Can students evaluate qualifications and accept a person as their teacher?
One can immediately eliminate from consideration any teachers who might incur censure per AN8.88:

The lay followers may, if they wish, make a proclamation of confidence in a mendicant who has eight qualities.
They don’t try to prevent the lay people from getting material possessions. They don’t try to harm lay people. They don’t insult and abuse lay people. They don’t divide lay people against each other. They don’t criticize the Buddha, the teaching, and the Saṅgha. They’re not seen at an inappropriate place for collecting alms.

Note that many of the contemporary Sangha/teacher crises would raise doubts and lack of confidence because of the above.
The Rhinoceros Sutta suggests that we be prepared to wander alone as necessary in our search, not wasting our time, yet open to meeting the Sangha as found:

Follow that friend who’s deeply-learned,
Dharma-endowed and lucid, great,
knows meaning leading out of doubts,
fare singly as the rhino’s horn.