Clery Compliance

You find yourself overwhelmed by a flood of emotions and uncertainties after experiencing sexual assault. It’s crucial for you to understand that you are not alone in this journey, and support is available whenever you’re ready to reach out.

The first and most important message for you is this: what happened is not your fault. Regardless of the circumstances – where you were, what you were wearing, or who you were with – the responsibility lies solely with the person who committed the assault. Your feelings, safety, and well-being are of utmost importance.

In the immediate aftermath, your safety is paramount. If you’re in immediate danger, don’t hesitate to call 911. Once you’re safe, there are several steps you might consider:

• Preserving evidence: Keep clothing, bedding, or messages. While you don’t need to decide immediately about reporting the incident, preserving evidence keeps your options open for the future.
• Seeking medical care: Medical professionals can provide necessary care and support even if you have no visible injuries.
• Exploring reporting options: You can contact local authorities (911), campus police (912-258-3133), the Title IX Coordinator (912-279-5815), or the Deputy Title IX Coordinator (912-279-4588). These resources are available to support you, not to pressure you into any particular course of action.

A range of support services is available when you feel ready. These include counseling, advocacy support, assistance with housing and academic accommodations, and health services. The Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Michael Butcher (912-279-5815; mbutcher@ccga.edu) can discuss these options with you.

For those supporting you – friends, family, or loved ones – their role is crucial. The most important things they can do are listen without judgement, believe you unconditionally, and help connect you with professional resources when ready. Remember, everyone’s healing journey is different, and there’s no set timeline for recovery.

Support is available both on- and off -campus. The Office of Student Well-Being and Support (912-279-4537; healthcenter@ccga.edu), on campus, as well as national resources like the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-HOPE), are just a phone call away.

Your healing journey is unique, and it’s okay if it doesn’t resemble anyone else’s. Some days might be more challenging than others, and that’s to be expected. What’s crucial is for you to know you’re not alone.

Remember that you are strong, valued, and believed. Whenever you’re ready, help is available to support you in taking the next step in your journey, whatever that may be.

You don’t stand alone. A community of support is standing with you, ready to assist when you feel prepared to reach out.

College of Coastal Georgia Sexual Misconduct Resource Guide

What is the Jeanne Clery Act?

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Police and Campus Crime Statistics Act (commonly known as the Clery Act; formerly the Campus Security Act) is a federal law that requires institutions of higher education (colleges and universities) in the United States to disclose campus security information including crime statistics for the campus and surrounding areas. It was first enacted by Congress in 1990 and most recently amended in 2013 by the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.

Which institutions need to comply with the Clery Act?

All institutions of post-secondary education, both public and private, that participate in federal student aid programs must publish and disseminate an annual campus security report as well as make timely warnings of any ongoing threats to the campus community.

What do institutions disclose under the Clery Act?

All institutions of post-secondary education must disclose the most recent three years of Clery crime statistics and security policies in the Annual Security Report that must be published by October 1.

Who typically receives information under the Clery Act?

All enrolled students and employees are notified of the Annual Security Report’s availability. Prospective students and employees can obtain the Report by requesting a copy. The Annual Security Report is published on the Public Safety and Clery Compliance website pages.

Who besides campus law enforcement has reporting obligations under the Clery Act?

All institutional officials with significant responsibility for campus and student activities are referred to in the Clery Act as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). All CSAs have reporting obligations under the Clery Act. Faculty members who serve as advisors to student groups, athletic coaches, and staff involved in student affairs are all included in this group. Only professional mental health and pastoral counselors are exempt from reporting when acting in these roles.

What is Clery Geography?

The Clery Act requires institutions to report crimes based on the following geographical specifications.

• On-Campus is defined as “any building or property owned or controlled by an institution of higher education within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area of the institution and used by the institution in direct support of, or in a manner related to, the institution’s educational purposes, including student halls; and property within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area of the institution that is owned by the institution but controlled by another person, is used by students, and supports institutional purposes (such as a food or other retail vendor).”
• On-Campus Student Housing is defined as “any student housing facility that is owned or controlled by the institution or is located on property that is owned or controlled by the institution, and is within the reasonably contiguous geographic area that makes up campus.”
• Non-Campus Building or Property is defined as “any building or property owned or controlled by a student organization recognized by the institution; and any building or property (other than a branch campus) owned or controlled by an institution of higher education that is used in direct support of, or in relation to, the institution’s educational purposes, is used by students, and is not within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area of the institution.”
• Public Property is defined as “all public property that is within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area of the institution, such as a sidewalk, a street, other thoroughfares, or parking facility, and is adjacent to a facility owned or controlled by the institution if the facility is used by the institution in direct support of, or in a manner relate to the institution’s educational purposes.”

What are considered Clery Crimes?

MURDER AND NON-NEGLIGENT MANSLAUGHTER

• The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another.

NEGLIGENT MANSLAUGHTER

• The killing of another person through gross negligence.

AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

• An unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault usually is accompanied by using a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. Simple assaults are excluded.

ARSON

• Any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.

BURGLARY

• The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft. Attempted forcible entry is included.

ROBBERY

• The taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

• The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. A motor vehicle is self-propelled and runs on the surface and not on rails. Motorboats, construction equipment, airplanes, and farming equipment are specifically excluded from this category.

RAPE

• The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.

FONDLING

• The touching of the private body parts of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification, without the consent of the victim, including instances where the victim is incapable of giving consent because of his/her age and/or because of his/her temporary or permanent mental incapacity.

INCEST

• Non-forcible sexual intercourse between persons who are related to each other within the degrees wherein marriage is prohibited by law.

STATUTORY RAPE

• Non-forcible sexual intercourse with a person who is under the statutory age of consent.

LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS

• The violation of laws or ordinances prohibiting: the manufacture, sale, transporting, furnishing, possessing of intoxicating liquor; maintaining unlawful drinking places; bootlegging; operating a still; furnishing liquor to a minor or intemperate person; using a vehicle for illegal transportation of liquor; drinking on a train or public conveyance; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned. (Drunkenness and driving under the influence are not included in this definition).

WEAPONS POSSESSION

• The violation of laws or ordinances dealing with weapon offenses, regulatory in nature, such as: manufacture, sale, or possession of deadly weapons; carrying deadly weapons, concealed or openly; furnishing deadly weapons to minors; aliens possessing deadly weapons; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned.

DRUG ABUSE VIOLATIONS

• Violations of State and local laws relating to the unlawful possession, sale, use, growing, manufacturing, and making of narcotic drugs. The relevant substances include Opium or Cocaine and their derivatives (Morphine, Heroin, Codeine); Marijuana; synthetic narcotics (Demerol, Methadone); and dangerous non-narcotic drugs (Barbiturates, Benzedrine).

HATE CRIMES

• A Hate Crime is a criminal offense that manifests evidence that the victim was intentionally selected because of the perpetrator’s bias against the victim.
• Under the Clery Act, Hate Crimes include any of the following offenses motivated by bias: Murder and Non-negligent Manslaughter, Sexual Assault, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Motor Vehicle Theft, Arson, Larceny-Theft, Simple Assault, Intimidation, Destruction/Damage/Vandalism of Property. Larceny-Theft, Simple Assault, Intimidation, and Destruction/Damage/Vandalism of Property are included in your Clery Act statistics only if they are Hate Crimes.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

• A felony or misdemeanor crime of violence committed by a current or former spouse or intimate partner of the victim; by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common; by a person who is cohabitating with or has cohabitated with the victim as a spouse or intimate partner; by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred; or by any other person against an adult or youth victim who is protected from that person’s acts under the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction in which the crime of violence occurred.

DATING VIOLENCE

• Violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the victim. The existence of such a relationship shall be determined based on the reporting party’s statement with consideration of the length of the relationship, the type of relationship, and the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship.

STALKING

• Engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to (1) fear for the person’s safety or the safety of others; or (2) suffer substantial emotional distress. A course of conduct means two or more acts, including, but not limited to, acts in which the stalker directly, indirectly, or through third parties, by any action, method, device, or means follows, monitors, observes, surveils, threatens, or communicates to or about, a person, or interferes with a person’s property. Substantial emotional distress means significant mental suffering or anguish that may, but does not necessarily, require medical or other professional treatment or counseling. A reasonable person means a reasonable person under similar circumstances and with similar identities to the victim.

Who enforces the Jeanne Clery Act?

The United States Department of Education is charged with enforcing the Jeanne Clery Act and may level civil penalties against institutions of higher education up to $35,000 per violation or may suspend them from participating in federal student financial aid programs.

Where can I find more information on the Clery Act?

The United States Department of Education website has various resources to assist institutions in maintaining full compliance with the Clery Act. The Handbook on Campus Safety and Security Authority includes guidelines on how institutions must report and manage Clery compliance issues.

The Clery Act also identifies certain staff, faculty, and students as “Campus Security Authorities,” or CSAs, and requires they forward reports of crimes to designated offices on campus.

The intent of including non-security personnel in the Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) role is to acknowledge that some community members and students may be hesitant about reporting crimes to campus security or the police but may be more inclined to report incidents to other campus-affiliated individuals.

CSAs are obligated to report crimes reported to them that occurred on campus, in public areas bordering campus, and in certain non-campus buildings owned or controlled (leased) by the College. CSAs should only report those crimes that have not been previously reported to Public Safety/Campus Police or another College CSA.

The law defines four categories of CSAs:

1. Public Safety/Campus Police personnel
2. Non-police individuals of offices responsible for campus security. These CSAs have security presence or access control authority on college property.
3. The Officials with significant responsibility for student and campus activities category is defined broadly to ensure complete coverage and thorough reporting of crimes. To determine which individuals or organizations are CSAs, consider job functions that involve relationships with students. Look for Officials (i.e., not support staff) whose functions involve relationships with students.
4. Any individual or organization specified in an institution’s statement of campus security policy as an individual or organization in which students and employees should report criminal offenses – Public Safety/Campus Police.

