Campus Safety Compliance (CSC)
About the Program
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. In 1990, Congress enacted the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 (Title II of Public Law 101-542), which amended the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). This act required all postsecondary institutions participating in the HEA’s Title IV student financial assistance programs to disclose campus crime statistics and security information. The 1998 amendments renamed the law the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act in memory of a student who was slain in her dorm room in 1986. It is generally referred to as the Clery Act.
The Clery Act and related regulations provide requirements for campus crime classification and reporting, crime prevention and response, and campus safety policy and procedure that create transparency between higher education institutions and their students and employees. The Office of Federal Student Aid division of the US Department of Education enforces the consumer-protection law.
The requirements of the Clery Act are supported by explicit and consistently enforced policy; informed by critical processes that utilize research, data, and audit findings; and built on institutional buy-in and commitment. The Office of Campus Safety Compliance with Risk & Safety Services manages the University’s Clery compliance program. The Office identifies adequate campus partners to administer applications and develops strategic initiatives to identify and resolve compliance discrepancies.
Components of the program include but are not limited to:
- Identifying, notifying, and training Campus Security Authorities;
- Assessing crimes and, if warranted, publishing timely warnings;
- Disclosing the campus' safety and security policies and criminal statistical data;
- Publishing the institution's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report; and
- Working with campus partners to implement campus-wide safety initiatives.
UC Interim System-wide Clery Act Policy
Clery Compliance Committee
UC Santa Cruz's compliance with the Clery Act is supported by staff, programs, services, and activities in various units throughout the university. Under the leadership of the campus Clery Coordinator/Officer, the charge of the Clery Act Compliance Committee (CACC) is to plan and facilitate activities that will directly support the campus in achieving all aspects of annual compliance with the requirements of the Clery Act, including state and federal regulations that directly relate to the requirements established by the Jeanne Clery Act and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013.
The CACC’s mission is to ensure UC Santa Cruz remains committed to providing a safe environment and keep the campus community and interested public well informed about the university’s safety and security.
As a competent body, the CACC is solely responsible for all managerial facets of this charter and has full authority to make the necessary decisions to ensure the committee’s success. The CACC shall remain committed to the goals set forth to achieve the highest level of compliance. Members are expected to actively participate in compliance activities and dispense whatever adequate number of designees and proxies necessary to remain accountable for implementation and end results.
CACC Members
Chair, Campus Clery Coordinator/Officer
Co-Chair, Clery Compliance Coordinator [1]
Members:
- Chief of Police
- Assistant Vice Chancellor, Communications and Marketing
- Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff, Student Affairs and Success
- Associate Vice Chancellor & Dean of Students
- Associate Vice Chancellor, Colleges, Housing and Educational Services
- Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Health & Wellness
- Associate Vice Chancellor, Equity & Equal Protection
- Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies
- Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education and Global Engagement
- Director, Academic Employee Relations
- Employee & Labor Relations Director with Staff Human Resources
- Director, Real Estate & Contract Services
- Director, Athletics & Recreation
- Director, Global Learning
- Lead Designated Campus Fire Marshal
- Chief Campus Counsel
[1] The Clery Compliance Coordinator is the specific title for a position at the UC Santa Cruz campus that reports to and works under the supervision of the designated campus Clery Coordinator/Officer. The term Clery Coordinator/Officer is specific to UC system-wide policy and represents the primary person responsible for managing UCSC’s Clery Act compliance program.
Annual Reports
The Annual Security & Fire Safety Report
The most commonly known requirement for colleges and universities is the publication of an annual security and fire safety report by October 1. The annual security report (ASR) portion contains the current security and safety-related policy statements, emergency preparedness and evacuation information, crime prevention and sexual assault prevention information, and information about drug and alcohol prevention programming. The ASR also contains UCSC statistics of Clery Act-reportable crimes for the most previous calendar years. The fire safety report (FSR) portion aims to disclose statistics for fires within UCSC housing facilities for the three most previous calendar years and distributes fire safety policies and procedures intended to promote safety on campus. A paper copy of the ASFSR is available upon request by contacting the UCSC Police Department at 114 Carriage House Rd., Santa Cruz, CA 95064, or by calling 831-459-2231 Ext. 1.
2023 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
Campus Safety Plan
UC Santa Cruz prepares a campus safety plan report in compliance with the California State Education Code, Chapter 15.5, of the Donahoe Higher Education Act, Section 67380, and it includes the following information:
- The availability and location of security personnel and the methods for summoning assistance of security personnel;
- Any special safeguards that have been established for particular facilities or activities;
- Any actions taken in the preceding 18 months to increase safety;
- Any changes in safety precautions expected to be made during the next 24 months; and
- Occurrences and arrests for Part 1 violent crimes, sexual assault, hate crimes, non-criminal hate violence, theft, destruction of property, illegal drugs, and alcohol intoxication committed on campus.
