In adherence to State University of New York’s policy, “Move the Box,” Oswego State no longer asks admission applicants whether they have had a prior felony.
“It is in the interest of the state to facilitate the admission of individuals with previous criminal convictions because improved access to higher education can enhance public safety by reducing recidivism and facilitating successful reintegration into society,” according to the Admission of Persons with Prior Felony Convictions policy.
The idea of the policy originated from SUNY Student Assembly in 2016 with the “Ban the Box Resolution.” The main goal of the resolution was to only implement criminal history screenings after a student has been accepted and admitted to a SUNY college and that the history could not be used to revoke admission.
Ban the Box is a civil rights initiative concerning ex-offenders, aimed at persuading employers and institutions of higher education to remove the check box that asks if applicants have a criminal record,” according to the resolution.
Out of the prospective students that checked the box indicating prior felonies, 62.5 percent ended up not completing the application, according to a 2015 report by Center for Community Alternatives.
In response to former U.S. President Barack Obama’s “Fair Chance in Higher Education” 2016 initiative, SUNY pledged to follow the initiative because “For individuals across the New York State and the nation who have a history with the criminal justice system, access to college can be a challenge due to requirements for disclosure of criminal records and other barriers – both real and perceived – throughout the application process,” according to the initiative.
According to the initiative, almost 1 in 5 Americans have some sort of criminal record, which hinders someone with such history from being admitted to college programs.
Although prospective students who apply to study at the school do not have to disclose a felony conviction, it is still required of them to answer the question if they apply to live on campus, study abroad, have an internship or have clinical or field experiences such as student teaching.
There has not been many people admitted to Oswego State with a prior felony, so the policy is more like a philosophy, according to Rameen Mohammadi, Oswego State associate provost for undergraduate and special programs.
The departments of Residence Life and Housing, the Office of International Education and Programs and the School of Education’s Field Placement Office individually inquire about past criminal histories of students for their specific services.
If a student does disclose a prior felony, they must provide further information and documentation, and the case will be reviewed by a committee to determine the appropriateness of allowing the student to be approved for the services. The committee can make the decision to not allow the student to participate in the activity only if it “would pose an unreasonable risk to property or the safety or welfare of specific individuals or the general public,” according to the SUNY policy.
“Everybody is deserving of having a chance at a better life, and that’s what we are here for,” Mohammadi said. “Everyone should have access to education, and denying them that education is not appropriate. If a person has served their time, and is out, they should be able to receive education as well, and not all forms of education require activities that can potentially be an issue.”
Graphic by Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian
