Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act & Compliance

What is the Clery Act?

Signed into law in 1990, the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (also referred to as the "Clery Act") is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose certain timely and annual information about campus crime and security policies. All postsecondary public and private institutions participating in federal student aid programs must adhere to these regulations. The Clery Act was championed by Howard & Connie Clery after their daughter Jeanne was murdered at Lehigh University in 1986.

What is Colorado College obligated to do?

To ensure compliance with the Clery Act, CC must meet obligations in the following three broad categories: (1) Policy disclosure; (2) Records collection and retention; and (3) Information dissemination.

• Policy Disclosure - CC 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 - CC is required to keep campus records of crimes reported on campus to campus-related authorities; must make a reasonable good faith effort to obtain certain crime statistics from appropriate law enforcement agencies to include in the annual security report; and must keep a daily crime log open for public inspection.
• Information Dissemination - To provide the campus community with the information needed to make informed decisions CC must provide a "timely warning" of any crime that represents an ongoing threat to the safety of students and employees, ensure access to the crime log during normal business hours, publish an annual security report and make the information available to all current students and employees, inform the campus community where to obtain information on registered sex offenders; and submit annual crime statistics to the US Department of Education.

Clery-reportable Offenses

Under Clery, a crime is "reported" to a Campus Security Authority (CSA) when it is brought to their attention by a victim, witness, or other third party, including the offender. It doesn't matter whether the individuals involved are associated with the institution. CSAs are not responsible for determining authoritatively whether a crime took place. If a CSA receives information and believes it was provided in good faith, they should document it as a crime report. "In good faith" means the information is not simply rumor or hearsay, and there is little or no reason to doubt its validity.

CSAs are only required to report specific offenses, which include:

• Criminal homicide (murder and non-negligent manslaughter)
• Sex offenses - forcible (rape, sodomy, sexual assault with an object, or forcible fondling)
• Sex offenses - non-forcible (statutory rape, incest)
• Robbery
• Aggravated assault
• Burglary (including attempted)
• Motor Vehicle Theft
• Arson

In addition to the crimes listed above, we are also required to report hate/bias-related crimes for the following classifications:

• larceny
• vandalism
• intimidation
• simple assault

Bias Categories: Race, Religion, Sexual Orientation, Gender, Gender Identity, Ethnicity, National
Origin and Disability.

NOTE: For Clery Act reporting, it is the perception of the offender, not the perception of the victim, that
determines whether a crime is classified as a Hate Crime.

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA Offenses):

• Dating Violence
• Domestic Violence
• Stalking

Arrests and Referrals:

• Liquor/Drug law violations
• Weapon law violations

Hazing: (Beginning 1 January 2025)

Note:  For 2025, the Stop Campus Hazing Act amended the Higher Education Act (HEA) to require institutions participating in Title IV programs to track and include hazing incidents in their annual security reports (ASR). Beginning this year, 2025, on January 1, institutions participating in any Title IV program must collect statistics on hazing incidents on their campus for their 2026 ASR.

Campus Security Authorities are not responsible for authoritatively determining whether a crime occurred—this is the function of law enforcement personnel or Campus Safety.

Where can I get a copy of the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report?

CC publishes our Annual Security and Fire Safety Report on its dedicated webpage. This report includes campus crime statistics from the previous three calendar years, as well as fire statistics for on-campus student housing. Additionally, the report provides information about reporting responsibilities, campus safety and crime prevention programs, emergency notification systems and processes, and other fire safety details. Additionally, pursuant to C.R.S. 18-3-412.5 and its companion statute C.R.S. 23-5-125, the report contains information regarding where and how students, staff, faculty, and prospective students and employees can obtain sex offender registry information. 

Where should crimes be reported?

Always use 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency.
Report crimes to Campus Safety at 719-389-6707 or in person at the Department of Campus Safety Main Office at 1106 North Cascade Avenue.

Additional information about reporting, including online reporting, can be found on the Reporting Crimes and Emergencies webpage.

Daily Crime and Fire Logs

In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act and the Higher Education Act of 1965, any institution with a campus police or security department is required to maintain a written daily crime log, and a campus containing on-campus student residential housing is required to maintain a written daily fire log. These logs are located on the dedicated Daily Crime and Fire Logs webpage.

Clery Geography

We must report offenses in residence halls, on-campus properties (including Baca and the Cabin), and on public streets and sidewalks immediately adjacent to the campus.

Timely Warning Assessment

If a serious crime that may constitute an ongoing threat to the Colorado College community is reported to a Campus Security Authority, Campus Safety should be notified immediately. The institution is responsible for informing the campus community about any crimes that pose an ongoing threat. As such, Campus Security Authorities are legally obligated to report crimes immediately to the Campus Safety Department. If you have any questions about whether an ongoing threat exists, please contact Campus Safety as soon as possible.

