What is the Clery Act?

• The Clery Act is a federal law passed in 1990 and substantially amended in 1992, 1998, 2000, and 2008.

• It applies to virtually all U.S. colleges and universities.

What does the act require?

• Publish an annual security report

• Maintain a public crime log

• Disclose crime statistics for campus, and certain non-campus areas

Further Clery requirements

• Issue timely warnings about crimes that pose a continuing threat to students and employees

• Devise emergency notification policies• Compile and report fire data• Create policies to address reports of missing

students

The Clery Act is a mandate

• All institutions that get Title IV student financial aid must comply

• Administered by the U.S. Department of Education

• Failure to comply can result in civil penalties

Clery Act complications

• Unspecified definitions of key terms, such as “timely”

• Nonstandard methods of defining and reporting crimes

• Geographic issues, such as definition of “campus”

Clery Act Enforcement

• Audits and fines have increased • Yale, 2013: $155,000• Lincoln University (Mo.), 2013: $275,000• Dominican College (NY), 2013: $262,500• Eastern Michigan, 2008: $357,500 (largest

ever)

Department of Education audit of UConn

• Audit was conducted in 2011• University has not received preliminary audit• No indication when audit will be released• University likely to face fines for past

deficiencies

UConn’s own Clery review

• Self-initiated in 2012 to identify Clery compliance deficiencies

• Hired independent specialist firm, D. Stafford & Associates

• Developed proactive plan to address gaps in compliance

UConn response to Stafford review

• Hired full-time Clery Compliance Coordinator• Developed timely warning protocol and

standard operating procedure• Annual university-wide compliance training

now includes Clery• Clery Compliance Committee established

Areas for continued improvement

• Training staff in Clery requirements, including contractors

• Streamlining reporting• Development of comprehensive website

Questions and Comments