I. Purpose
The University of Colorado Boulder (“CU Boulder”) has a position of public trust and is committed to ensuring that all applicants for admission who wish to attend our institution are provided equitable consideration during the admissions process. Because CU Boulder values transparency and the trust of all prospective students and their families, we shall avoid any actual or apparent undue influence in the admissions application review and decision process.
II. Policy Statement
The primary relationship in the undergraduate admissions application process is between the Office of Admissions and the applicant and their family. The primary relationship in the graduate admissions application process is between the applicant and the academic program or department to which they are applying.
At CU Boulder, the Admissions Office is responsible for undergraduate applications and the graduate department or Graduate School is responsible for graduate applications. These CU Boulder departments are the only ones authorized and directed to provide admissions information when a legitimate reason has been established or decline to provide admissions information for any reason if, in its view, doing so would compromise the integrity of the information in its trust.
An application check-in occurs when someone other than the student or their family inquiries about the admissions status of an applicant. When CU Boulder receives a check-in request, it may either provide the requested information to another authorized CU Boulder employee or High School/Academic Official who has a need to know and would normally be expected to be involved in the admissions process or decline to provide such information according to the procedures established to support this policy statement.
The Office of Admissions or Graduate School will deny check-in requests from anyone other than the student, the student’s family or authorized officials such as high school officials or external educational funding partners. To avoid even the appearance of impropriety and undue influence, all other parties, including but not limited to outside third parties and other university employees and officials, will not be given information regarding the status of a prospective student’s application. Such employees or third parties outside of the admissions process shall be advised that CU Boulder policy prohibits the release of the requested information.
This policy concerning application check-ins is intended to preserve the integrity of the admissions application process; ensure equal access for all applicants; protect the requester, CU Boulder and the employee; foster the excellent reputation of CU Boulder; and avoid actual or perceived conflicts of interest or undue influence in admissions decisions.
This policy applies to the admissions application processes throughout the CU Boulder campus. The Office of Admissions and Graduate School at CU Boulder shall be responsible for writing and instituting procedures within their responsible areas consistent with this policy statement. All CU Boulder programs, schools and colleges shall be responsible for adopting and adhering to these admissions procedures.
Effective Date
March 1, 2020
Approved By
Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano
Policy Owner
Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management