IOWA — The first school fined by the U.S. Department of Educationfor violating the federal Clery Act agreed to pay $15,000 in an Octobersettlement with the department.
The DOE initially fined Mount St. Clare College $25,000 in March forfailing to disclose 15 incidents in its crime statistics reports, failingto provide campus security reports to prospective students and failingto provide a complete statement of campus security policies between 1993and 1999.
Previously, college officials claimed the fine was being unfairly imposedbecause the unreported incidents were due to a difference of interpretationof the Clery Act and because other schools in similar situations were notfined. School officials agreed to the settlement but continued to claimno wrongdoing.
Tom Myers, interim president, said the college is now in full compliancewith the law and is ready to put the whole ordeal behind it.
“We are glad to have this issue behind us so we can move on and focuson the mission of the college, which is educating young men and women,”Myers said in a statement. “[The college] continues to strive to be a safecampus in a safe community in one of the safest states in the country.”
Daniel Carter, vice president for the national watchdog organizationSecurity on Campus said the settlement is a big step toward cracking downon schools that violate the Clery Act.
“Progress is being made in the right direction,” Carter said. “In thecoming congressional session, we hope to get everything resolved to wherethere is an adequate system in place so that schools will be complyingwith this law once and for all.”
DOE slamscollege with $25,000 fine Fall 2000 Report
DOE finesIowa college $25,000 for violating Campus Security Act (6/26/00)