Clery CSA Training

Clery CSA Training

What is a Campus Security Authority (CSA)?

• A campus police department or a campus security department of an institution. UW-River Falls Police Department is a campus security authority.
• 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). Include individuals who provide security at a campus parking kiosk, monitor access into a campus facility, act as event security or escort students around campus after dark.
• 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. If you direct the campus community to report criminal incidents to anyone or any organization in addition to police or security-related personnel, that individual or organization is a campus security authority.
• 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 who has the authority and the duty to take action or respond to particular issues on behalf of the institution.

Clery Training Information

Because official responsibilities and job titles vary significantly on campuses, a list of specific titles is not provided in the regulations. To determine specifically which individuals or organizations are campus security authorities at UWRF we considered the function of that individual or office. We looked at whose functions involve relationships with students (i.e., not support staff). If someone has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, he or she is a campus security authority. Note that whether UWRF pays an individual is not a factor in determining whether that individual is a CSA.

Examples of individuals who meet the criteria for being campus security authorities include:

• A dean of students who oversees student housing, a student center or student extracurricular activities.
• A director of athletics, a team coach or a faculty adviser to a student group.
• A student resident adviser or assistant or a student who monitors access to residence life.
• A coordinator of Greek affairs.
• Title IX coordinator.
• The director of a campus health or counseling center.
• Members of a sexual response team (SART) or other sexual assault advocates.

Examples of individuals who would not meet the criteria for being campus security authorities include:

• A faculty member who does not have any responsibility for student and campus activity beyond the classroom.
• Clerical or cafeteria staff.

Clery CSA Training Test Information

Campus Security Authority (CSA) Training

This online training is intended to help you understand the federal requirements relating to reporting crimes on university campuses and should take about 30 minutes to complete. After reviewing the materials, click "Take the Test" and answer each test question with the most correct answer. You will need to achieve 100% to complete the training and you can take the test more than once. After you achieve 100% on the test, an email of "CSA Training Completion" will be emailed to you and to the UWRF Police Department.

Why am I required to take this training?

The Clery Act is a federal statute pertaining to all colleges and universities participating in federal student aid programs. The Act requires these institutions to publish an annual security report that accurately discloses campus crime statistics and security information. The UW-River Falls Police Department collects statistics on crimes, arrests, and referrals for incidents which occur on or near campus. These statistics are then reported in the university's Annual Security Report. Statistics are gathered from three primary sources:

• Reports made directly to University Police.
• Reports made to other law enforcement that have concurrent jurisdiction such as River Falls Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff and St. Croix Sheriff.
• Reports received by Campus Security Authorities (CSAs).

You are required to take this yearly training as you have been identified as a CSA by UW-River Falls.

What is a Campus Security Authority?

It is up to each university to determine which of its employees should be designated as CSA's but the Clery Act offers some guidance.

The U. S. Department of Education monitors and enforces the Clery Act. They identify campus security authority as a specific term that encompasses 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.
• 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 who has the authority and the duty to take action or respond to particular issues on behalf of the institution.

Although every institution wants its campus community to report all criminal incidents to law enforcement, we know that this doesn't always happen. A student who is the victim of a crime may be more inclined to report it to someone other than the campus police. For example, a victim of a sexual offense may turn to a residence hall advisor for assistance. For this reason, the US Department of Education requires all institutions to collect crime reports from a variety of individuals and organizations that meet the criteria for Campus Security Authorities.

The employees of some departments are inherently CSAs although responsibilities and job titles may not be the same on every campus. As such the university must consider the function of individuals as well as their relationship with students to determine if they should be designated as CSAs. The university must also consider if an employee is one whom a student reasonably believes is in a position to report a crime to. Employees in the following areas, with some exceptions, are considered CSAs by definition:

• Residence Life, including residence hall student staff
• Dean of Students Office/Student Services
• University Police
• Athletics

Generally speaking clerical, custodial, cafeteria, and grounds crew employees are not considered to be CSAs. This is also true of faculty and instructional staff unless they act as an adviser to a student group or organization. Professional and pastoral counselors also are exempted most of the time.

What responsibilities do Campus Security Authorities have?

The university requires all CSAs to report specific types of crimes to UWRF PD that occur on or near campus property .Crimes occurring off campus may also need to be reported. More information on this and a listing of Clery reportable crimes will be provided in the next section.

Under Clery a crime is "reported" when it is brought to the attention of University Police, local law enforcement, or a CSA, by a victim, witness, third party or even the offender. It doesn't matter whether or not the individual reporting is associated with the institution. Most reports will come from students or staff members but reports may also be made by people visiting or passing through campus. If a CSA receives a report of a crime and believes it was provided in good faith, he or she must document it as a crime report. In "good faith" means there is a reasonable basis for believing that the information is not simply rumor or hearsay. That there is little or no reason to doubt the validity of the information.

It is generally up to a victim to press charges and have law enforcement investigate a criminal incident. Victims should be encouraged to report crimes directly to a University Police Officer or the police department but it is not a CSA's responsibility to try to convince them to do this if they choose not to. Remember, if you receive a crime report you must report it to University Police even if the victim indicates he or she will report it.

If a CSA is unsure whether an incident is a Clery reportable crime, or even if it's criminal in nature, it should be reported anyway. University Police is responsible for making the final determination.

What crimes must be reported by CSAs?

The university recommends that all incidents of a criminal nature be reported. The Clery Act mandates we report crimes that occur:

• On campus.
• On public property within or immediately adjacent to the campus.
• In or on non-campus buildings or property that UW-River Falls owns or controls.
• During any off-campus, university-sponsored trip which includes students. Examples would include group trips, study abroad and athletic and academic team trips.

The Clery Act specifically requires universities to report the following crimes:

• Murder/ Negligent Manslaughter/Non Negligent Manslaughter
• Sex Offense/Forcible or Non Forcible
• Robbery
• Aggravated Assault
• Burglary
• Motor Vehicle Theft
• Arson
• Crimes of Domestic Violence and Dating Violence
• Stalking
• Simple Assault*
• Larceny-Theft*
• Intimidation*
• Destruction/Damage/Vandalism of Property*
• Liquor Law Violations
• Drug Law Violations
• Weapons Violations

The university must report if a crime victim was targeted based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.

*These crimes are technically only Clery reportable if they were hate/bias crimes. We recommend you report them even if they were not.

How does a CSA make a report to University Police?

• A crime which just occurred or an emergency situation should be immediately reported to 9-1-1 and/or University Police by telephone.
• This needs to be followed up with a written report.
• Written reports are to be submitted in the following manner:
  • A report form is available for this purpose on the University Police website.
  • Complete the form to the best of your ability based on the information you have. When you are done, click the "Submit" button.
  • Please familiarize yourself with the report form so you have a better understanding of the types of information which need to be obtained if possible.
• You may be contacted by a University Police Officer for additional information.
• The university police department is responsible for maintaining all reported crime documentation. CSAs will be contacted annually to ensure that all mandated reports have been made. It is recommended that CSAs submitting reports retain copies of their reports for one year for this purpose.