Campus Security Authorities

Campus Security Authority Crime Report Form

Introduction

The Jeanne Clery Campus Security Policy & Crime Statistics Disclosure Act and what you need to know if you are a Campus Security Authority (CSA) at the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

What is the Clery Act?

Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old Lehigh University freshman, was assaulted and murdered in her dorm room in 1986. In 1998 the “Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act” was renamed in her memory. The Clery Act was enacted in the belief that crime awareness can prevent campus victimization.

The law requires colleges and universities receiving federal funding to prepare, publish, and distribute, by October 1 of each year, campus safety and security policies and crime statistics. The University of Houston-Clear Lake does this in the form of an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. University community members are notified annually of its availability, and how and where to access the report. The Department of Education is responsible for Clery Act compliance and enforcement.

Am I a CSA? 

The law defines four categories of CSA’s:

1) University of Houston-Clear Lake sworn police personnel and police administrators.

2) Non-police staff or offices responsible for campus security - university security personnel, contract security personnel, parking enforcement staff, personnel providing access control and/or security at campus facilities, athletic events or other special events and other similar positions.

3) Officials with significant responsibility for student and campus activities. This category is defined broadly to ensure complete coverage and thorough reporting of crimes. To determine which individuals or organizations are CSA’s consider job functions that involve relationships with students. Look for Officials (i.e., not support staff) whose functions involve relationships with students. An Official is defined as any person who has the authority and the duty to take action or respond to particular issues on behalf of the University. If someone has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, he or she is a CSA. Some examples of CSA’s in this category include, but are not limited to: academic deans; student affairs / residential life officials; coordinator of Greek affairs (or related positions); athletic administrators including director, assistant directors and coaches; student activities coordinators and staff; student judicial officials; faculty and staff advisors to student organizations; student advisors; and administrators at branch campuses.

4) 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.

Who is not a CSA? 

The following non-CSA positions / functions include but are not limited to: faculty member without responsibility for student and campus activity beyond the classroom; physicians and nurses in the Health Center who only provide care; clerical or administrative support staff; cafeteria staff; facilities maintenance staff; information technology staff, licensed mental health or pastoral counselors, when acting within the scope of their license or certificate; and other like functions. 

What is my responsibility as a CSA?

CSA’s are encouraged to report all crimes reported to them, on a timely basis, to University Police. However, under the Clery Act, CSA’s are only obligated to report, Clery Act qualifying crimes which occurred on campus, in public areas bordering campus and in certain non-campus buildings owned or controlled (leased) by the University. CSA’s should only report those crimes that have not been previously reported to University Police or another University CSA. The intent of including non-law enforcement personnel in the CSA role is to acknowledge that some community members and students in particular, may be hesitant about reporting crimes to the police, but may be more inclined to report incidents to other campus-affiliated individuals. 

CSA Crime Reporting

When a crime is reported to a CSA, first ask the person if they would like to report it to the University of Houston-Clear Lake Police Department (UHCLPD).  If so, contact University Police at 281-283-2222. If not, for Clery Act qualifying crimes, the CSA must complete and submit, on a timely basis, a Campus Security Authority Crime Report Form. The Report Form can be submitted to UHCLPD via email to uhclpdcsa@uhcl.edu, or via postal mail, 2700 Bay Area Blvd. Box#323, Houston, Texas 77058 or in person at the University of Houston-Clear Lake Police Department, Bayou Building #1636. 

If the reported crime is made in good faith, meaning that there is reasonable basis for believing that the information is not rumor or hearsay, then the crime is Clery reportable. CSA’s, when interacting with the crime reporting party, need to gather incident information that would provide sufficient detail to properly classify the incident. This means CSA’s need to document reporting party responses or lack thereof. Reporting party identifying information should only be included in the Report Form if the reporting party is willing to provide same. CSA’s should not investigate the crime or attempt to determine whether a crime, in fact, took place. When in doubt, a Report Form should be completed and submitted!

What is done with CSA Report Forms? 

UHCLPD reviews CSA Report forms and makes a determination if an incident warrants timely warning / emergency notification of the University community and whether it is a reportable crime in the Annual Security Report. The Clery Act Coordinator will consolidate crime data from multiple sources, report qualifying crime data to the federal Department of Education, publish the Annual Security Report and inform the campus community when and where those reports are available. The University of Houston-Clear Lake Annual Security Report is published online. Hard copies are available upon request.

Campus Security Authority Resources

For information on qualifying Clery Act crimes and geographical reporting boundaries, please see the University Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, or contact the UHCLPD Clery Compliance Officer, Ms. Kelley Reid at uhclpdcsa@uhcl.edu or by calling 281-283-2222.