A new guidance issued by the Department of Education included information on how institutions of higher education can continue to comply with the Clery Act requirements during the COVID-19 crisis.
This guidance is an important reminder that the Clery Act not only applies to safety threats but health threats as well. It includes information on emergency notification requirements:
Institutions should notify students and employees about COVID-19 and necessary health and safety precautions, through their regular alert systems.
They should also direct them to information from healthcare providers, state health authorities and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and provide a link to the CDC’s website.
Daniel Carter, president of SAFE Campuses noted: “The scope of the guidance is consistent with the general premise of the requirement that it doesn’t work like a crime log with reports of individual incidents but warns about an immediate threat.”
In the same document, the Department of Education also addresses the regulatory flexibilities colleges will have as they finish the academic year remotely.
