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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsColleges That Ask Applicants About Brushes With the Law Draw Scrutiny
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/us/colleges-that-ask-applicants-about-brushes-with-the-law-draw-scrutiny.htmlHave you ever been charged with or convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a crime other than a minor traffic offense, or are there any criminal charges now pending against you?
Those who check yes, even though they have never been convicted of any crime, face extra scrutiny a follow-up call from the admissions office asking for additional information, the university says.
Auburn, in Auburn, Ala., is one of 17 universities in the South that include broad questions on their admissions applications about any contact with the legal system or the police that applicants might have had even an arrest, with no conviction according to the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, an advocacy group. The universities are now the focus of an inquiry by the organization, which says such questions unfairly penalize minorities, who tend to face arrest more frequently and, as a result, could face higher admissions hurdles.
Abnredleg
(670 posts)My wife is a university administrator and they have a similar process. What they are mostly concerned about are violent or sexual crimes, not crimes such as possession or DUIs. They do have an obligation to provide a safe environment for all students so they have to screen for people who pose an increased danger to the university population. They are very sensitive to the effect this may have on minorities so they very rarely bar someone for a non-violent crime.
Another issue is that many programs require licensure by an outside agency, many of which have character or moral requirements. It makes no sense to admit someone if they cannot be licensed. An example would be someone entering an accounting program with a theft conviction.
It's a tough situation for universities since if they admit someone with a violent past and they injury a fellow student, then they are going in severe legal trouble. They have no choice but to exercise due diligence when they admit students. If a university is sensitive to all the issues, and have a very narrow focus, then I suspect things will work out OK.