Preparing the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (The Clery Act) requires all institutions of higher education to provide their community with information about security policies and procedures along with crime statistics of Clery reportable crimes. Ohio University’s Clery Compliance Team compiles the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (ASFSR), which can be found on the Ohio University Clery website. Printed copies of the ASFSR may be requested at no charge by contacting University Compliance in the Office of Audit, Risk, and Compliance at 740. 593.2780 or clery@ohio.edu.
The ASFSR contains information regarding campus security and personal safety. It includes topics such as crime prevention, local law enforcement authority, crime reporting policies, disciplinary procedures, and other matters related to security. Important law-enforcement contacts, key campus offices, and local resources are provided for each University location.
The ASFSR also provides crime statistics for the Athens campus and regional/extension campuses for the three most recent calendar years. The data summarizes crimes that occurred on-campus, on non-campus property controlled by the University, and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, each campus. The Clery Act defines on-campus, non-campus buildings or property, and public property as follows:
- On-campus – Any building or property owned or controlled by an institution within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area and used by the institution in direct support of, or in a manner related to, the institution’s educational purposes, including classrooms and laboratories, residence halls, and any building or property that is within or reasonably contiguous and is owned by the institution but controlled by another person, is frequently used by students, and supports institutional purposes.
- Non-campus building or property – Any building or property owned or controlled by a student organization that is officially recognized by the institution, or any building or property owned or controlled by an institution that is used in direct support of, or in relation to, the institution’s educational purposes, is frequently used by students, and is not withing the same reasonably contiguous geographic area of the institution.
- Public property – All public property, including thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks, and parking facilities, that is within the campus, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.
The annual crime statistics are compiled from reports submitted by Campus Security Authorities (CSAs), case files of the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility (CSSR) and the Office of Civil Rights Compliance (CRC), and statistics reported by the Ohio University Police Department (OUPD) and law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction at all Ohio University properties and extension campuses.
CSAs are defined by The Clery Act as university officials who have, “significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to student housing, student discipline, and campus judicial proceedings.” Alleged crimes reported by CSAs in a calendar year to CSSR, CRC, and OUPD are recorded in the calendar year the crime was reported. Each year a written request for Clery reportable statistical information is made to CSAs, CSSR, CRC, OUPD, and local law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction over on-campus, non-campus, or public property as defined above.
The Office of University Compliance (UC) coordinates the compilation of the ASFSR. Staff from Ohio University’s CSSR, CRC, UC, and OUPD review cases for Clery reportable crimes and verify annual statistics. UC checks with various Ohio University offices regarding updated policy statements, verifies resource contact information, and other ASFSR narratives. The University Communication and Marketing Office (UCM) is instrumental in publishing the ASFSR by the annual deadline and notifying the University community and the broader public of its availability.
Compliance with the provisions set forth in the Clery Act and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 does not constitute a violation of section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g), commonly known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).
