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Should college applicants get background checks?

The Virginia Tech student who went on a shooting rampage Monday before killing himself may have had a troubled past, but it’s not yet clear whether he had a criminal one. Even so, the tragedy has prompted some calls for background checks on college applicants. “It’s an idea whose time has come,” says Catherine Bath, executive director of Security On Campus, a national advocacy group based in Pennsylvania that has pushed for federal legislation aimed at keeping students safe.