Liberty University Fined Under the Clery Act

The Liberty School of Business. Source: Liberty University

Liberty University, a private Christian university in Virginia, will have to pay $14 million in fines after they exaggerated the level of campus safety and underreported instances of crime. These actions violated the Clery Act which mandates that colleges make crime statistics available to the public to maintain transparency about the university's safety. These violations were compiled in the Program Review Report which found that the university failed to report allegations of crimes, did not issue warnings to students in times of potential danger, and altered their crime data. 

Many of the crimes that went unreported concerned sexual violence. Multiple former students and employees brought lawsuits against Liberty due to the school’s lack of support when they came forward with rape or other sexual assault allegations. The case was filed under Title IX which prevents students from being discriminated against based on their sex. The case referenced the school’s honor code, known as “The Liberty Way,” which made many people feel as if they didn’t have a voice after they were assaulted. The people who brought upon the lawsuit also claimed that the students who came forward with allegations were punished via the honor code while the ones who they were reporting did not face proper investigation because of the university's “tacit policy.” Students' characters were also under attack when they attempted to report these instances as they were questioned about their previous sexual history, clothing choices, etc. instead of simply being asked about what occurred. 

In addition to the lack of reporting sexual violence, there were other instances of potential danger that were hidden and not broadcasted to the students of Liberty University. One event occurred in 2016 when a bomb threat was made and the university did nothing to make the students aware of it. Furthermore, Liberty admitted to “incorrect statistical reports as well as necessary timely warnings and emergency notifications that were not sent,” but still claimed that the Department of Education was biased against them when dealing with the situation compared to similar instances at other universities. Liberty should focus on making a change to help students feel heard when they are wronged and feel safe on campus instead of trying to shift the blame for their actions. 

Violations of the Clery Act have repercussions beyond simply having the school pay a fine. Students were not notified of potential threats near the area because many reports were swept under the rug and people affiliated with the university who made allegations were not given the proper support. Students deserve to feel safe on their campuses and transparency is a key factor to ensure it happens.