The California State University Receives National Campus Safety Award

The California State University system has received the nationally prestigious Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Award. The CSU received the honor for creating a training video showing how to comply with federal laws on reporting campus crime statistics, as well as for developing a comprehensive system-wide alcohol policy.

The Clery Award is given annually by Security On Campus, Inc., a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to ensuring safe campuses for college and university students. The award is given in honor of founders' Connie and Howard Clery's daughter, Jeanne, who was murdered in her dorm room in 1986 at a Pennsylvania university. It recognizes universities and individuals who take extra efforts to protect college students.

"Security On Campus, Inc. recognizes the brave efforts of the California State University in addressing head-on the alcohol problems prevalent on not only their campuses, but also campuses across the nation," said Howard and Connie Clery, in explaining why CSU was selected for the award. "Secondly, CSU took it upon themselves to produce a training video on how to comply with the Clery Act. CSU turned it into an opportunity to benefit not only their own system, but also colleges nationwide. And they did it in such a professional and thorough way. We congratulate them for being the very first college system in the nation to address the difficult problem of compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act so that all colleges can benefit and students can be safe."

The training video developed by the CSU is available to universities across the country to clarify what is required under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crimes Statistics Act (see www.securityoncampus.org). This act requires the compilation of an annual security report to all current faculty, staff, and students and notice of its availability to prospective students, faculty, and staff. Information on ordering the video is available at www.calstate.edu/clery.

Alcohol Policy Lauded

The award was also given to the CSU for its system-wide alcohol policy. In late 2000, California State University Chancellor Charles B. Reed established a committee of CSU presidents, vice presidents, students, faculty, staff and alumni to review campus alcohol policies and make recommended changes to prevent any more student deaths. The policy adopted by the CSU Board of Trustees in July 2001 is believed to be the first university system-wide policy in the country. It established campus advisory councils, mandated a review of campus alcohol policies and programs and created an annual CSU conference.

Alcohol committee members also began a relationship with California state officials, which has resulted in nearly $2 million worth of grants to the campuses beginning this fiscal year. Those grants will be used to further the relationship between the state and the university, increase enforcement of underage drinking, provide training to campus staff, identify the scope of the alcohol problem on college campuses, conduct annual surveys, implement social norms and peer education programs and work cooperatively to curb student alcohol abuse.

"Providing a safe learning environment for California State University students is a major goal of ours, so recognition of our Clery Act training video and our alcohol policy is extremely gratifying," said CSU Chancellor Reed. "We will continue to do what we can to provide not only an academically high quality education, but one that focuses also on the health and safety of our students."

The California State University is the largest system of senior higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, nearly 400,000 students and 42,000 faculty and staff. Since the system was created in 1961, it has awarded about 2 million degrees. The CSU is renowned for the quality of its teaching and for the job-ready graduates it produces. Its mission is to provide high-quality, affordable education to meet the ever-changing needs of the people of California. With its commitment to excellence, diversity and innovation, the CSU is the university system that is Working for California. See www.calstate.edu.