Campus Security Authorities
This page is a resource for UC Santa Cruz’s campus security authorities (CSAs) - mandated reporters under the Clery Act. More importantly, this page provides the positions and office locations of CSAs to whom employees, students, and community members can report crime aside from the UC Santa Cruz Police Department.
What is a CSA
The term campus security authority, or CSA, is a Clery-specific term encompassing four groups of individuals and organizations associated with an institution.
- A campus police department or a campus security department of an institution.
- Any individual or individuals who have responsibility for campus security but who do not constitute a campus police department or a campus security department (e.g., an individual who is responsible for monitoring the entrance into institutional property).
- Any individual or organization specified in an institution’s statement of campus security policy as an individual or organization to which students and employees should report criminal offenses.
- An official of an institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to, student housing, student discipline, and campus judicial proceedings. An official is defined as any person with the authority and the duty to take action or respond to particular issues on behalf of the institution.
Who is a CSA
The following positions are some campus CSAs outside of sworn personnel. For contact information on professional staff, see the campus directory.
- Associate Vice Chancellor with Equity & Equal Protection
- Assistant Vice Chancellor & Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Director with Equity & Equal Protection
- Associate Vice Chancellor & Dean of Students
- Slug Support Manager with the Dean of Students Office
- Director, Ethnic Resource Centers
- Senior Service Coordinator with Disability Resource Center
- Athletics & Recreation Head & Assistant Coaches
- Global Learning Director with Global Engagement
- Assistant Director International Student Services with Global Engagement
- Director of Global Programming with Global Engagement
- Any member of the Behavioral Intervention Team
Associate Director, SOAR/Student Media/Cultural Arts and Diversity (SOMeCA)
What is the function of a CSA?
What Does a CSA Do?
The function of a CSA is to report to the official or office designated by the institution to collect crime report information allegations of Clery Act crimes that receive or witness. CSAs are responsible for reporting allegations of Clery Act crimes reported to them in their capacity as a CSA. This means that CSAs are not responsible for investigating or reporting incidents that they overhear students talking about in a hallway conversation; that a classmate or student mentions during an in-class discussion; that a victim mentions during a speech, workshop, or any other form of group presentation; or that the CSA otherwise learns about in an indirect manner.
What Shouldn’t a CSA Do?
Except for sworn UC Santa Cruz Police Department personnel, a campus security authority is not responsible for determining authoritatively whether a crime took place and should not try to apprehend the alleged perpetrator of the crime.
It’s also not a CSA’s responsibility to try and convince a victim to contact law enforcement if the victim chooses not to do so. ASK them, don't convince.
Crimes Mandated to Report
- Criminal Offenses—Criminal Homicide, including Murder and Non-negligent Manslaughter, and Manslaughter by Negligence; Sexual Assault, including Rape, Fondling, Incest, and Statutory Rape; Robbery; Aggravated Assault; Burglary; Motor Vehicle Theft; and Arson.
- Hate Crimes—Any of the above-mentioned offenses, and any incidents of Larceny-Theft, Simple Assault, Intimidation, or Destruction/Damage/Vandalism of Property that were motivated by bias;
- VAWA Offenses—Any incidents of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking; and
- Arrests and Referrals for Disciplinary Action for Weapons—Carrying, Possessing, Etc. Law Violations, Drug Abuse Violations, and Liquor Law Violations.
Per the California Education Code, Chapter 15.5, of the Donahoe Higher Education Act , Section 67380, CSAs are also required to report theft (not just bias-related incidents), destruction of property (not just bias-related incidents), alcohol intoxication (i.e., i.e., public alcohol or drug intoxication to the extent where a person is unable to care for themselves or others or interferes with, obstructs or prevents the free use of any street, sidewalk, or another public way), and noncriminal acts of hate violence.
If a CSA doubts whether a crime is reportable, please err on reporting the matter.
Anyone can make reports to a CSA, including students, faculty, staff, otherwise affiliated, local community members, visitors, and otherwise non-affiliated.
Safety Disclosures
Clery Act safety disclosures include a crime log, timely warnings, and emergency notifications.
Crime log
In collaboration with the Office of Campus Safety Compliance, the UCPD produces and maintains a compliant crime log for the UC Santa Cruz campus. To view the electronic version of the crime log, click here. When on the page, select Daily Crime/Fire Log Bulletin.
This crime log includes information about all criminal incidents and alleged criminal incidents against persons or property which are reported to the UC Santa Cruz Police within the most recent 60-day period that has occurred in the required reporting geography and UPD patrol jurisdiction. Information includes:
- the nature of the crime,
- general location,
- date/time occurred,
- disposition, and
- date reported.
However, information that may likely jeopardize an ongoing criminal investigation or the safety of an individual, cause a suspect to flee or evade detection, or result in the destruction of evidence, will be temporarily withheld from the log until the referenced damage is no longer likely to occur from the release of this information. Crimes for which the disclosure is prohibited by law, or the disclosure would jeopardize the victim's confidentiality are not included.
