Clery Act

The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act is a federal law requiring colleges and universities participating in federal financial aid programs to comply with various requirements related to safety on campus. Information regarding crime statistics and the university’s policies and procedures is made available through the university’s annual security and fire safety report. Additionally, the Clery Act requires the MSU Police Department to maintain a daily crime and fire log of all criminal incidents and alleged criminal incidents that are reported to the campus police department.

What this means for you as an adviser is that you hold special responsibilities to the safety of campus that you may not traditionally hold. As an adviser, you are considered a Campus Security Authority (CSA); this means that you have particular responsibilities under the Clery Act.

For more information please visit: https://oarc.msu.edu/clery/

• Who are Campus Security Authorities (CSA)

  The Clery Act designates the following individuals as Campus Security Authorities:

  • Members of an institution’s campus police or campus security department.
  • Any individuals who are responsible for campus security but who do not constitute a campus police department or a campus security department.
  • Any individual or organization specified in an institution’s statement of campus security policy as an individual to which students and employees should report criminal offenses.
  • An official of an institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including but not limited to, student housing, student discipline and campus judicial proceedings. This includes advisers of registered student organizations.
• What are the Obligations of a CSA?

  RSO Faculty/Staff Advisers are CSAs for the duration of their Advisor role. As a CSA, if you are made aware of an alleged Clery Act crime within the capacity of your adviser role, you must contact MSUPD as soon as possible to report it.

  Michigan State University CSAs must report to the MSU Police Department if they are made aware of an alleged Clery Act crime on or within Clery Geography. If you are unsure whether the incident is reportable under the Clery Act, please contact MSUPD as soon as possible and report it.

  CSAs are NOT responsible for investigating or reporting incidents that they overhear students talking about in a hallway conversation; that a classmate or student mentions during an in-class discussion; that a victim mentions during a speech, workshop, or any other form of group presentation; or that the CSA otherwise learns about in an indirect manner.

  In addition to these, MSU requires all CSAs to complete an annual training. You will receive a training assignment notice via email and must complete the training within thirty (30) days of assignment. Campus safety and security is critically important at MSU and requires your undivided time and attention. Once the training is assigned to you, login at https://ora.msu.edu/train/. Then click My Requirements tile where you will see assigned training based on your responsibilities. If you have multiple CSA tracks, you only need to complete the primary CSA course once per year to cover all tracks. This course may contain sensitive topics. For accommodations or other questions or concerns, contact the Clery Act Compliance Coordinator, in the MSU Office of Audit, Risk and Compliance at clery@msu.edu or 517-353-2620.

• What Can Be Reported?

  The Clery Act requires institutions to report on four general categories of crime statistics:

  • Criminal Offenses – murder and non-negligent manslaughter, manslaughter by negligence, sexual assault (including rape, fondling, incest, and statutory rape), robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and arson.
  • Hate Crimes – any of the above-mentioned offenses and any incidents of larceny-theft, simple assault, intimidation, or destruction/damage/vandalism to property that were motivated by bias.
  • Violence Against Women (VAWA) Offenses – domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.
  • Arrests and Referrals for Disciplinary Action – for weapons law violations, drug law violations, and liquor law violations.
  • Hazing
    • Any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons), against another person or persons regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that-

  • is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization; and

  • causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the institution of higher education or the organization (such as the physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team), of physical or psychological injury.

  For crime definitions, visit: https://oarc.msu.edu/clery/reportable-crimes.html 

• What Locations Are Reportable?

  MSU’s Clery Geography includes buildings and properties on each separate campus within the following categories:

  • “on campus” - owned or controlled by MSU within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area.
  • “non-campus building or property” - owned or controlled by the University that is used in direct support of or in relation to the University’s educational purposes, is frequently used by students, and is not within the reasonably contiguous geographic area of the University (including RSO properties).
  • “public property” - thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks, and parking facilities that are within the campus or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.
  • “separate campus” - the institution owns or controls the site; It is not reasonably geographically contiguous with the main campus; it has an organized program of study; and there is at least one person on site acting in an administrative capacity.

  For more information, visit: https://oarc.msu.edu/clery/