SR1706LRB100 21897 MST 39766 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Public higher education is a shared public good;
3the University of Illinois System should serve everyone in
4Illinois with equal access to education and the freedom that
5comes from learning; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
7(UIUC) is the flagship campus and was one of the original 37
8public land-grant institutions created under the Morill Act
9with the goal of increasing access to higher education, then
10widely unavailable to many agricultural and industrial
11workers; and
 
12    WHEREAS, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), with its
13urban mission is "focused on eliminating disparities in health,
14education and economic opportunity" because "diversity is not
15an end in itself, but a vehicle for advancing access, equity,
16and inclusion" and considers itself one of the most ethnically
17and culturally diverse campuses in the country; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) is
19a public affairs university resolved to pioneer leaders in
20public education who will investigate the social,
21technological, environmental, and moral questions of our times
22by encouraging exposure to public affairs that extend beyond

 

 

SR1706- 2 -LRB100 21897 MST 39766 r

1the classroom and campus and to the community; and
 
2    WHEREAS, 47% of adults in Illinois have a criminal record,
3which creates barriers to housing, jobs, employment, and full
4democratic participation; and
 
5    WHEREAS, All the factors that increase the likelihood of
6involvement with the criminal legal system, such as being poor,
7coming from neighborhoods with low educational spending and
8high incarceration rates, or having low access to social
9mobility or economic opportunity, only persist or worsen after
10a conviction; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Many high schools in poor communities of color
12disproportionately use suspension, expulsion, and
13zero-tolerance policies, and therefore disciplinary actions
14and arrests are much higher; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Poor people of color are disproportionately
16arrested, convicted, and incarcerated, and African Americans
17and Latinos together make up approximately 32% of the U.S.
18population, but comprise 56% of all incarcerated people; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Asking university applicants about their high
20school disciplinary records and adult conviction records has a
21chilling effect, discouraging people from even applying to the

 

 

SR1706- 3 -LRB100 21897 MST 39766 r

1University of Illinois, and all three campuses currently
2request information about an applicant's criminal record and
3high school records in the admission process, thus creating a
4barrier to education; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The United States Department of Education has
6given forceful guidance for colleges and universities to
7eliminate collateral consequences of convictions and
8encourages abolition of these questions from applications, so
9that universities may mitigate, rather than exacerbate, the
10damage of the criminal justice system to individuals and
11communities; and
 
12    WHEREAS, By discouraging people from applying, the
13University of Illinois system acts against the ideals of public
14higher education, undermines its mission to make higher
15education accessible to all, and impedes Illinois residents in
16their efforts to lead positive and productive lives, thus
17preventing people with unlimited potential from matriculating
18and depriving current students of valuable colleagues and
19peers; therefore, be it
 
20    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
21ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the University
22of Illinois System to eliminate barriers to obtaining a
23post-secondary education by ceasing to inquire about prior

 

 

SR1706- 4 -LRB100 21897 MST 39766 r

1conviction information or past high school disciplinary
2history on any admissions application; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That the University of Illinois System is urged
4not to consider any conviction or high school disciplinary
5history information provided at any point during the admissions
6process from any application using a third-party-vendor and
7should further urge any such vendor not to disclose such
8information to the University of Illinois; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That in spite of the above statements, inquiries
10or considerations of an applicant's criminal history are
11permitted if required by federal law or in accordance with
12Section 2605-327 of the Department of State Police Law of Civil
13Administrative Code of Illinois or Section 10, 15, or 20 of the
14Medical School Matriculant Criminal History Records Check Act;
15and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That the University of Illinois is urged to only
17inquire about criminal history information related to specific
18convictions to follow existing laws and restrictions on aspects
19of campus life such as housing and employment after the student
20is admitted; and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, The University of Illinois is urged to only
22inquire about criminal history after an individual has been

 

 

SR1706- 5 -LRB100 21897 MST 39766 r

1admitted, only to offer the individual supportive services,
2academic, or career counseling, and institutional support; and
3be it further
 
4    RESOLVED, That the University of Illinois is urged to
5include information on all printed and online admissions
6materials that informs prospective applicants that a
7conviction record may affect an individual's ability to obtain
8certain professional or occupational licenses, types of
9employment, or to participate in certain clinical or other
10educational requirements; and be it further
 
11    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
12delivered to all members of the Illinois General Assembly, and
13the Governor of the State of Illinois.