DICKINSON (AP) - The state Board of Higher Education plans to ask the Legislature for permission to conduct criminal background checks on employees, job applicants and students in certain areas.

The idea drew some questions when it was discussed at the board's meeting Thursday at Dickinson State University.

Nicholas Rogers, the student board member from North Dakota State University, said he could not support the proposal without knowing more about how it would impact his fellow students.

The proposed change in the law would allow the state university system to do a statewide and nationwide criminal history record check "for each applicant or employee in a specified position in the university system or a university system institution or for each student applying to or admitted to a specified program of study, as designated by the chancellor."

Valley City State University President Ellen Chaffee and university system attorney Pat Seaworth said the background checks would not be mandatory.

"Under the current law, universities don't have authorization (to do background checks) other than for peace officers," Seaworth said.

Board member Sue Andrews suggested language allowing for discussion about which positions and study programs should be included. Seaworth said that should be part of board policy rather than state law.

The proposal comes in the wake of charges against Mo Gibbs, a former Valley City State security guard accused of killing Mindy Morgenstern of New Salem, a Valley City State student who was found dead Sept. 13, in her off-campus apartment.

School officials have said that a background check on Gibbs came up clean when he applied for work, but they later realized the investigation was not as thorough as they expected. Gibbs later was hired as a Barnes County jailer and was accused of sexual assaults involving five female inmates.