Campus Safety Alerts

The Clery Act requires that a Campus Safety Alert (timely warning notice) be issued for any Clery Act crime that occurs on campus that has been reported to Campus Security Authorities or local police agencies and is considered by the institution to represent a serious or continuing threat to students and employees. Clery Act crimes include: murder; manslaughter; sex offenses; robbery; aggravated assault; burglary; arson; motor vehicle theft; domestic violence; dating violence; and stalking. Though not required by law, alerts may also be issued on a case-by-case basis for other types of crimes and/or crimes in nearby off-campus locations. Crimes reported to pastoral and professional counselors are exempted from the timely warning requirements.

All students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to log into myUSF or USFworks to confirm their contact information for Dons Alert messages. Timely warnings may be issued in the following ways: voice alerts via telephone; SMS alerts via cell phone; or email alerts (any or all options may be chosen). The USF Senior Director/Chief of Public Safety or his designee will determine what situations warrant the issuance of a Campus Safety Alert. Alerts are considered on a case-by-case basis and depend upon a number of factors. These include the nature of the crime, the timeliness of the report, and the continuing or ongoing danger to the campus community—such as whether the perpetrator was apprehended—and the possible risk of compromising law enforcement efforts. For example, if a physical assault occurs between two students who have a disagreement, there may be no continuing threat to other USF community members and a Campus Safety Alert would not be distributed. In cases involving sex offenses that can be typically reported long after the incident occurred, there may not be a need to distribute a Campus Safety alert to the community. Sex offenses will be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on when and where the incident occurred, when it was reported, and the amount of information known by the Department of Public Safety.

Typically, alerts are not issued for any incidents reported that are older than ten (10) days from the date of occurrence, as such a delay in reporting has not afforded the university an opportunity to react or respond in a timely manner.

Once it is decided to issue a Campus Safety Alert, the Senior Director/Chief may consult with the Vice President of Student Life, Dean of Students, Senior Director of Student Housing, Director of Community Living, and other university officials as appropriate to determine the content of the warning. The message will include information about the crime, the location, appropriate suspect information (if known), and recommended actions to be taken. Additional information may be released through email as it becomes available.

Anyone with information warranting a Campus Safety Alert should report the circumstances in person or by phone:

Department of Public Safety
University Center 5th Floor
2130 Fulton St
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 422-2911