Liberty University’s Failure to Protect Campus Repeatedly Broke Federal Law, According to DOE Report
According to a U.S. Department of Education (DOE) preliminary report, the Virginia-based evangelical school, Liberty University, allegedly failed to protect its campus and frequently violated federal law.
Based on a program review of the school’s Clery Act compliance, the report found that the university underreported campus crime and prevented people from reporting crimes. According to The Washington Post, the evangelical school failed to warn the campus about leaks, bomb threats, and people credibly accused of frequent acts of sexual assaults, including a senior administrator and an athlete. The report also claims that Liberty destroyed evidence after a government inquiry took place.
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. https://t.co/hjolZDMa1s
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 3, 2023
“This is the single most blistering Clery report I have ever read. Ever,” S. Daniel Carter said, a campus safety consultant, who reviewed a copy of the initial report obtained by The Post.
Carter has previously 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,” he added.
In accordance with the Clery Act, colleges that partake in federal financial aid programs must reveal crime statistics and additional timely information about campus safety. Between 2020 and 2021, Liberty took in $874 million for student loans and grants from the Education Department. The school, however, could face a program review if the department has concerns, which Liberty acknowledged last year.
On Tuesday, Liberty issued a statement addressing the U.S. Department of Education’s Clery Act Program Review, The Roys Report reported.
“Liberty University has established a strong, sustainable, and legally compliant Clery Act program that prioritizes compliance, transparency, and the safety and security of our entire campus without exception,” Liberty President Dondi Costin said.
The school also contended that the DOE’s draft report contained “significant errors, misstatements, and unsupported conclusions,” which it explained in a response to the DOE’s report in September.
“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 statement continued.
At the same time, Liberty also said that it will continue working with the DOE throughout the review process and will continue to work to ensure the protection of its students, staff, and faculty members.
“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,” Costin said. 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.”
Photo Courtesy: ©Getty Images/Alex Wong/Staff
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for Christian Headlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
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