personal documents, written records/reports, and computer databases. This means that you are not to disclose student information to another organization without the prior written consent of the student, unless necessitated by health and/or safety considerations, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

GPA

Students' GPAs are self-reported in Handshake and the Career Center does not verify the accuracy of student GPAs. Employers may include this information in their job descriptions as a point of information for potential candidates. Employers may also request grade reports or transcripts from students or alumni as part of their required Handshake application documents in order to verify academic performance.

Policy Prohibiting Discrimination and Harassment

The University of San Diego is committed to upholding standards that promote respect and human dignity in an environment that fosters academic excellence and professionalism. It is the policy of the university to maintain an educational and work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. To that end, the university prohibits and does not tolerate unlawful discrimination against or harassment of its employees, students or applicants for employment or admission on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, age, physical disability, mental disability, or other characteristic protected by federal or state law, unless a particular characteristic is a bona fide requirement of the position. All members of the university community are expected to uphold this policy. Engaging in unlawful discrimination or harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action. Please review the University of San Diego’s complete Policy Prohibiting Discrimination & Harassment. The facilities and services of the Career Development Center are only available to employers whose hiring and personnel practices are consistent with this policy.

Candidates who believe employers have violated the University's non-discrimination policy are instructed to contact the Career Development Center at careers@sandiego.edu or (619) 260-4654.

Exceptions to Policies and Guidelines

The Career Development Center reserves the right to make exceptions to these policies and guidelines as warranted by special circumstances, i.e., in certain situations deemed to be acceptable and beneficial to our students, the Career Development Center, the university, or recruiters using our services. Such exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Any exception made does not constitute a change in policy, nor is there a guarantee that this same decision will apply in the future.

Click here to see all of the University of San Diego’s policies.