Spring Break
NT students' records can deny campus jobs
Information is included in applications
Arlinda Arriaga
Issue date: 4/22/08 Section: NEWS
Students applying to attend or work at NT might not undergo a criminal background check, NT officials said.
Director of undergraduate admissions Marcilla Collinsworth said when any student applies for admission he or she must complete a security affirmation clearance section during the application process.
"We do not conduct criminal background checks on applicants unless the applicant specifies on the application that they have been convicted of a criminal violation other than a minor traffic violation," Collinsworth said. "If a student answers 'yes,' then we forward the student's information over to the rights and responsibilities center for further investigation."
Elizabeth With, associate vice president of student development, said the university conducts an arrest clearance, which is information from the students that they choose to report.
Marsha McLaughlin, administrative assistant of the student rights and responsibilities center, said the information is given to the judicial officer who then decides if the student is given clearance.
Clearance depends on the circumstance of the arrest, With said.
"We do not clear behavior that would jeopardize university safety," With said. "We can't guarantee a safe campus, but asking the question lets us do what we can to make the campus as safe as possible."
Collinsworth said if the rights and responsibilities center does not give clearance, then the application is not processed. She also said there is not an appeals process through the office of admissions for this situation.
Collinsworth said having a security affirmation clearance section on the Texas common application is a "dynamic question that NT asks."
"Other universities' Texas common application does not include a question such as that one," she said.
With said several hundred arrest clearances are processed each year, and few are denied.
NT officials in human resources said they do not conduct criminal background checks on students unless the department requests it.
Director of undergraduate admissions Marcilla Collinsworth said when any student applies for admission he or she must complete a security affirmation clearance section during the application process.
"We do not conduct criminal background checks on applicants unless the applicant specifies on the application that they have been convicted of a criminal violation other than a minor traffic violation," Collinsworth said. "If a student answers 'yes,' then we forward the student's information over to the rights and responsibilities center for further investigation."
Elizabeth With, associate vice president of student development, said the university conducts an arrest clearance, which is information from the students that they choose to report.
Marsha McLaughlin, administrative assistant of the student rights and responsibilities center, said the information is given to the judicial officer who then decides if the student is given clearance.
Clearance depends on the circumstance of the arrest, With said.
"We do not clear behavior that would jeopardize university safety," With said. "We can't guarantee a safe campus, but asking the question lets us do what we can to make the campus as safe as possible."
Collinsworth said if the rights and responsibilities center does not give clearance, then the application is not processed. She also said there is not an appeals process through the office of admissions for this situation.
Collinsworth said having a security affirmation clearance section on the Texas common application is a "dynamic question that NT asks."
"Other universities' Texas common application does not include a question such as that one," she said.
With said several hundred arrest clearances are processed each year, and few are denied.
NT officials in human resources said they do not conduct criminal background checks on students unless the department requests it.
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