Along with their grades and residence status, high school seniors face another important question on their college applications: “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?”

And many colleges, including the University of Oklahoma and nursing programs at Connors State College and Northeastern State University, back that question up with criminal background checks.

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea,” said Fort Gibson High School senior Cade Roberts, who plans to attend OU. “What if you get a roommate with a background of gang activity or if you get a felon you don’t know about.”

Campus shootings at Virginia Tech University and Northern Illinois University have prompted some calls for criminal background checks on people applying for admission, as well as those applying for jobs. The advocacy group Security on Campus has called for background checks for students applying to colleges.

Muskogee High School senior Nathan Oney, said “colleges have a right to do that.”

He said he saw the stipulation about felony convictions and criminal background checks on applications for several different colleges.

“It’s pretty universal,” said Oney, who will attend Oklahoma City University. “I don’t want to end up with a person who’s been convicted of a felony.”

Oklahoma colleges have differing policies on background checks.

For those who answer “yes” to the felony question on OU’s application, the university sends the applicant a letter and release for a background check, said Matt Hamilton, OU registrar and associate vice president for enrollment and student financial services.

“When the applicant’s explanation and release form are received, the University requests a background check through the OU Office of Human Resources, and the results of the background check, with the applicant’s explanation, are reviewed by the admissions committee.”

He said applicants can appeal if the application is denied.

At NSU, students who answer “yes” to the felony question must write a description of the circumstances and attach it to the application, said NSU Public Relations Director Nancy Garber. The student then appears before a special admissions committee, which decides whether to allow admission based on various factors such as whether a student poses a threat to himself, others or to the campus community, Garber said. “Otherwise, we do not require prospective students to submit to a background check.”

Similarly, Connors application asks if the student had ever been convicted of a felony and to describe circumstances surrounding the conviction. Connors also does not require a criminal background check.

Nursing programs are exceptions. Garber said the NSU nursing program does require a background check for abuse, violence and substance abuse.

Glenda Shockley, director of the Connors nursing program, said students cannot be accepted into the nursing program without going through the background check.