She said nursing students do some of their learning at Muskogee Regional Medical Center, Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center and other facilities.

“We have to comply with our clinical agencies’ requirements,” Shockley said. “If a student has had a felony conviction in the past five years, the student cannot take the licensing exam. Students have to go through lots of documentation and clearances to take the exam. It is in our advisory material, too.”

OU’s athletic department “works with the University of Oklahoma police department to conduct background check on all student athletes receiving scholarships,” Hamilton said. “The athletics department tests every student-athlete (for drugs) during their playing season, and each roster randomly in the off season.”

The University of Tulsa does not do criminal background checks on students, but does ask if the student has ever been convicted of a felony, been suspended or dismissed from high school, or required to register as a sex offender, said University Relations Director David Hamby. “Failure to answer all questions truthfully or to disclose information honestly will subject an accepted applicant to having the offer of admission rescinded or will subject an enrolled student to the University’s student judicial process and may result in dismissal from the University.”

Even so, student character is central to TU’s admission process, Hamby said. “To that end, TU works closely with high school guidance counselors to determine whether an applicant has character or academic issues of which the university needs to be aware.”

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