3.3 Admission of Students with Past Felonies

(Adopted 5-6-2019)

To enhance student success and the safety of the East Central College community, all applicants are responsible for informing the College on the application for admission if they have pled guilty to or been convicted of a felony. The College may admit, admit with restrictions, defer, or deny admission based on the nature and circumstances of the crime(s). Admission to the College does not guarantee admission to selective admission programs.

Upon pleading guilty to or being convicted of a felony, admitted students are required to self-report in writing to the Chief Student Affairs Officer. The College may deny continued enrollment based upon the nature and circumstances of the allegation or conviction.

Procedures (Adopted 5-6-2019; Revised 11-3-2025) 

3.3.1 Application Review Process

  1. If an applicant responds “yes” to the criminal background questions on the application for admission, the application will be placed in pending status, which prohibits applicants from enrolling in or accessing certain College services.
  2. The applicant will be required to submit a personal statement form. The form requires applicants to list all prior felony convictions, provide a statement regarding the positive changes made since conviction, and provide a declaration of academic and career goals. Additionally, if an applicant is currently on probation and/or parole, they are required to list their probation and/or parole officer.
  3. The applicant will be required to submit a certified criminal background check. If the applicant’s criminal record extends beyond the state of Missouri, it will be the responsibility of the applicant to obtain a certified background check for each state, as appropriate. The applicant is responsible for payment of all costs associated with the background check.
  4. After the supplemental application and the background check are submitted, the documents will be reviewed by members of the Criminal Background Review team to determine if the applicant should be admitted or be required to interview with the CSAO. The Criminal Background Review Team evaluates criminal history information obtained by submitted Highway Patrol background checks and recommends enrollment ability. The review team is made up of staff from advising and career services, enrollment services, wellness services, and retention services teams, and include members of both campus locations.
  5. If an applicant is required to participate in an interview, the applicant will receive notification from the College of the time, date, and location for the interview. If the applicant cannot attend the scheduled interview, they must notify the office of the Chief Student Affairs Officer (CSAO) and request to reschedule the interview. Failure to reschedule or attend the interview will result in the application remaining in pending status until such a time the interview can take place. Admission will not be approved for any applicant whose status is pending.
  6. The Criminal Background Review team will participate in the file review.
  7. Each member will have one vote. A simple majority vote is necessary to make any decision or recommendation.
  8. Based on a majority vote, the Criminal Background Review Team will issue a short rationale for its recommendation. The Criminal Background Review Team may recommend to:
    1. Admit the applicant
    2. Admit the applicant with restrictions or conditions
    3. Continue the applicant’s status as pending, awaiting the outcome of a psychological assessment or other required information
      1. The applicant will pay all costs related to such an assessment. The panel review team will specify a timeline for assessment and provisions for communicating the assessment outcome to the CARE Team.
    4. Continue the applicant’s status as pending, deferring admission for a specified period of time
    5. Deny admission
    6. Void an admission that was obtained inappropriately.
  9. The Criminal Background Review Team will make recommendations to the CSAO on admission to the College and conditions of enrollment, if applicable. Final determinations regarding enrollment of applicants with past criminal activity rests with the CSAO. The CSAO may require the student to meet with them and other designees prior to an admission decision. If the CSAO does not concur with the recommendation of the Criminal Background Review Team, a short rationale regarding the decision will be issued, which shall be shown to the applicant upon request.
  10. Upon pleading guilty to or being convicted of a felony, an admitted student is required to notify the CSAO in writing. The student will then be required to meet with the CSAO on whether enrollment should continue.
  11. If an applicant incorrectly indicates on their application that they have a felony conviction(s), they may sign a statement indicating an error was made. A signed statement will allow the applicant to continue the admission process without participating in the review process.
  12. If it is discovered a student has a criminal background and has falsified the application, they will be suspended from classes pending a background check.