SJU to stop asking criminal history of applicants

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/dowling-college-five-towns-college-to-stop-asking-applicants-about-criminal-history-1.9550492

Not sure how I feel about it, but it's worth discussing here if we can be civil.
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I don't think its a big deal. Florida State's football team has been ignoring their student's criminal history for years!!!
 
Drawbacks of technology -- I suppose these days you can google anyone and if a serious crime is associated with the person, you throw application in the reject pile?

Back when I was applying for schools, if I had committed any crime, I just would have lied on application.
 
Drawbacks of technology -- I suppose these days you can google anyone and if a serious crime is associated with the person, you throw application in the reject pile?

Back when I was applying for schools, if I had committed any crime, I just would have lied on application.
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I think violent criminals are the people you would what to reject. I feel like serious crimes is vague.
 
Not really a big deal considering they've already stopped asking for the academic history of applicants.
 
To be clear, they are no longer asking if someone has been arrested, not whether someone has a criminal conviction. Although they do refer to convictions that are "sealed" or "expunged" which are technically not convictions (in fact criminal convictions in NY cannot be "expunged" not sure about other states though). As we all know an arrest is not proof of guilt, it's quite possible that someone in fact can be wrongfully arrested. I don't think this is a major issue. If they were to stop asking about convictions, now that is a different story.
 
Drawbacks of technology -- I suppose these days you can google anyone and if a serious crime is associated with the person, you throw application in the reject pile?

Back when I was applying for schools, if I had committed any crime, I just would have lied on application.
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Also, they may have served the time requied and should
be given the chance for an education and become a productive parf of our society
 
I think this is a major issue for St. John's University and I am not a fan of the government stepping in and asking St. John's what their application process should be.

For the security of staff and fellow students the University should ask about arrests and investigate the facts concerned and make an informed admission decision from there.

SJU should not admit perps with a history of petit larceny,drugs, assaults, harassment etc.

NY is a very liberal state and often slap young recidivist perps with a slap on the wrist. I would love to hear the University's official stance on this.

I am afraid this lax admission policy could have serious negative consequences in the future, time will tell. I just hope Tommy Lawrence and Dr. James O'Keefe two great law enforcement veterans use their resources to keep the university safe and consult with the admissions department if some serious bad apples are let in the gate.
 
Those of us from the student protest sixties know there is a big difference between arrests and conviction. Also applies to the abuse of power when the Republican convention was in NYC.
 
SJU should not admit perps with a history of petit larceny,drugs, assaults, harassment etc.
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The only problem with that is that you are kind of saying that some crimes are acceptable, and others are not, and that could potentially lead into a messy situation.

For example, I would consider a DUI a much greater offense than being charged with drugs....but that is just my opinion.

Another thing to think about if they decide to do this, what then happens to current students who get arrested/convicted? I'm not a St Johns student or alumni, but I'm sure other posters can help me out on this, but does anything happens to current students who get arrested? What if they get in trouble off campus? Can the school still step in?
 
Jumbo my etc. is pretty much catch all for any crimes my major concern is sju allowing students with multiple arrests. the university should have the right to investigate potential applicants, types of crimes/violations circumstances involved and make a well informed admissions decision that protects the staff and students.
 
Jumbo my etc. is pretty much catch all for any crimes my major concern is sju allowing students with multiple arrests. the university should have the right to investigate potential applicants, types of crimes/violations circumstances involved and make a well informed admissions decision that protects the staff and students.
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So all crimes are equal then?
 
Jumbo my etc. is pretty much catch all for any crimes my major concern is sju allowing students with multiple arrests. the university should have the right to investigate potential applicants, types of crimes/violations circumstances involved and make a well informed admissions decision that protects the staff and students.
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So all crimes are equal then?
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I think to be fair, that there are crimes that indicate behaviors that threaten the safety of other students. Those are the ones I'd be concerned with. If someone was arrested for having a false phony driver's license, I would not think it's a reason not to admit a student. However, aggravated assault or rape would be, no?
 
Jumbo my etc. is pretty much catch all for any crimes my major concern is sju allowing students with multiple arrests. the university should have the right to investigate potential applicants, types of crimes/violations circumstances involved and make a well informed admissions decision that protects the staff and students.
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So all crimes are equal then?
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I think to be fair, that there are crimes that indicate behaviors that threaten the safety of other students. Those are the ones I'd be concerned with. If someone was arrested for having a false phony driver's license, I would not think it's a reason not to admit a student. However, aggravated assault or rape would be, no?
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I agree with you......but what do you do with crimes that are not threatening, but could potentially be, such as a DUI? What if an 18yr old has 1 beer one night, gets pulled over, and because they are underage, automatically get a DUI with a blood alcohol content of like .01?

Also, what about the adult generation that is going back to college? What if a 50yr old who, after working for many years and being a productive member of society, decides to go back to college, but was convicted of a serious crime when they were in their early 20s? Do you admit them?

I'm sure that each one of us could throw out a million 'what if' scenarios to prove our point. I just think that they need to figure out how to convert that grey area into straight black or white.

Otherwise, they will have to examine each applicant individually, and with that many applicants each year, I just don't know if its worth the time or the money, or if its even possible at all.
 
Jumbo my etc. is pretty much catch all for any crimes my major concern is sju allowing students with multiple arrests. the university should have the right to investigate potential applicants, types of crimes/violations circumstances involved and make a well informed admissions decision that protects the staff and students.
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So all crimes are equal then?
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I think to be fair, that there are crimes that indicate behaviors that threaten the safety of other students. Those are the ones I'd be concerned with. If someone was arrested for having a false phony driver's license, I would not think it's a reason not to admit a student. However, aggravated assault or rape would be, no?
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I agree with you......but what do you do with crimes that are not threatening, but could potentially be, such as a DUI? What if an 18yr old has 1 beer one night, gets pulled over, and because they are underage, automatically get a DUI with a blood alcohol content of like .01?

Also, what about the adult generation that is going back to college? What if a 50yr old who, after working for many years and being a productive member of society, decides to go back to college, but was convicted of a serious crime when they were in their early 20s? Do you admit them?

I'm sure that each one of us could throw out a million 'what if' scenarios to prove our point. I just think that they need to figure out how to convert that grey area into straight black or white.

Otherwise, they will have to examine each applicant individually, and with that many applicants each year, I just don't know if its worth the time or the money, or if its even possible at all.
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Here's the damned thing that the NYS attorney general Schneiderman is forgetting when it comes to his well intentioned protection of those who were charged and never convicted. There are tons of kids who you wouldn't want to be on the same campus with, no less the same dorm, who have done horrible things, gotten arrested for them, and either had charges reduced or dropped in pleas, or dropped for lack of evidence. Teenaged gang member, for example. It's absurd that a college can't ask a kid about arrests, and then do their due diligence in making sure other students, teachers, and administrators aren't safe begin around that kid.
 
Beast agree 1000 % nys should not intervene on sju's admission policies re: questionnaires that protect the university.
 
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