The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, as a part of the Higher Education Act of 1965, is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose certain timely and annual information about campus crime and security policies. All public and private institutions of postsecondary education participating in federal student-aid programs are subject to it. The act includes:

  • Publishing an annual report disclosing campus security policies and three years' worth of selected crime statistics.
  • Making timely warnings to the campus community about crimes that pose an ongoing threat.
  • Keeping a public crime log.
  • Upholding basic rights to victims of sexual assault.
  • Making accurate crime statistics available to the U.S. Department of Education, which centrally collects and disseminates campus crime statistics at the national level.
  • Facing possible fines from the U.S. Department of Education when schools fail to comply with the Clery Act.

Campus crime, arrest, and referral statistics include those reported to the NMU Police Department, as well as designated Campus Security Authorities including, but not limited to, directors, deans, department heads, designated student support staff, advisers to students, and student organizations, athletic coaches and local law enforcement agencies.

The "Clery Act" is named in memory of 19-year-old Lehigh University freshman Jeanne Ann Clery, who was raped and murdered on April 5, 1986, while asleep in her residence hall room.

Her parents, Connie and Howard Clery, later discovered that students hadn't been told about 38 violent crimes on the Lehigh campus in the three years before her murder. They joined with other campus crime victims and persuaded Congress to enact this law, which was originally known as the "Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990." A 1998 amendment formally named the law in memory of Jeanne Clery.

In addition, the NMU Police Department reports the required annual crime statistics to the U.S. Department of Education.  This information is available online at http://ope.ed.gov/security.

Clery Act Requirements

The mission of the NMU Police Department is a support role to ensure the safety, welfare, and a secure environment for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors at the University. NMU Police Department is involved in several areas of need and has a wide variety of responsibilities.

NMU's Police Department is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 12 months a year. The NMU Police Department consists of highly trained and dedicated law enforcement officers. These officers are responsible for the overall safety of the campus community. All the officers of the Police Department are certified by the State of Michigan, possess a college degree in law enforcement, and are deputized Marquette County Sheriff deputies. The officers of the Police Department are Michigan-certified medical first responders and individual officers specialize in fields such as radar instruction, defensive tactics, and criminal investigation just to name a few. The Police Department provides additional services such as vehicle lock-outs, building lock-outs, university property checks, and crime prevention programs.

The NMU Police Department works closely with the Marquette City Police Department and other local police agencies in obtaining crimes reported for the purpose of the Jeanne Clery Act.

Whether you wish to report a crime, need information on crime prevention, or have questions on parking, the Police Department is available 24 hours a day. For more information contact the NMU Police Department at 906-227-2151.

Sexual Assault

Acquaintance rape or date rape is the most prevalent form of sexual assault on college campuses. A reported sexual assault will be treated with the highest degree of concern by the University.

Sexual assault, including date rape, violates the University’s Student Code (https://nmu.edu/dso/studenthandbook).  Sexual assault as defined in this policy is criminal sexual conduct, and a violation of the Michigan Penal Code. A University student charged with sexual assault may be subject to University disciplinary action up to and including expulsion and may be prosecuted pursuant to the Michigan Penal Code

The University affirms the need for a broad-ranging sexual assault prevention education program. Prevention education and awareness efforts are essential in order to better ensure a safe learning and living environment on our campus.

Please refer to the Relationship Violence, Sexual Misconduct, and Stalking Policy and the Annual Security Report for more information. 

University Response to Reported Sexual Assault

There are a variety of avenues available for making a report of a sexual assault and obtaining support and other assistance. The following University departments can be of special assistance to victims/survivors of campus sexual assault: 

  • NMU Police Department, 911 (Emergency) or 227-2151 (103 Services Building 2073 Sugarloaf Ave. Marquette, MI)
  • Dean of Students Office, 227-1700 (2001 Hedgcock Building)
  • The NMU Health Center, 227-2355 (Located in the WellBeing Center near The Woods residential area and Northern Lights Dining Facility, includes dedicated parking off of Lincoln Avenue, and is open M-F 8:00 am - 5:00 pm)
  • NMU Counseling Center, 227-2980 (Located in the WellBeing Center near The Woods residential area and Northern Lights Dining Facility, includes dedicated parking off of Lincoln Avenue, and is open M-F 8:00 am - 5:00 pm)
  • Housing and Residence Life Office (the apartment services coordinator, any resident director, resident adviser, or community adviser)*
  • Title IX Coordinator, 227-2416 (Equal Opportunity Office, 105 Cohodas Building)

*Resident advisers and community advisers are obligated to share sexual assault reports, including names, with specific professional Housing and Residence Life Office staff for possible follow-up activities and to ensure reporting as required by law.

All the University departments listed above work together closely to provide support and assistance and to review available services and options. Students who have been sexually assaulted are strongly encouraged to report the incident as described above so that the University may investigate, charges can be initiated within the University student conduct system, and/or criminal charges may be pursued against the accused student.

In cases in which the NMU Police Department is not the first office contacted by the victim/survivor, information regarding the incident will be reported to that office in accordance with the Student Right to Know and the Clery Act. This report will not include the name of the victim/survivor or any identifying information without the victim’s/survivor’s consent. In addition, the NMU Police Department is required to report information concerning criminal acts on a daily and annual basis under the requirements of the Clery Act and the Uniform Crime Reporting Act. 

Campus Security Authorities (CSA) Responsibilities

Campus Security Authorities (CSA) are required to report any good-faith allegation of a Clery Act crime to the NMU Police Department. A Campus Security Authority is not responsible for determining authoritatively whether a crime took place; that is the function of law enforcement personnel. A Campus Security Authority should not try to apprehend the alleged perpetrator of the crime; that too is the responsibility of law enforcement. It is also not a CSA's responsibility to try to convince a victim to contact law enforcement if the victim chooses not to do so. 

Please see the following list of CSA's that have been identified on campus.