Persons with Prior Felonies in Experiential Courses

SUNY Policy Language

On November 15, 2024, SUNY provided updated guidance on the Policy on the Admission of Persons with Prior Felony Convictions (2018). The guidance updated two important aspects of the 2018 policy:

  1. "Where a student is applying to participate in a clinical or field experience, or internship placement, that requires a criminal history check as a condition of participation, campuses may only inquire if the student has a prior felony conviction at the point in time permitted by law, typically after an initial placement interview or after a conditional offer of placement" (Office of General Council, November 15, 2024).
  2. "To facilitate its review, the campus committee shall ask the student to provide:

    1. For students on parole or probation status, references from the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Division of Parole or the or the Office of Probation and Correctional Alternatives; and
    2. A personal interview with the campus committee if deemed necessary to clarify/verify this information" (Office of General Council, November 15, 2024).

Students will be asked to self-disclose prior felony convictions (unless they are sealed) at the time they are placed in an experiential activity. Following disclosure, students must meet with the Campus Safety Review Committee. The Committee will determine, based on information provided, whether or not a student may continue in experiential activities.

Obtaining a Suppressed Record Review

For NYS convictions only (all other states must be handled through the process outlined by that state):

  1. Schedule an appointment to have your fingerprints taken.

    • Visit the Identogo website or call 877-472-6915 to do this.
    • You must provide the following service code: 15464Z (for a suppressed record)

  2. Bring the following to your fingerprinting appointment:

    • One form of identification (visit the Identogo website or call 877-472-6915 for information about acceptable forms of identification)
    • Payment in the amount of $14.25. Credit cards, checks, and money orders are accepted. Checks or money orders must be made out to "Idemia."

  3. After DCJS recieves your request:

    • Your request will be processed and returned via US Mail within 3 to 4 weeks. You cannot pick up your response in person.
    • Your response may include one or more of the following: your criminal history record, information about fingerprints you submitted as required by law for employment, licensing or other purposes, or a "no record" response.
    • You will also receive information explaining how to challenge the accuracy of any reported information.

  4. After you receive your rap sheet in the mail, please bring to one of the following locations. At that location, your information will be scanned into our system and the original documents returned to you, or you can email in scanned versions of your documents:

Requesting an Application to Waive the Fingerprint Processing Fee

If you are unable to pay the $14.25 fingerprint processing fee, you must request a criminal history record fee waiver application packet by emailing Record Review (recordreview@dcjs.ny.gov).

Questions

If you have any questions about obtaining a record review or would like an update on the status of your record review, you can email the Record Review Unit (recordreview@dcjs.ny.gov) or call (518) 457-9847 or (518) 485-7675.

Additional Information

  • If you are on probation or parole, in addition to your record review, you must submit supporting documentation from your probation/parole officer, along with their contact information.
  • Anyone is welcome to send personal references, including letters from counselors, parole/probation officers, current/past employers and/or religious advisors.
  • If your conviction was outside of NYS, you must submit equivalent paperwork form the state in which the conviction occurred.  Starting with the state's Department of Justice website, you should be able to find information about how you can obtain this record.

Email the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities or call (585) 292-2023 with any questions about this process.