20-21 Bacone College Academic Catalog

6. ADMISSIONS OFFICE

6.12. When Background Checks Are Required of Student Applicants

The college requires background checks for applicants who (1) declare that they have been arrested or convicted of any Federal, state, local or tribal law offense and (2) when any student who declares a major in healthcare, education, health-science or criminal justice related fields. In regards to this policy, there is no distinction between main campus residential students, commuter students, or dually-enrolled tribal college students.  

Background checks are conducted through a third-party vendor and include a seven-year scope, nationwide wants and warrants check, statewide wants and warrants check, debarment check (for Federal funds), sex offender and registry check. Moving violations are not considered during the background check process. Minor offenses (such as youthful experimentation with marijuana, public intoxication, DUI without injury to a third party) are presumptively waived. More serious violations may be waived by special permission of the President. These checks are required of students who declare that they have been arrested or convicted of any Federal, state, local or tribal law offense to ensure that there are no terms and conditions of probation that would prevent them from attending Bacone College, that there are no outstanding criminal proceedings, and to ensure that Bacone meets its due diligence requirements under VAWA and Title IX. 

These checks are also required of students declaring a major in healthcare, education, health-science or criminal justice related fields because the state licensing boards for these fields require a background check as a condition of licensing. This process is a safeguard to ensure that students are not enrolled who are subsequently unable to pass licensing examinations due to adverse criminal history.