A checkbox marked “yes” to a criminal background question on The Common Application can be an immediate rejection from a university. But the absence of the checkbox itself could be blindly admitting a student with a relevant criminal past.

New York University is calling on The Common Application to reevaluate the usefulness of criminal history inquiries in the college application process. The push comes after concerns that the question discourage social mobility, counteract diversity and are inherently discriminatory. Specifically, toward people of color in the context of high incarceration rates, it has been argued that the requirement has the potential to prompt unjustified denials of admission and deter applicants entirely.

There are undeniably two sides to the debate. Colleges should be able to expect full disclosure from applicants. However, it is also essential to acknowledge that underprivileged youth have fewer opportunities to climb the socioeconomic ladder. To effectively engage in this conversation and play a role in the ultimate decision, Syracuse University, which uses the Common App, should follow suit in joining NYU to determine the true predictive value of criminal-based background questions.

MJ Knoll-Finn, NYU’s vice president for enrollment management, published an editorial Wednesday in The Washington Post expressing that the university is seeking collaboration with other institutions to “promptly address issues of access and fairness” through an objective study. Finn emphasized the necessity for evidence-based decision-making, a value SU can embrace to properly gauge the worth of criminal history questions in the admissions office.

But until this data has been collected to uphold or refute the questions on The Common App, inquiring about a criminal past should be at the discretion of the respective university. This could be a component of supplemental applications, rather than the general body of The Common App. This plan of action would be a balanced approach and allow universities more flexibility to decide if applicants should have more than a checkbox to explain their pasts.

Once the study has been completed and findings reviewed, The Common App will have the information necessary to restore the questions, make proper revisions or leave them off entirely as they see fit.

In an ideal world, the implications of criminal background checks would not be influenced by one’s social standing or carry weight on an application. But the argument stems from the belief that all individuals should be held responsible to face the consequences of their actions regardless of the circumstances.

The different perspectives on background-oriented questions are what make forming a concrete decision difficult on the makeup of the application. However, SU’s decision to play an active role in determining the usefulness of these checkboxes will help institutions across the country, and The Common App itself, properly navigate the decision.

Published on February 4, 2016 at 1:05 am

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