In recent history “Ban-the Box” legislation has swept across the country and has been adopted in many local and State jurisdictions as well as with some private companies. The core tenant of this type of policy is the removal of the “Do you have a criminal record” question on the job application form. However, not all Ban-the-Box polices that have been enacted are identical as some differ significantly giving the movement a non-ubiquitous face. Now in 2016 this movement has reached Colleges and Universities in the USA. The initial aim to protect job applicants from having to immediately divulge their criminal history is now being considered as an option for admission policies concerning student application forms and the student application process.
Certain College campus officials say the question of criminal history on the application helps them learn as much as they can about a prospective student and allows them to take the necessary steps to keep all the students on campus safe. However opponents to this line of thinking believe the criminal history question creates an unnecessary barrier that harms some groups of students.
New York University is one key advocate of the new criminal history report policy but with critical revisions. Instead of considering every criminal conviction as part of their admission application process they will now ask new questions like, “Have you been convicted of or disciplined for violent incidents.”
From the August 2, 2016 Gothamist.com:
(1) Starting this month, New York University will no longer consider every criminal conviction on an applicant’s record, regardless of severity, as part of the undergraduate application process. Instead, the school is instating a new set of questions that require applicants to disclose whether they have been “convicted of or disciplined for violent incidents,” according to a press release from the school. gothamist.com/2016/08/02/nyu_crime_disclosure_box.php
Recent new studies shows that the question of criminal history on college applications may not predict behavior in a significant way and may not make college campuses any safer.
Also from Gothamist.com (Aug. 02, 16):
(1) Studies have shown that having the box on college applications doesn’t make campuses any safer, and NYU reached the same conclusion after an internal assessment of its own disciplinary records. “NYU took a look at the NYU disciplinary records of enrolled students who had checked the box against the overall undergraduate NYU population,” Knoll-Finn stated. “We found no meaningful differences in the rates of infractions.” gothamist.com/2016/08/02/nyu_crime_disclosure_box.php
In Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has added his voice to those pushing for change in the application process.
From LATimes.com (Jul. 01, 16):
Eric Garcetti has recruited 32 other mayors across the country to join him in urging college admissions companies to stop asking applicants about their criminal histories.
(2) In a letter, the mayors petitioned the Common Application Association and Universal College Application — two companies whose standard applications are used by many private universities — “to remove any box that inquiries into a person’s past criminal history from your admissions applications.” latimes.com/local/education/la-me-garcetti-criminal-history-applications-20160701-snap-story.html
Changes concerning whether or not to ask applicants for their criminal history records along with if and when to ask for such information has substantially changed in the employment screening and tenant screening arenas. Now it has found its way to College and University campuses. These institutes of higher learning are now taking a hard look at their admission application policies and some are trying to enact ban-the-box type of policies.
The verdict is still being discussed as some people think keeping the question of an applicant’s criminal history on student application forms can harm certain potential students while other campus officials think that asking as much as possible on the application form helps them learn as much as they can about an applicant which enables them to take the steps necessary to ensure the safety of everyone on the campus.
Other research such as that conducted by NYU shows that having the criminal history question on student applications doesn’t predict behavior in a significant way and does not make college campuses any safer. In any case it is a best practice for Colleges and Universities to partner with a professional background screening company to help them remain compliant with current law and if criminal background checks are performed for them to be accurate, current and complete.
To read more regarding what impact ban-the-box type polices may have on Colleges and Universities admission practices and why institutions of higher learning should use professional third-party background screening companies read recent CriminalBackgroundRecords.com press release: http://www.criminalbackgroundrecords.com/news/2016-8-24-Ban-the-Box-Type-Policies-May-Impact-Public-and-Private-Institutions-of-Higher-Learning-Admission-Policies.html