Support Page Content
The Clery Act Overview
History
The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act was named in honor of Jeanne Clery, a young woman who was sexually assaulted and murdered in her dorm room at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania in April 1986. She chose Lehigh University because it was close to home. Jeanne’s parents, Connie and Howard Clery, learned there had been 38 violent crimes — including rapes, robberies, and assaults — on the Lehigh campus in the three years before Jeanne's death. At that time, there was no requirement for universities to publish statistics about campus crimes. Her parents argued that, had they known of the crimes at Lehigh, Jeanne would not have attended the university.
As a result, they lobbied Congress to pass legislation. The Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act was signed into law in 1990, to help ensure transparency in campus crime reporting and safety policies. In 1998, the law was renamed in Jeanne's honor to The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics. In December 2024, the name of the law was simplified to The Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act.
Clery Act Requirements
Annual Security Report
Publish and distribute the Annual Security Report (ASR) by September 15 (per CSU Policy 18545388) to the campus community and prospective students/employees. The ASR documents three calendar years of campus crime statistics as well as policies and procedures for campus safety, plus information on rights and options for survivors of sexual assault, dating and domestic violence and stalking.
Data Submission
Submit Clery crime statistics and fire statistics to the Department of Education by October 1, which are published in the Campus Safety and Security Data Tool maintained by the DOE. This analysis tool was designed to provide rapid customized reports for public inquiries relating to campus crime and fire incidents.
Communications & Notifications
When a Clery Act crime occurs on Clery geography, campus officials are required to evaluate if there is a serious or ongoing threat to the campus community to determine if a Timely Warning Notification needs to be issued. In the event of an immediate, significant danger to the health or safety of the campus community (e.g. weather, active shooter, fire, etc.), campus officials may issue an Emergency Notification. This notification can include the entire campus, or be limited to a specific area deemed to be at risk.
Maintain Logs
The campus is required to maintain a Daily Crime Log and Fire Log. The log is maintained by the
Sacramento State Police Department and reflects the most recent 60 days of activities. The log reflects
crime and alleged crimes that occurred on Clery Act geography.
Missing Student Information
Disclose missing student notification procedures that pertain to students residing in on-campus student housing facilities
Annual Fire Safety Report
Publish and distribute the Annual Fire Safety Report (AFSR). The purpose of this report is to disclose fire safety policies and procedures related to Sacramento State’s on-campus student housing and to disclose statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. The AFSR is published by the Executive Director of University Housing Services.
Identify Campus Security Authorities (CSA)
The Clery Act identifies certain categories of Sac State employees, students, volunteers, and contractors as Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) who have federally mandated responsibilities to report Clery Act crimes that are reported to them. The University is required to identify, notify, and provide training to these individuals/organizations so they are aware of their role and responsibilities as a CSA.
Registered Sex Offender Information
The University must provide information on registered sex offenders. This information is under the California Megan’s Law and the website is maintained by the State of California Department of Justice. The website provides information on registered sex offenders so that members of the public can better
protect themselves and their families.
Impacts of the Clery Act
Standardization
Choosing a postsecondary institution is a major decision for students and their families. Along with academic, financial, and geographic considerations, the issue of campus safety is a vital concern. The Clery Act provides a standardized guideline and sets expectations for campus crime classification and reporting, crime prevention and response, and campus safety policy and procedure requirements for postsecondary institutions.
Transparency
The Clery Act aims to provide transparency around campus crime policy and crime statistics. By creating a more transparent culture, they foster the trust of the campus community as well as prospective families to ensure an environment that encourages students’ academic and emotional security.
Consumer Protection
The Clery Act is based on the foundation that students and employees are entitled to accurate information about the crime and other threats to their personal safety and the security of their property while on campus. With this knowledge, members of the campus community can make informed decisions about their educational and employment choices as well as take an active role in their own personal safety and to secure and protect their personal property.
Institutionalization
The Clery Act takes a comprehensive approach to student safety and success through the use of interdisciplinary teams and focuses on the spirit of law to foster a campus safety mindset. No one department is responsible for campus safety as we all play a role in ensuring our campus community is a safe place to learn, work, play, and visit.