As sexual assault gained attention both nationally and locally, the Obama administration announced a new rule that would give students access to crime statistics in their college towns.
The Obama administration made changes Monday to the Jeanne Clery Act, adding a rule to help colleges keep campuses safe. The changes to the act require any college receiving federal funding to keep a public crime log and release annual crime reports.
“These new rules require institutions to ensure that students and employees have vital information about crime on campus and the services and protections available to victims if a crime does occur, which will be significant assets in addressing the growing problems of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking on our nation’s campuses,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a U.S. Department of Education press release.
The law, set to go into effect July 1, requires each institution to disclose crime incidents that occur in one of three geographic categories: “on campus, on public property within or adjacent to the campus, or in noncampus buildings or property owned or operated by the school,” according to the press release.
UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes said she has been aware of the act’s establishment for a while and University Police has sent emails with the annual crime reports to students.
“We comply with the law,” Sikes said.
Rania Saboungi, an 18-year-old UF microbiology freshman, said she appreciates getting UF alerts via phone and email — otherwise she’d probably be uninformed.
“On dark nights I make sure I leave with my brother or leave with a male or group,” Saboungi said.
Vanessa Diaz, a 20-year-old UF biology junior, said the incidents at UF have made her more aware of the dangers that lurk in a college town.
“It’s still unsettling they haven’t found the guy even though they are trying to make it (campus) safer,” she said.
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 10/24/2014]
