Many student leadership positions at Bates require alignment between the values of the position, the office or area in which it operates, and the people working in that position. When making hiring decisions for some of these student employment or leadership positions, hiring managers or selection panels may request a conduct check of the applicants. The goal of this process is to ensure that student applicants’ behavior is consistent with the primary values of the group or position to which they have applied. The Office of Community Standards responds to requests for conduct checks using the procedure outlined below. 

Student Notification and Consent

The Office of Community Standards requires that student applicants are notified of and consent to a conduct check, prior to the hiring manager or selection panel making a request. The application should include notice that a conduct check may be undertaken, and an option for the student to either provide consent or to withhold consent. Sample language is provided below; hiring managers are asked to use the sample language exactly as listed below in their applications and/or position descriptions.

Notification and Consent Language:

“Many student leadership positions at Bates require alignment between the values of the position, the office or area in which it operates, and the people working in that position. For this reason, any offer extended to a student in connection with their application for this position will be contingent upon the results of a student conduct check. Although the presence of a misconduct case will not automatically disqualify a student, documented incidents of misconduct that raise questions about a student’s fitness or suitability for the role they are seeking may result in withdrawal of the offer and the student being considered ineligible for the position. Please indicate below that you have reviewed this notification, and indicate whether you consent to the Office of Community Standards providing the hiring manager with information about documented incidents of misconduct. 

[ ] I read this notification and I give my consent for the Office of Community Standards to provide the hiring manager with information about documented incidents of misconduct.

[ ] I read this notification and I do not give my consent for the Office of Community Standards to release information about documented incidents of misconduct.  I understand this may impact my application.  

Please note: The Office of Community Standards will not provide any information about a student’s record to the hiring manager without documentation of applicants’ consent.

Requests for Conduct Checks

Conduct checks will be run the entire applicant pool, once they have been identified. The request should answer the following key questions: 

• What are the values of the position/role/leadership opportunity? 
• Why is it important that the person selected for this position/role/leadership opportunity’s impact on campus align with these values?
• What are three examples of behaviors/impacts on campus that would be out of alignment with the values of the position/role/leadership opportunity?

Please complete this form to request a conduct check for applicants to your position.

Response from Community Standards Office

After receiving a request from a hiring manager, a member of the Community Standards team will review student conduct records for behavior or incidents that are relevant to the position. In assessing relevance, staff will utilize the information provided in the Request for Student Conduct Check form, in addition to Community Standards values and evaluation frameworks. Examples of potentially relevant behavior could include:

• Evidence of behavior(s) articulated by the hiring manager as out of alignment with the values of the position;
• Evidence of behavior that leverages power over others;
• Documented incidents involving violence or weapons;
• Documented incidents that put the safety of other community members at risk;
• Documented incidents that resulted in criminal charges.

All incidents will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If it is determined that there is evidence of behavior(s) reflected in prior conduct cases that call into question the applicant’s suitability or fitness for the role, the hiring manager will be notified. Because student conduct records are protected by FERPA, details of the incident of misconduct will not be shared with the hiring manager.

According to the Office of Community Standards’ philosophy, it is important for students to have the opportunity to learn and grow from mistakes. Therefore, the presence of a documented case of misconduct does not automatically render an applicant ineligible for a position. If an incident of minor misconduct does not reasonably impact a student’s ability or qualification to serve in the position in question, it is important that the student be allowed to grow and continue to build important skills that will serve them after graduation.