Here is Susan Svrluga at The Washington Post:
Liberty University has failed for years to keep its campus safe and repeatedly violated the federal law that specifies how it should do so, according to preliminary confidential findings from an Education Department inquiry.
The initial report on the school’s Clery Act compliance — which the university can respond to and dispute before the department makes a final determination — paints a picture of a university that discouraged people from reporting crimes, underreported the claims it received and, meanwhile, marketed its Virginia campus as one of the safest in the country.
Liberty failed to warn the campus community about gas leaks, bomb threats and people credibly accused of repeated acts of sexual violence — including a senior administrator and an athlete — according to the report, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post.Two people familiar with the conclusions, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the confidential nature of the document, confirmed the findings.
The draft also contends officials at Liberty destroyed evidence after a government inquiry began.
“This is the single most blistering Clery report I have ever read. Ever,” said S. Daniel Carter, a campus safety consultant who reviewed a copy of the initial report obtained by The Post. Earlier in his career, Carter filed Clery Act complaints against multiple universities, including Liberty, as a victims advocate. “I cannot think of a single other comparable case in the entire 32-year history of the Clery Act.”
Under the Clery Act, colleges that participate in federal financial aid programs — Liberty received $874 million for student loans and grants from the Education Department in 2020-2021 — must disclose crime statistics and other timely information about campus safety. They may face a program review if the department has concerns. That investigation can result in fines or even limits on financial aid eligibility. Liberty acknowledged last year that the Education Department was conducting such an inquiry.
The draft also contends officials at Liberty destroyed evidence after a government inquiry began.
“This is the single most blistering Clery report I have ever read. Ever,” said S. Daniel Carter, a campus safety consultant who reviewed a copy of the initial report obtained by The Post. Earlier in his career, Carter filed Clery Act complaints against multiple universities, including Liberty, as a victims advocate. “I cannot think of a single other comparable case in the entire 32-year history of the Clery Act.”
Under the Clery Act, colleges that participate in federal financial aid programs — Liberty received $874 million for student loans and grants from the Education Department in 2020-2021 — must disclose crime statistics and other timely information about campus safety. They may face a program review if the department has concerns. That investigation can result in fines or even limits on financial aid eligibility. Liberty acknowledged last year that the Education Department was conducting such an inquiry.
And this:
The agency launched its review after receiving a complaint in May 2021, according to the document. The review included data from 2016 to 2022.
The Program Review Report, as the initial summary is known, suggests numerous failures at Liberty, including a fundamental lack of administrative ability to keep the campus safe. It found the school did not adequately take complaints of crimes, produce incident reports, warn the campus of emergencies and threats to safety, advise crime victims of their rights or handle the data needed for crime statistics.
The report cites a numbered Liberty University Police Department incident report that the school did not enter into the daily crime log: “an alleged rape that was committed by a former Liberty President.” It does not specify which former president or whether the school ever investigated the claim. The agency’s review focused on whether allegations were reported, not whether they could be substantiated.
Read the entire piece here.
Here is Liberty University’s full response:
In Spring 2022, the U.S. Department of Education launched a program review of Liberty University’s compliance with the Clery Act between 2016 and 2022. During the review, Liberty identified historic gaps in compliance, which the University both acknowledged to the Department and took timely action to remedy by strengthening its Clery Act compliance program.  Since the initiation of the review, the University has been engaged in dialogue with the Department about reaching a timely, efficient, and fair resolution, which would address the past gaps in compliance and support an effective, legally compliant Clery Act compliance program moving forward.
Liberty University engaged the firms Cozen O’Connor and The Healy+ Group early in this process to help facilitate and administer a multi-year review of Clery Act compliance and ensure full candor and cooperation with all of the Department’s requests. This review included full access to campus crime data, requested University records, and institutional statements, policies, and procedures in place to adhere to the Clery Act standards for campus safety.
Throughout the entire process, the University has regularly communicated with the Department to appropriately address each step of the program review. In May 2023, Liberty received a program review report of the Department of Education’s preliminary findings. Liberty submitted an initial response on June 30, 2023, including the results of a comprehensive file review conducted by Healy+, and a supplemental response on September 21, 2023 detailing significant errors, misstatements, and unsupported conclusions in the Department’s preliminary findings.
Based on the extensive information and documentation it provided to the Department, Liberty has every expectation that the Department will carefully evaluate the information and documents and correct the errors in the preliminary program review report.
The University remains committed to working with the Department through this process.  The University and Department have a shared interest in a principled, reasonable and fair resolution that reflects accurate fact-finding, supports effective Clery Act compliance, and recognizes the candid and collaborative approach Liberty has taken since the onset of this review. Our request of the Department has been straightforward – that the University be treated in the same manner as similarly situated institutions, and that the Department treat Liberty fairly in accordance with its established precedent.
Liberty University continues to prioritize safety and security for all students, faculty, and staff, and we are dedicated to resourcing and strengthening our programs campus-wide. Since October 2022, we have made significant advancements that include the formation of the Office of Equity and Compliance that encompasses both Title IX and Clery Act compliance; major capital investments in security assets and equipment; along with prevention and awareness trainings and online resources for our University community that promote transparency, accountability, and intervention. Since October 2022, Liberty has provided regular, unsolicited updates to the Department concerning the improvements made to its Title IX and Clery Act programs.
“Liberty University remains fully committed to ensuring compliance in this area is met and maintained and understands the purpose of this review process is ultimately in the greater interest of our students, faculty, and staff. More than that, we recognize the original purpose of the Clery Act is for the health, safety, and overall well-being of our entire University community as we remain steadfast in our mission of Training Champions for Christ.” – Liberty President Dondi Costin
Liberty University remains committed to the integrity of this review process and will respond with factual information concerning the University’s advancement efforts and other critical information at the appropriate time.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.