What is the Clery Act?

By ABBIGAIL KEPP
Public Safety Communications Assistant

URBANA, Illinois — In 1986, at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, Jeanne Clery was sexually assaulted and murdered in her dorm room by a fellow student who entered the building through a propped-open door. 

In 1998, after a campaign spearheaded by Ms. Clery’s parents, the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act was amended and renamed the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (the Clery Act). 

At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Clery compliance is housed within the Division of Public Safety. Clery Compliance Coordinator Kate Kaput shared insight into what the Clery Act is and what requirements the university must abide by under the federal law. 

“The Clery Act is a consumer protection law,” Kaput said. “It is there to let our community know what is going on crime-wise so they can take additional steps to enhance their safety. If they know certain crimes are happening on campus, we can give them information on how to lessen their chance of becoming a victim.”

Three critical components of the Clery Act are the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (ASFSR), a daily crime log, and emergency notifications and timely warnings. Every year on Oct. 1, colleges and universities across the county must publish their ASFSR that outlines crime, safety and fire policies and statistics. This report, paired with the daily crime log and the emergency notifications, helps the campus community to remain aware of crime on and around campus, as well as the policies in place for their protection. 

While the university is required to keep a daily crime log and issue emergency notifications, the Division of Public Safety takes it a step further. Students and community members can view the interactive UIUC Crime Map to see what crime is going on in the University of Illinois Police Department patrol area. While it is not the Daily Crime Log, it is a supplementary tool.

Illini-Alerts provide extra information as well. Under Clery Act compliance, all students, faculty and staff must be automatically subscribed to emails. However, community members may also opt into text messages by texting “IlliniAlert” to 226787 or follow the Illini-Alert Twitter account.
Through the Clery Act, students are provided with many tools to help elevate their safety on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. In addition, you can view the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report for a comprehensive list of policies and rights afforded to students. If you prefer a printed copy, visit the Public Safety Building at 1110 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana.