In a collaborative effort, representatives from all universities meet regularly with each other to discuss safety concerns and exchange information. In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, all campuses must publicly disclose crime records.

The act was passed in 1998 and is named after a 19-year-old rape and murder victim at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania who was slain in 1986.

Lehigh University had failed to communicate that 38 violent crimes occurred on campus three years before Clery's murder. Campus crime victims joined Clery's parents in bringing this issue to Congress. The law has been amended twice to incorporate giving victims of campus assaults basic rights and to expand crime-reporting requirements.

As part of the Higher Education Act of 1965, all public and private colleges and universities are required to disclose annual information about campus crime or security policies.

Violators can expect at least a $27,500 fine if they fail to meet the criteria. Educational institutions must have a new report by every Oct. 1 with three years of past crime history.

Schools must also submit information about where the incident took place and what disciplinary action was taken. All these records must be available for students and the public via electronic source or as a requested hard-copy report during normal business hours. Current records are available through direct link on securityoncampus.org or through sanantonio.gov/sapd.

Jenina E. Hernandez | 210SA