The following information provides context for the crime statistics reported as part of compliance with the Clery Act. Campus Safety is primarily responsible for preparing the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. This responsibility is specifically designated to the Executive Director of Campus Safety or designee. The procedures for preparing the annual disclosure of crime statistics include reporting statistics to the College community obtained from the following sources: Gettysburg College Campus Safety, the Gettysburg Borough Police Department (GPD), the National Park Service (NPS), the Cumberland Township Police Department (CTPD), the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), the Adams County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), the Adams County District Attorney’s Office (DA), law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction for international and domestic non-campus property locations, and non-police or Campus Safety personnel who have been designated as Campus Security Authorities or CSAs. The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities and Human Resources Department are key offices from which drug, liquor, and weapon offense referral data is obtained.
Final report preparation is coordinated by the Executive Director of Campus Safety with Human Resources, College Life, Residence Life, Student Rights and Responsibilities, Life Safety and Environmental Services, the Title IX Director, and the Institutional Analysis Office of the College.
A written request for statistical information is made at least on an annual basis to all Campus Security Authorities or CSAs (as defined by federal law). CSAs are also informed in writing and/or through training to report crimes to Campus Safety in a timely manner so those crimes can be evaluated for timely warning purposes. A Campus Security Authority or CSA is a Clery-specific term that encompasses four groups of individuals and organizations associated with an institution:
- A campus police department or a campus security department of an institution
- Any individual or individuals who have responsibility for campus security but who do not constitute a campus police department or a campus security department (e.g., an individual who is responsible for monitoring the entrance into an institutional property)
- Any individual or organization specified in an institution’s statement of campus security policy as an individual or organization to which students and employees should report criminal offenses
- An official of an institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to, student housing, student discipline, and campus judicial proceedings. An Official is defined as any person who has the authority and the duty to take action or respond to particular issues on behalf of the instit
Statistical information is not requested from, nor is it provided by, Professional Counselors of the Counseling Center or Pastoral Counselors who are performing that function and role as their employment with the College. Professional Counselors and Pastoral Counselors are not required by law to provide statistics for this compliance document. Counseling and Pastoral Professionals, as defined by the Federal law, who act in such capacities, have been advised that, while they are not obligated to report crimes for the purpose of compiling these statistics, they are encouraged, when they deem it appropriate, to inform the persons they are counseling of their ability to report any crimes to Campus Safety for inclusion in the annual statistics. The Counseling Center and Pastoral Counselors facilitate anonymous reporting, as outlined earlier in this Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.
All statistics are gathered, compiled, and reported to the college community via this report, entitled the “Annual Security and Fire Safety Report,” which is published by Campus Safety no later than October 1st of each year. Campus Safety submits the annual crime statistics published in this brochure via a Web-based reporting system to the Department of Education (ED). The statistical information gathered by the Department of Education is available to the public through the ED website. Table One of the crime statistics satisfies the reporting requirements described by Pennsylvania Statutes, as outlined by the Pennsylvania Uniform Crime Reporting Act; and Table Two satisfies the requirements outlined by the Clery Act.
Campus Safety sends an email to every enrolled student and current employee on an annual basis informing them of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Additionally, notification letters (via campus mail) are sent to individual campus departments. The email and letter include a brief summary of the contents of this report. The email and letter also include the address for the Campus Safety website where the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report can be found online, and notification that a physical copy may be obtained by making a request to Campus Safety by calling (717) 337-6912 or in person at the Campus Safety Headquarters at 51 West Stevens Street.