Clery Act and Campus Security Authorities

Revised 2011 Annual Security Report & Fire Safety Report: Click here to view crime statistics, campus policy statements, information on how to report crimes, tips on staying safe and more.

Download the 2010 Clery Act Crime Statistics Report NOTE: This information was updated on 11/28/2011

What is the Clery Act?

Signed into law in 1990, the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose information about campus crime activity and security policies in an annual report. The Clery Act also requires that campuses make “timely warnings” to campus community members about specific types of criminal activity when an ongoing threat to persons is believed to exist.

Information disseminated in accord with Clery Act guidelines serves to inform the personal safety and college selection decisions of current and prospective campus community members. All post-secondary public and private institutions participating in federal student aid programs must adhere to Clery regulations.

The Clery Act was championed by Howard & Connie Clery after their daughter, Jeanne, was murdered at Lehigh University in 1986.

Link to the Department of Education Clery Handbook

What is CU obligated to do?

To ensure compliance with the Clery Act, CU must meet obligations in the following three broad categories: (1) policy disclosure; (2) records collection and retention; and (3) information dissemination.

Policy Disclosure — CU must provide the campus community and the public with accurate statements of current policies and practices regarding procedures for students and others to report criminal actions or other emergencies on campus, security of and access to campus facilities, and campus law enforcement.
Records Collection and Retention — CU is required to keep campus records of crimes reported on campus to campus security authorities, make a reasonable good faith effort to obtain certain crime statistics from appropriate law enforcement agencies to include in the annual security report, and keep a daily crime log open for public inspection.
Information Dissemination — To provide members of the campus community with information needed to make informed personal safety decisions, CU must provide: 1) A "timely warning" of any Clery Act crime that represents an ongoing threat to the safety of students and employees; 2) Develop and maintain a log of all crimes reported to the CU Police Department, ensure public access to the crime log during normal business hours, and; 3) Publish an annual security report, make the report available to all current students and employees, and ensure the annual security report is made available to prospective students and employees. CU must also inform the campus community where to obtain information regarding registered sex offenders, and submit annual crime statistics to the U.S. Department of Education.

What is Considered a Clery Act Crime?

Criminal homicide (murder and non-negligent manslaughter)
Sex offenses — forcible (forcible rape, forcible sodomy, sexual assault with an object, forcible fondling)
Sex offenses — non-forcible (incest, statutory rape)
Robbery
Aggravated assault
Burglary
Motor vehicle theft
Arson
Hate crimes (race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability)

Where can I get a copy of the Annual Security Report (ASR)?

CU published our Annual Security Report (ASR) annually within the Ralphie's Guide to Student Life.

The security report contained in Ralphie's Guide includes information regarding campus security and personal safety and specifically addresses topics such as: crime prevention, University Police Officer enforcement authority, crime reporting policies, and campus disciplinary procedures. The guide also contains crime statistics for the three previous calendar years. The statistical data specifically includes reported crimes that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University of Colorado at Boulder, and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.

Printed copies of Ralphie's Guide are available at University Communications at 3100 Marine Street, 5th floor, Boulder, Colorado. You may request a copy be mailed to you by contacting University Communications at (303) 492-3116. The Guide is provided without charge.

What Is a Campus Security Authority (CSA)?

To assist in the identification and reporting of crime on campus, the Clery Act regulations define a campus security authority as:

University police
Non-police security staff responsible for monitoring university property
People/offices designated under university policy as those to whom/which crimes should be reported
University officials with significant responsibility for student and campus activities (exempted officials include pastoral and professional counselors)

Click here for more information on CSA designations and responsibilities.

Campus Security Authorities may use the following form to report offenses - CSA Crime Statistic Report Form.

Where should crimes be reported?

Always use 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency.

For non-emergency situations, report crimes to UCPD at 303-492-6666. Or, victims can report directly to UCPD's Anonymous Online Reporting Form.

Victims can also contact the CU Office of Victim Assistance at 303-492-8855 (Confidential Reporting Option).

Where can I get information on sex offenders?

Sex offenders currently required to register must provide notice when they are employed at, volunteer at, or are enrolled at CU Boulder. Law enforcement information concerning registered sex offenders at CU Boulder may be obtained from UCPD’s Records Section during normal business hours. The Records Section can be reached at 303-492-5115.