Campus Safety

The concerns of college parents about the well-being and safety of their students has a paramount issue for college families.  As a result, we are pleased to recognize and thank the Clery Center for the 30 years of dedicated service to the schools, students and families.

College families and their students are wise to consider some practical questions about campus safety.

Nearly twice as many state insurance commissioners recommend renters insurance to college students in 2016 as did in 2013. In fact, the latest trend builds on an earlier report by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) that recommended college students consider the benefits of purchasing renters insurance. NAIC recommends that “college students renting an off-campus apartment or house while away at school should consider purchasing renters insurance to protect their personal property, such as a computer, electronics, bicycle or furniture, in the event that it is damaged, destroyed or stolen.”

College students are heading back to school, many with the help of their parents who have invested thousands of dollars in laptops, smartphones, bicycles and textbooks on students’ packing lists. Consider this - how will your student and family replace these items if they were affected by theft, fire, water damage, and other risks?

The steps of college are upon us and are evidence that parents have faith that the world can be improved through higher education. It is true that a higher education can help our students to comprehend and be better prepared to address the challenges of the world. As college parents - there are a few reminders that are worth highlighting for this year.

While your child may be eager to visit colleges to check out the dorms, the study and athletic facilities, the food and the social atmosphere, what shouldn't be overlooked is the level of security provided on campus. Most high school students would not rate this as one of their primary concerns when considering which college to attend, which is why it is often up to their parents to ask important questions about the safety of where their children may be spending the next several years.

Despite the requirement to disclose accurate crime statistics and potential fines of $35,000 per report violation, it appears that 30 years after the death of Jeanne Clery colleges and universities continue to struggle to comply with providing accurate crime reports. In fact, this past November the American Association of University Women (AAUW) published an alarming report that concludes that ninety-one percent of the nation’s colleges have told the federal government there were no rapes reported on their campuses in 2014. In contrast to other reports that indicate sexual assault rates of women may reach as high as 21%, AAUW correctly concludes that this analysis of campus reported data “defies reality.”