Campus Safety & Security Reports
DepartmentsThe Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities participating in student financial aid programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to disclose campus safety and security information. Nichols College publishes its Annual Security and Fire Safety Report by October 1 each year, as required by law.
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report includes information on campus safety policies and procedures, as well as statistics for certain crimes reported to have occurred on campus, on public property adjacent to campus, and on non-campus properties owned or controlled by the College for the three most recent calendar years. In compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, the report also includes required fire safety policies and fire-related statistics for on-campus student housing facilities. Additionally, the report includes information required under the Campus SaVE Act of 2013.
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report covers the Nichols College campus located in Dudley, Massachusetts, and applicable College-owned or controlled properties.
Annual Fire Safety and Security Report
The following statistics are provided yearly and comply with the Federal Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, the Higher Education Amendments of 1992 and Massachusetts General Laws (1996) Chapter 6, Section 168C. These statistics are compiled using the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Definitions.
Annual Security Reports
Campus Hazing Transparency Report
In accordance with to the Stop Campus Hazing Act, Nichols College provides biannual updates summarizing findings related to hazing. In accordance with Section 485(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. § 1092(f)), Nichols College publishes a Campus Hazing Transparency Report documenting findings of hazing misconduct involving student organizations, clubs, and athletic teams.
The report includes the name of the student organization, a general description of the violation(s), whether the hazing involved the abuse or illegal use of alcohol or drugs, relevant dates (including when the hazing occurred, if known; the start and end of the investigation; and the date the student organization was notified of the outcome), the determination of responsibility, and the sanctions imposed. Reports of hazing that did not result in a finding of responsibility are not included. The report does not contain personally identifiable information about specific individuals.
Student organizations that are under active investigation will not appear in the Campus Hazing Transparency Report until the investigation is concluded and a finding of responsibility has been made. Nichols College updates this report twice each year and maintains entries related to findings of misconduct for a period of five years.
2024-25 Academic Year Hazing Reporting: No findings of responsibility.
Hazing Policy & Reporting
Campus Security Authorities
Who Is a Campus Security Authority (CSA)?
The Clery Act defines a Campus Security Authority (CSA) as someone whose job responsibility fits into any of the following categories:
- Group 1: Nichols College Department of Public Safety personnel
- Group 2: Individuals responsible for security that includes students and/or professional employees
- Group 3: Any individual or organization specified in an institution’s statement of campus security policy as an individual or organization to which students and employees should report criminal offenses
- Group 4: An “official” of an institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to, student housing, student discipline and campus judicial proceedings.
- “Official” is defined as any person who has the authority and duty to take action and respond to particular issues on behalf of the institution.
Examples of CSAs:
- Public Safety personnel
- Title IX Coordinator/Deputy Title IX Coordinators
- Student Conduct Officers
- Human Resources personnel
- Student Life personnel
- Response teams (CARE Team, Health & Safety Committee)
- Student organizations advisors (faculty or staff)
- Residence life staff (ACs, RAs)
- Counseling Center Director/Health Services Director
- Athletics Director/Athletics coaches/Athletics trainers
- Teaching Assistants/Academic Advisors
- Study abroad coordinators and off-site trip coordinators
- Senior institutional leaders
Examples of those who are not CSAs:
- Faculty member without responsibility for student and campus activity beyond theclassroom
- Physicians/nurses/counselors in the Health & Counseling Center who only provide care for students.
- Professional mental health counselors are exempt from reporting obligations.
- This includes individuals who are unlicensed and uncertified but acting under the supervision of an exempt counselor, e.g., a graduate student doing an internship
- Professional mental health counselors are exempt from reporting obligations.
- Clerical or administrative support staff
- Dining hall staff
- Facilities/housekeeping staff
- Religious or pastoral counselors are exempt from reporting obligations.
Under the Jeanne Clery Act and Title IX, pastoral and professional counselors are exempt from reporting, although they are able to share non-personally identifiable information if the survivor wishes to share the information and there is a voluntary confidential reporting policy at the institution. Under Title IX, institutions may designate other individuals on campus (such as advocates who do not have privilege within their state) as confidential; however, these reporters must share non-personally identifiable information for the purposes of the Clery Act.
Under both Title IX and the Clery Act, an institution must provide information in writing to both the complainant and the respondent about the outcome of a sexual violence complaint. This information must also include the sanctions imposed.
