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SUNY delays criminal history questions

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Leaders of New York's public university system say they've struck the right balance between college access and student safety with their decision to stop asking applicants about their criminal history.

Instead, students will be asked to declare a prior felony conviction only after they've been accepted to a State University of New York college and only when they seek campus housing or participation in things like internships and study abroad programs.

The SUNY Board of Trustees' action Wednesday comes amid increasing national calls to "ban the box" from college admissions and job applications.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is among supporters, saying that a majority of candidates who are asked to disclose prior felony convictions on SUNY admissions applications don't complete the process.

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