After Shooting, ODU Asks Students for Criminal Histories

Students at Old Dominion University have until Thursday, March 26, to submit any previous felony convictions to the university registrar’s office as part of a broader campus safety effort, The Virginian-Pilot reported.

The ask comes after an ODU student killed an ROTC instructor earlier this month. That student previously pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges in 2017 and went to prison, according to WHRO. He was released in 2024.

ODU officials haven’t said what they’ll do with the information students provide other than that they’ll review each situation on a case-by-case basis. “A prior conviction does not automatically result in disciplinary action or any specific outcome,” according to a university email that WHRO obtained.

“This is not a routine request, but it reflects our commitment to thoughtfully consider every appropriate measure to support a safe and informed campus community,” officials wrote in the email.

But students and faculty want more information about the university’s decision to collect this data and have some concerns. One student told WHRO that it felt like an “unnecessary invasion of privacy.” University officials told WHRO and the Pilot that students don’t have to fill out the questionnaire. 

Under Virginia law, universities can’t ask prospective students about their criminal histories, but they can request that information after students enroll, according to the Pilot.