The following non-CSA positions/functions include but are not limited to faculty members without responsibility for student and campus activity beyond the classroom; clerical or administrative support staff; facilities maintenance staff; technology advancement staff.

• Annual CSA training presentation

The College of Coastal Georgia’s Clery Compliance Committee coordinates with Public Safety, Student Conduct, and Title IX, as well as other campus groups, to provide leadership and ensure full compliance in the areas of reporting, policy and procedure development, and implementation annually updating the Campus Security Authorities (CSA) list and providing educational programs.

The Committee facilitates coordinated communication of requirements, gathering and reporting information; supports training to mitigate compliance risks; nurtures a culture of reporting that increases campus safety; and ensures the College complies with the regulations and spirit of the Clery Act.

The Clery Compliance Coordinator co-chairs the Clery Compliance Committee with the Chief of Police. The membership comprises key stakeholders from the following offices: Residential Life, Title IX, Judicial Affairs, Athletics, Campus Community & Belonging, Human Resources, and Student Engagement.

The full committee meets quarterly or as needed. The Clery Act Classification and Programming Subcommittees also meet quarterly. Coordination and communication between the Brunswick and Camden Center are ongoing.

2024-25 Membership

Clery Act Classification Subcommittee

Clery Act Programming Subcommittee

Clery Compliance Policy sets forth guidelines and procedures intended to ensure the College’s ongoing compliance with the Clery Act’s crime and fire reporting and disclosure obligations.

Access Control Policy provides students, faculty, staff, and other authorized individuals access to facilities and other buildings.

Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy guides the campus community while ensuring compliance with federal and state laws and University System of Georgia (USG) policies and procedures.

Missing Person Notification Policy establishes procedures for the institution to respond to a report of any missing student, as required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008.

Timely Warning Policy provides guidance on timely notice to the campus community in the event of a Clery Act crime that may pose a serious or ongoing threat to members of the Mariner community.

Emergency Management Plan provides resources and information on procedures, communication, and guidelines for several types of campus emergency situations.

For crime statistic information specific to neighboring areas of the campus, please contact the Brunswick and Glynn County Police Departments (Brunswick Campus), or the Kingsland Police Department (Camden Center).

For information regarding registered sex offenders in Georgia, see:

• Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Sex Offender Registry
• Glynn County Sheriff Sex Offenders List

All College community participants are strongly urged to register their mobile cell phones with the CCGA Nixle Emergency Text Notification System. To sign up for this free service, simply text “CCGA” to 888-777. Standard text messaging rates apply. You may have noticed emergency call boxes in the parking lots on the Brunswick Campus, the Camden Center, and Coastal Place Apartments. Emergency call boxes have been installed for your safety and convenience in each lot.

Upon activation (press the button), the on-duty Campus Police Officer will be contacted by their cell phone. These call boxes allow direct voice interchange between the party in need of assistance and the officer. Please only use this emergency system for appropriate emergency situations.

Clery Geography

Clery geography maps help identify buildings and

property that make up the College of Coastal Georgia’s Clery Act geography. Crimes occurring in these locations are published within the institution’s Annual Fire Safety and Security Report. Crimes are reported based on the following geographical specifications.

Campus

Any building or property owned or controlled by an institution within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area and used by the institution in direct support of, or in a manner related to, the institution’s educational purposes, including residence halls.

On Campus Residential

Any student housing facility owned or controlled by the institution or is located on property owned or controlled by the institution and is within the reasonably contiguous geographic area that makes up the campus.

Non-campus building or property

1. Any building or property owned or controlled by a student organization that the institution officially recognizes; or
2. Any building or property owned or controlled by an institution that is used in direct support of, or relation to, the institution’s educational purposes, is frequently used by students and is not within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area of the institution.

Public Property

All public property, including thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks, and parking facilities, is within the campus or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.

Note: Per the Clery Act, the College of Coastal Georgia is not required to report crime statistics, issue timely warnings, or place on the daily crime and fire log crimes that occur on private property (e.g., not owned or controlled by the College), with the listed boundaries.

This form should be completed by those individuals identified as a “Campus Security Authority” (CSA) who are required to report information they receive pursuant to the federal Clery Act. The information collected from these forms will be used to prepare a compilation of statistical crime information that will be included in the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report.

CSA Annual Disclosure

The Clery Act Disclosure Form is used by Campus Security Authorities to certify whether they have reported all criminal incidents, arrests, or disciplinary actions for Clery Act crimes reported to them in their capacity as a CSA. Only designated Campus Security Authorities should complete this form.

Please fill out the form below. Required fields are indicated with a * symbol. Thank you.