Procedure for Admission Review of Students with Stalking and Sexual Assault Criminal History

This procedure documents the process for reviewing Applicants who have prior convictions or pending charges for certain enumerated stalking and sexual offenses pursuant to University policy.

Review and Decision Process

1. A Review Committee may consist of representatives from Admissions, Student Life and University Safety or any other departments necessary to accomplish the review.
2. If an Applicant responds affirmatively that they have either have a conviction or current pending charges for the enumerated stalking and sexual offenses, the applicant will be referred to the Review Committee.
3. The Review Committee will request information necessary for review including but not limited to an explanation of the charges, a verified criminal background check, court records, law enforcement reports.
4. After receiving all information requested, the Review Committee will evaluate the Applicant’s admission using the following factors:
   
   1. The nature and gravity of the criminal conduct and whether it bears a direct relationship to a particular aspect of an Applicant’s participation in campus life and campus activities.
   2. The time that has passed since the occurrence of the criminal conduct.
   3. The age of the Applicant at the time of the conduct underlying the criminal conviction.
   4. Any evidence of rehabilitation or good conduct produced by the applicant.
5. The Review Committee will determine if there is a risk to the safety and security of the campus community and decide whether the applicant is admitted, admitted with conditions or denied admission and the applicant will be notified of the decision in writing.

Appeal

1. An Applicant may seek reconsideration of a denial of admission. The Applicant must request reconsideration in writing to the Vice President of Student Affairs within 15 days of the decision. The Applicant must clearly state the grounds for such request.
2. Requests for reconsideration must be based on the following grounds:
   
   1. The established procedure was not followed.
   2. There is new information which was not available at the time of the original decision.
   3. There is a need to correct a clear error to prevent a manifest injustice.
3. The Vice President of Student Affairs will first determine whether there is a ground for appeal. If a ground for appeal exists, the Vice President will review and make a determination. The review will be based on the record provided from the Review Committee, the Applicants original submissions and any new information not available at the time of the original decision to be provided by the Applicant at the time of the appeal. The Vice President may consult with the Review Committee and campus administrators.

Policy Created August 8, 2022