Definitions

On-Campus: Any building or property owned or controlled by an institution of higher education within the same reasonable contiguous geographic area of the institution and use by the institution in direct support of, or in a manner related to, the institution's educational purpose, including residence halls and property within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area of the institution that is owned by the institution but is controlled by another person, is frequently used by students, and supports institutional purpose such as a food or other retail vendor.

Residence Halls: A subset of "on-campus" crimes, which include only those crimes that were reported to have occurred in dormitories or other residential facilities for students on campus.

Non-Campus: Any building or property owned or controlled by a student organization officially recognized by the institution and any building or property (other than a branch campus) owned or controlled by an institution of higher education that is used in direct support of, or in relation to, the institution's educational purpose, is frequently used by students and is not within the same reasonably contiguous 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.

Murder/Non-Negligent Manslaughter: The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another. NOTE: Deaths caused by negligence, attempts to kill, assaults to kill, suicides, accidental deaths, and justifiable homicides are excluded.

Manslaughter by Negligence: The killing of another person through gross negligence.

Sex Offenses: Any sexual act directed against another person without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent.

• Rape: The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.
• Fondling: The touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification, without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of their age or because of their temporary or permanent mental capacity.
• Incest: Sexual intercourse between persons who are related to each other within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by law.
• Statutory Rape: Sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent.

Robbery: Taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person(s) by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.

Aggravated Assault: An unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault usually is accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm.

Burglary: The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft.

Motor Vehicle Theft: The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.

Arson: Willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, or personal property of another.

Liquor Law Violations: The violations of state or local laws or ordinances prohibiting the manufacture, sale, purchase, transportation, possession, or use of alcoholic beverages, not including driving under the influence or drunkenness.

Drug Abuse Violations: The violations of laws prohibiting the production, distribution, and/or use of certain controlled substances and the equipment or devices utilized in their preparation and/or use. The unlawful cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, sale, purchase, use, possession, transportation, or importation of any controlled drug or narcotic substance. Arrests for violations of state and local laws, specifically those relating to the unlawful possession, sale, use, growing, manufacturing, and making of narcotic drugs. The relevant substances include: opium or cocaine and their derivatives (morphine, heroin, codeine); marijuana; synthetic narcotics - manufactured narcotics which can cause true addiction (Demerol, methadone); and dangerous non-narcotic drugs (barbiturates, Benzedrine).

Weapon Law Violations: The violations of laws or ordinances prohibiting the manufacturing, sale, purchase, transportation, possession, concealment, or use of firearms, cutting instruments, explosives, incendiary devices, or other deadly weapons.

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 (e.g., physical preparation necessary for participation in an athletic team), of physical or psychological injury, including:
  • whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone's body, or similar activity
  • Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep deprivation, exposure to the elements, confinement in a small space, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity
  • Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, alcohol, drugs, or other substances
  • Causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts
  • Any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct
  • Any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, state, tribal, or Federal law
  • Any activity that induces, causes, or requires another person to perform a duty or task that involves a criminal violation of local, state, tribal, or Federal law

HATE CRIME DEFINITIONS

Colorado College is also required to report statistics for hate (bias) related crimes by type of bias as defined below for the following classifications; murder/non-negligent manslaughter, sex offenses (forcible and non-forcible), robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, liquor law violations, drug abuse violations, and weapon law violations (see definitions previously mentioned) and larceny, vandalism, intimidation, and simple assault (see definitions below).

Hate Crimes: A criminal offense that manifests evidence that the victim was intentionally selected because of the perpetrator's bias against the victim.

Larceny: The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another.

Destruction/Damage/Vandalism of Property: To willfully or maliciously destroy, damage, deface, or otherwise injure real or personal property without the consent of the owner or the person having custody or control of it.

Intimidation: Unlawfully place another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words and/or other conduct, but without displaying a weapon or subjecting the victim to actual physical attack.

Simple Assault: An unlawful physical attack by one person upon another where neither the offender displays a weapon, nor the victim suffers obvious severe or aggravated bodily injury involving apparent broken bones, loss of teeth, possible internal injury, severe laceration, or loss of consciousness.

If a hate crime occurs where there is an incident involving intimidation, vandalism, larceny, simple assault, or other bodily injury, the law requires that the statistic be reported as a hate crime even though there is no requirement to report the crime classification in any other area of the compliance document.

A hate- or bias related is not a separate, distinct crime, but is the commission of a criminal offense which was motivated by the offender's bias. For example, a subject assaults a victim, which is a crime. If the facts of the case indicate that the offender was motivated to commit the offense because of his bias against the victim's race, sexual orientation, etc., the assault is then also classified as a hate/bias crime.