ADMISSIONS

from their parents.

The American Civil Liberties Union posted guidance on whether schools can discipline students for protesting and speaking out and is offering training on students' rights. The civil-rights group said schools can discipline students for missing class but can't punish students more harshly because they are missing class to express a political view.

Some colleges considered directly addressing student protests with a formal statement but ultimately decided it wasn’t necessary. Capital University spokeswoman Nichole Johnson said the school decided against posting a direct, formal statement on the matter because potential students already know what Capital is all about.

“Capital has a reputation of standing for civil discourse and engaged citizenship and being a force for good,” Johnson said. “The students we attract know that about us, and they share those values.”

Ohio Wesleyan released its formal stance on student civic engagement Monday. President Rock Jones said university officials are aware that some students might be concerned about potential admissions repercussions, and the university sought to be proactive in letting students know its stance.

“We know that many of the students who have applied for admission this year have some questions based on recent events and whether or not they would be disciplined for participating in that (civic engagement) process,” Jones told The Dispatch on Tuesday. “We wanted to offer our assurances that we’re a place that actually values that engagement, regardless of any particular partisan identification.”

Statements from some schools, such as the notice posted on Kenyon College's admissions site, addressed discipline stemming from civil action specifically related to the Florida shootings. Others, such as Ohio State and Ohio Wesleyan, stated they simply supported civic engagement of any kind.

“Disciplinary action related to lawful protest will not impact a student or applicant’s admissions outcome,” Ohio State’s statement read. “The Ohio State University supports everyone’s right to civic engagement.” The notice was shared on Ohio State’s enrollment services Twitter page; emailed to guidance counselors, admitted students and active applicants; and will be explained to anyone who asks, according to Ohio State spokesman Ben Johnson.

Jones said Ohio Wesleyan’s statement was meant to address overall civic engagement on any issue, and wasn’t intended to send any particular message about the Florida shootings or gun violence more broadly.

“Our statement was really intended to address active engagement in the democratic process, civic engagement, regardless of the position one holds or the issue at stake,” Jones said. “I’m glad to see young people across the country actively engaging on a number of fronts, on a variety of issues.”

The National Association for College Admission Counseling has created a resourceon its website for colleges and universities to report how disciplinary actions related to activism may be factored into their admission process.

Student activism, on its face, is not problematic, but school administrators are tasked with ensuring safety for all students, wrote NACAC President David Burge in an online statement.

“Activism signals that students are ready to take control of the world around them, that they are finding their voice, building confidence and are on the path to be engaged citizens,” Burge wrote. “There are also hard choices to be navigated by school administrations as they work to ensure safety and protect the right to learn for all students.”