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ILLINOIS COLLEGE POLICY ON CRIMINAL AND DISCIPLINARY HISTORY IN ADMISSIONS

Illinois College is committed to providing a safe, secure environment to all members of the College community.  Accordingly, each prospective student who has qualified for admission is required to provide complete and accurate supplemental information regarding his/her criminal history and any disciplinary history with any educational institution before the enrollment process can be completed.

Scope | This policy applies to any undergraduate applicant who has qualified for admission and who has expressed his/her intention to enroll in the College (hereinafter “Applicant”).
Policy | Each Applicant must complete the College’s “Criminal and Disciplinary History” form which asks if the Applicant has ever:

  1. been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation;
  2.  plead guilty, plead no contest, or entered any plea other than not guilty to a criminal charge anything other than a minor traffic violation;
  3.  been expelled, dismissed, suspended, put on probation or been subject to other disciplinary sanction by an educational institution; and/or
  4.  withdrawn from or otherwise left any educational institution while a disciplinary sanction, disciplinary charge, disciplinary hearing, or investigation of misconduct was pending, outstanding or unresolved; and/or been discharged from the military other than with an honorable discharge?

Additionally, the Applicant must disclose any pending criminal charges other than a minor traffic violation.

  • If the Applicant responds in the affirmative to any of these questions, details about each offense, crime, criminal charge, or misconduct are to be provided on the form.  An affirmative answer on the questionnaire is not an automatic disqualifier for enrollment by the Applicant but will begin a review which will be part of the College’s admission and enrollment process.  During the review, the Applicant will be allowed to provide additional details and documents regarding each felony and/or misdemeanor or disciplinary action.  The Applicant shall also provide the College, if requested by the College, with a written authorization directed to the appropriate authorities to release information to the College regarding these matters.  Additionally, the Applicant shall be required to provide written authorization to allow the College to conduct a criminal background check of the Applicant’s record.
  • If the Applicant answers any question in the affirmative, the Applicant’s history will be reviewed by the College’s Admissions Review Committee (“ARC”).
  • The ARC is comprised of the College’s AVP of Enrollment Management, Associate Dean of Students/Title IX Coordinator, and Director of Campus Safety.
  • The ARC will review the information provided by the Applicant, along with any other relevant information received by the College and determine whether or not the Applicant will be allowed to enroll at the College.
  • Determining Factors | The factors to be considered by the ARC in the review process include, but are not limited to:
    • Nature and severity of the crime, offense, criminal charge, or misconduct;
    • Amount of time since the crime, offense, criminal charge, or misconduct;
    • Successful completion of sentence or penalty;
    • Other educational institutions attended since the crime, offense, criminal charge; and
    • Evidence of rehabilitation since the crime, offense, criminal charge, or misconduct.
  • After the ARC’s evaluation of the information provided by the Applicant as well as any additional relevant information available to the Committee, it will make a determination within a reasonable timeframe given the particular circumstances whether the Applicant will be allowed to continue the process of admission to the College.
  • The Applicant will be informed in writing of the ARC’s decision.  Any Applicant who is denied admission may appeal that decision by completing the appeal form which will be provided.  Appeals will be considered, additional information may be obtained, and a decision will be made within a reasonable timeframe based upon the particular circumstances presented. The appeal committee will be comprised of the Dean of Students, Vice President for External Relations, and the Dean of Faculty. The Applicant will be informed of the result of the appeal in writing.  The decision of the appeal committee on the Applicant’s appeal is final and not subject to further review. 
  • The College reserves the right to deny admission to any Applicant and to deny and/or rescind enrollment to any Applicant consistent with College policies, including any Applicant who submits false, inaccurate, or misleading information to the College.

Approved and updated July 2022