NORFOLK, Va. — Questionnaires requesting for students to disclose their criminal history were sent out on behalf of Old Dominion University.
"The questionnaire includes a question regarding past felony convictions. The information you provide will be handled with care and discretion, and access will be limited to authorized University personnel. We ask that you complete the questionnaire by Thursday, March 26, 2026," an email sent by the university reads.
ODU student John Mickley said this email has frustrated some in the campus community.
"I have seen online discussion posts about it and people in general are not happy with it," Mickley said. "They're saying not to fill it out — out of protest. They're saying it's useless."
News 3 asked ODU whether the questionnaire will be mandatory for students and if disciplinary action will be taken against those who do not respond.
"The questionnaire is not mandatory; however, the University is strongly encouraging all current students to complete it as part of our shared commitment to maintaining a safe and supportive campus environment. This is one component of a broader, ongoing effort to support the well-being of our campus community," an ODU official told News 3 in an email.
Watch previous coverage: ODU shooter Mohamed Jalloh re-enrolled at ODU under Virginia law that bans criminal history questions on college applications
The email also encourages the campus community to use ODU's support resources.
This comes over a week after the deadly shooting unfolded on ODU's campus. The gunman, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, was able to re-enroll at ODU after serving federal prison time for supporting ISIS because Virginia law prohibits public universities from asking potential students about their criminal history during the application process.
Jalloh shot and killed ROTC instructor Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah and wounded two others in a classroom at ODU on March 12, 2026. He was a current student at the time of the attack, enrolled in an online course for the spring 2026 semester.
Watch related coverage: Neighbors raise money for Brandon Shah's family
Jalloh first enrolled at ODU in fall 2006 and attended through spring 2013. In October 2016, he pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS and was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. He was released from federal custody on Dec. 23, 2024, after completing a drug treatment program. He re-enrolled at ODU in summer 2025.
In a written statement to News 3, an ODU spokesperson said the university had no prior knowledge of Jalloh's criminal history.
"Old Dominion University had no knowledge of any prior criminal history for Jalloh," the spokesperson said.
Under Virginia law, public universities can not ask about criminal history on their own applications. Even if a student voluntarily discloses a criminal past on a third-party application, such as the Common App, the school can not use that information alone to deny them admission.
The law does include one exception: schools can withdraw an offer of admission if they later discover a criminal history that poses a threat, but only before a student enrolls. ODU said it never knew about Jalloh's criminal history, meaning that exception did not apply in his case.
In the same statement, ODU said the university will "review additional safety measures to continue strengthening campus security."
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