THE CLERY ACT

The UNC System Office supports our constituent institutions in their efforts to comply with a federal law known as The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act. The Clery Act is a consumer protection law that requires colleges and universities participating in federal financial aid/Title IV programs to maintain and disclose campus crime, fire statistics, and other pertinent security information.

Each institution publishes an annual security and fire safety report (ASFR) by October 1st of each year. The ASFR is the primary method for disclosing information related to emergency notifications, options for survivors of sexual assaults, missing student notification and response policies, fire safety information, and campus crime statistics. These reports are made available to the respective campus community and can also be accessed on each campus website.

Institution Clery Pages

The Clery Act Appendix for Federal Student Aid (FSA) Handbook

The U.S. Department of Education published the Appendix to the Federal Student Aid Handbook to assist postsecondary institutions in meeting the amended campus safety and security requirements of the Higher Education Act of 1965. This Appendix replaces the 2016 Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting, which has been rescinded. Other than the statutory and regulatory requirements included in this document, the contents of the new Appendix do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public. The document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the applicable statutory and regulatory provisions.

FAQs

Who was Jeanne Clery?

The Clery Act is named in memory of 19-year-old Jeanne Ann Clery, a Lehigh University first year who was raped and murdered in her residence hall room on April 5, 1986. Jeanne’s parents, Connie and Howard, were shocked to learn there had been 38 similarly violent crimes at Lehigh in the three years prior to her arrival on campus. They led the charge to create the “Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act” of 1998.

What is the Clery Act?

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crimes Statistics Act (the Clery Act) is a federal geography-based consumer protection law. The Clery Act provides guidelines and expectations for campus crime classification and reporting; crime prevention and response; and requires numerous campus safety policies and procedures that serve to create transparency between Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) and their students, faculty, and employees as well as the public. All IHE’s receiving federal financial aid under Title IV are required to fully comply with the Clery Act.

Who enforces the Clery Act and what are the penalties for noncompliance?

The United States Department of Education (ED) is charged with enforcing the Clery Act and may level civil penalties against institutions of higher education up to $62,689.00 per violation or may suspend them from participating in federal student financial aid (Title IV) programs. Previous ED findings of non-compliance by institutions across the Country can be found here.

For more information, contact:

Edward R. Purchase
Director of University Public Safety Operations & Clery Act Training | 919-962-4597