Behavioral History Review Committee

The University of Louisville is committed to providing a safe environment for its students, faculty, and staff. To promote this environment, all applicants for admission to the University are required to indicate whether they have been subject to disciplinary action for behavioral misconduct at any prior institution including the University of Louisville or have been convicted of any crime other than minor traffic violations. To ensure that applicants indicating such conduct receive a fair evaluation, the appropriate admission authority will refer such applicants to the Behavioral History Review Committee (BHRC). The BHRC will undertake a thorough and holistic review of the conduct the applicant identified in the context of their application for admission. If the candidate for admission is otherwise identified as a viable applicant for admission by the respective admissions office, the BHRC review of the applicant's history may result in denying an applicant admission to the university, admitting an applicant subject to certain conditions (e.g., restricted access to specific areas on campus, restricted access to campus housing, requiring participation in counseling services, required to write a paper, no contact orders), or admitting an applicant without any restrictions.

The BHRC is chaired by the Assistant Dean of Students, in conjunction with the appropriate admissions authorities, who are charged with the responsibility of reviewing and determining admissibility of applicants, in conjunction with the appropriate admissions authorities, who identify having a criminal and/or behavioral history.

Membership on the Behavioral History Review Committee (BHRC) consists of:

  • Assistant Dean of Students, and/or designee (Chair)
  • Director of Undergraduate Admissions, and/or designee
  • Chief of Police, and/or designee
  • General Counsel, and/or designee, ex officio
  • Appropriate Academic University representative (as needed)

BHRC Procedures

Applicants for admission or readmission will be required to identify through the application any prior criminal conviction other than minor traffic violations or disciplinary history. Applicants will be instructed that if they identify any prior criminal conviction or disciplinary history, it is the applicant’s responsibility to supply the following documentation with their application:

  • For criminal convictions other than minor traffic violations:
    • A statement explaining the circumstances of each conviction;
    • Location (city, state, country) of the conviction(s) of previous conduct, dates, and court disposition;
    • Documentation (police and/or court records) for all such convictions. UofL will not contact a court clerk or attorney on behalf of the applicant.
  • For prior disciplinary history:
    • A statement explaining the circumstances of each instance of discipline;
    • Location and name of institution, dates, and nature of the case;
    • Any documents the applicant believes relevant or helpful;
    • Certification of disciplinary history from previous institution(s); and
    • Permission from the applicant for the University of Louisville to have complete access to any previous disciplinary records.

Applicants will be advised that their application is incomplete until all information related to a criminal conviction or disciplinary history is received by the University. It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain and provide records and documents, and that failure to provide truthful responses on the application and/or supporting material may result in revocation of admission, removal of a student, and/or disciplinary action by the University.

Upon receipt of proper documentation, the appropriate admissions authority will contact the Chair of the BHRC for preliminary review. Preliminary review may result in mutual agreement that the applicant will be permitted to enter the university community without restriction and therefore may move forward through the appropriate admissions process.

All other applicants, including those that cannot be preliminarily agreed upon and/or may result in denial, or admission with restrictions, shall be referred on to the BHRC for full committee review.

There is a minimum timeframe of 4 to 6 weeks for reviewing criminal and/or disciplinary history disclosures once received by the Behavioral History Review Committee.

Committee Review Process

The purpose of the BHRC is to review the relevant information necessary to make a determination whether an applicant with a conviction or disciplinary history is eligible for admission to the University of Louisville, as well as  consider if or whether conditions associated with admission and enrollment will be required, if any.

Such a determination shall be made only after considering:

  • the nature of the misconduct or crime and its relationship to the program for which the person has applied;
  • information pertaining to the degree of rehabilitation of the applicant;
  • the time elapsed since the misconduct, conviction, or release from incarceration;
  • an essay and other information provided by the applicant; and
  • documentation of the applicant’s commitment to move forward as a productive member of the University community.

The BHRC will include, as necessary and on an ad hoc basis, a representative from the school or program to which the applicant seeks admission so that the BHRC has the benefit of that input and any program specific considerations. The BHRC will also have the ability to request additional information from and/or an interview with the applicant. The findings of the BHRC will be communicated directly from the BHRC.

Appeal

An applicant denied admission based on previous misconduct at an educational institution and/or previous criminal conduct may appeal in writing to the BHRC within 15 days of the date of the notification of denial of admission. The applicant denied admission must submit new information that was not available to the BHRC and was not included or available in the initial review of the applicant's file and can be provided as part of the appeal. To request any appeal, the applicant must submit the BHRC online appeal form, stating the grounds for the appeal and a request to be re-considered.

The applicant will be notified in writing by the BHRC of the results of the appeal. The appeal decision of the BHRC is final.

Falsification of Admission Application and/or Failure to Disclose

Applications for admission to the University of Louisville require disclosure of any criminal history other than minor traffic violations, arrest, suspensions, or expulsions. In cases where students are found not to have declared a complete history, the Dean of Students Office will review the record. If it is deemed that there is ground for disciplinary action, the University may rescind admission based solely on the failure to disclose, and/or the student/applicant may be dismissed immediately or be charged with violations of the Code of Student Conduct.