Clery Act Reporting

Signed into law in 1990, the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (“The Clery Act”) (20 U.S. Code § 1092(f)) is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose information about campus emergencies, campus crime activity, campus security policies, and more.

Information disseminated in accordance 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. Jeanne’s parents believe she would have been more cautious if she had known about other violent crimes at her university.

In 2007, George Mason University was awarded the The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Award by The Clery Center for Security on Campus. The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Award, established in 1994, is presented each year by the Clery Center for Security On Campus to honor institutions and individuals that have done extraordinary things to make college and university students safer. The full list of award recipients is available here: http://clerycenter.org/jeanne-clery-campus-safety-award.

Clery Act Requirements

• The Annual Security and Fire Safety Reportis required to provide crime and fire statistics for the prior three years. Policy statements address various safety and security measures. These include: information on missing student notifications, procedures that pertain to students residing in on-campus residential housing facilities, campus crime prevention program descriptions, and the procedures used to investigate and prosecution alleged sex offenses.
• The Daily Crime and Fire Logis required to inform the public about alleged criminal incidents that occurred on property owned or controlled by the University and fires that occurred in residential housing facilities owned or controlled by the University.
• Timely Warningsare required when there is information that a Clery Act Crime has occurred on or near the University that is considered by the institution to represent a serious or continuing threat to campus safety.
• Emergency Notificationsare required to inform members of the university upon the confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on the campus.
• Campus Security Authorities (CSAs)are required to report Clery Act Crimes to police.

For more information about the Clery Act, please contact the Clery Compliance Coordinator at (703) 993-5497 or cleryact@gmu.edu.