The crime log is kept in the UC Santa Cruz Police Department, and upon request, is immediately available to the public during business hours (i.e., Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm). Any information pertaining to the crime log that is older than the previous 60 days can be made available within two business days, upon request.
Timely Warnings
Timely Warnings are triggered by Clery-specific crimes that have already occurred but represent a serious or continuing threat to the UC Santa Cruz community. Timely warnings will be distributed community-wide where there is a reasonable expectation to reach the entire campus community, typically sent via mass e-mail.
Warnings disseminated within the past 60 days have been posted for your convenience. Each link below will open a copy of the associated warning.
A timely warning has not been issued within the most recent 60-day period.
FAQ
Q: Why is a timely warning issued?
A: The Clery Act, a federal law, requires UC Santa Cruz to alert the campus community to certain crimes in a manner that is timely and will aid in the prevention of similar crimes. A warning regarding a criminal incident(s) enables people to protect themselves against a serious or continuing threat.
Q: Does a timely warning mean a sudden spike in CSUMB’s on-campus crime?
A: Not necessarily, as UC Santa Cruz encourages victims of and witnesses to a criminal incident to report it to the proper authorities. Through various campus departments' awareness and prevention efforts, UCSC is instead creating a campus culture where victims of and witnesses to a criminal incident feel comfortable to report.
Q: What kinds of crimes and incidents warrant a timely warning?
A: Timely warnings are not limited to violent crimes or crimes against a person but can also be issued for crimes that threaten property.
Q: What determines the issuance of a timely warning?
A: Whether UC Santa Cruz issues a timely warning must be decided on a case-by-case basis in light of all the facts surrounding a criminal incident(s), including many different factors, including but not limited to the nature/circumstances of the criminal incident(s), the continuing danger to the campus community and the timing the report was originally made.
Q: I want to know more. Why are the details not as descriptive as I would have hoped?
A: The Clery Act regulations do not specify what information should be included in a timely warning. However, because a timely warning intends to enable campus community members to protect themselves, it should include all information promoting safety and aiding in preventing similar criminal incidents. Timely warnings will withhold the victim's name and other personally identifiable information. Timely Warnings must also withhold confidential information and should not include any information that may compromise law enforcement efforts.
Q: Timely Warnings can be triggering. Why does the incident description seem written from the reporting party’s perspective?
A: The Clery Act requires UCSC to issue timely warnings as soon as pertinent information is available if a Clery Act crime that occurred on Clery geography is determined to represent a serious or continuing threat. This oftentimes, if not always, prohibits UCSC from waiting until a criminal or administrative investigation can unfold.
Q: Why is the campus being issued a warning instead of someone being arrested?
It’s important to remember that in higher education, victims of crime have multiple avenues to report crimes and that those multiple avenues offer varying resources and options for resolution. It is the victim’s right to choose the avenue of resolution best for them. Whether that includes a criminal investigation or administrative investigation, certain processes are protected under confidentiality, FERPA, and/or due process. The institution will conduct matters according to law and policy. Just because the public may not see it, doesn’t mean something isn’t happening.
Reporting and Wellness Resources
If seeing a timely warning empowers someone to report their crime victimization or that of someone else’s, they can contact:
- The UC Santa Cruz Police by dialing the non-emergency number (831) 459-2231, Ext. 1,
- The Office of Title IX by calling (831) 459-2462, emailing titleix@ucsc.edu , or filing an online report .
- make a report to a Campus Security Authority.
If a student is triggered by a timely warning and wishes to seek mental health or support services, they are encouraged to contact UCSC’s counseling and psychological services (CAPS) or campus advocacy resources and education (CARE) .
Emergency Notifications, Response, and Evacuation
Under the Clery Act, every institution must immediately notify the campus community upon confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation occurring on the campus that involves an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees. An “immediate” threat includes an imminent or impending threat, such as:
- an approaching forest fire,
- a fire currently raging in a campus building,
- gas leak,
- terrorist incident,
- bomb threat
- active shooter.
UCSC notifies the campus community about immediate threats through CruzAlerts, issued in conjunction with the Office of Emergency Management’s (OEM) campus notification program. For more information about CruzAlerts, other campus notifications , and safety mobile app resources, visit the OEM website.
Without exception, the Clery Act requires every Title IV institution to have and disclose emergency response and evacuation procedures that would be used in response to a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees on the campus. The emergency response and evacuation requirements are intended to ensure that UCSC has sufficiently prepared for an emergency on campus, that the University is testing these procedures to identify and improve any weaknesses, and that the University has considered how it will inform the campus community and others in the event of an emergency.
For more information on UCSC’s emergency procedures and department Emergency Action Plans (EAP) , please visit the OEM website.
