The University of Virginia is requiring all students to disclose their arrest records this fall and students found lying about charges will face expulsion, according to university officials.
U.Va. Dean of Students Allen Groves told The Washington Examiner he will verify student disclosures with state court records for arrests occurring within Virginia.
The university is demanding student arrest records after U.Va. lacrosse player George Huguely V — who has had several run-ins with police — was charged with first-degree murder in the May 3 slaying of fellow U.Va. student and lacrosse player Yeardley Love.
U.Va. has required students to report arrests since 2004, but Huguely never reported his. Officials say the mandatory prompt is a more “active” approach that will encourage more students to come forward.
To access their online accounts in the fall, students must check “yes” or “no” in response to an electronic prompt asking, “Since you were first admitted to the university until now, have you been arrested or convicted of any crime excluding minor traffic violations?”
Students will be blocked from all account access — including school e-mail and class registration information — if they fail to respond to the prompt.
The prompt clarifies “this includes all such arrests or convictions regardless of where they occurred (inside or outside the Commonwealth of Virginia) and regardless of whether the University was in session at the time.” Students are required to report future arrests to the dean of students within 72 hours of detainment.
Student identification numbers will serve as an electronic signature, binding students to their statements under the school’s vaunted honor system.
Groves will be solely responsible for reviewing those who check “yes,” out of the more than 14,000 students who will respond.
Responses will be logged in a confidential database maintained by Groves’ office.
