Wide-ranging enhancements make Liberty University a model for campus safety and compliance

Liberty University has spent over $10 million in the last two years on significant advancements that ensure the safety and well-being of students, faculty, and staff, and is committed to spending an additional $2 million on new initiatives related to campus safety and security. With the campaign of “Safe, Supportive, and Neutral,” the university’s Office of Equity and Compliance (OEC) is making it clear to students that its team of qualified, experienced staff members is prepared to help them succeed.

At the March 6 Convocation, Liberty President Dondi Costin addressed the student body directly about the U.S. Department of Education’s Clery Act Program Review, finalized by the department and Liberty University the day before. (Read Liberty’s response and more information at Liberty.edu/edresponse.) Costin relayed the university’s past shortcomings and shared its present status as a “model program” of Clery Act and Title IX compliance.

“Liberty University is a safe place for you to be. It’s a place where God has sent you, it’s a place your university leadership is committed to being a safe place for every student, every staff member, every faculty member, and every guest,” Costin said.

Costin joined the university on July 1.

He explained that this week’s news comes after Liberty had already made extensive changes in OEC and campuswide security measures. He said once Liberty was made aware of non-compliance, “the leadership team jumped into action.”

“We figured out what was wrong, we acknowledged past mistakes, and we fixed it,” Costin said. “Since that time, long before the Department of Education began its evaluation of our program, the university came up with its own task force. We had outside experts that gave us 100-plus recommendations to make this the best possible and safest campus we could possibly have in the country. By the time the Department of Education came out with its preliminary report back in May, every single one of those things had been addressed.”

“I can guarantee you as the (one) who is responsible for Liberty University, the thing that is most important to me — other than you understanding your relationship with Jesus Christ — is that you know that this campus is safe for you,” he added. “If something happens to you, you know that this campus is a safe place for you to report anything. I wanted you to hear it from me first, and I want you to know that we love you and we are here for you.”

Costin said if people look at Liberty’s current Title IX and Clery program and compare it with any program in the country, “I guarantee you your conclusion will be that we have a model program. We understand and acknowledge that God has given us grace here, we acknowledge past deficiencies, but we are moving forward knowing that everything we do is for His glory.”

The OEC plays a vital role in supporting student success. The office is responsible for administering compliance with the university’s Sexual Misconduct/Title IX Policy, the Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy, and the Jeanne Clery Act, which includes the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

“In OEC, the motto of “Safe, Supportive, and Neutral” rings true for what Title IX work is all about,” said Ashley Reich, Senior Vice President for Equity and Compliance. “We want our atmosphere to feel inviting and comfortable for those who are reporting to our office, and our staff is trained to ensure that victim blaming or retraumatization does not occur. Our office offers a wide range of supportive measures to both complainants and respondents, and we work with each individual to accommodate as it fits within their situation. Lastly, we treat both parties equally throughout the process. In the world of Title IX, we are not allowed to side with one party, but rather are required to keep everything completely neutral. This allows for both parties to feel free to share with us comfortably. Liberty deploys the amnesty policy for violations that would be shared and considered against the Liberty Way.” (Students will not be disciplined for Liberty Way violations that took place in circumstances where they experienced, witnessed, or committed sexual misconduct.)

“The culture at Liberty around Title IX has changed in a positive way,” Reich added. “We have seen reporting increase, which means that our community feels safe to report because they know that we will handle their situation with care.”

In early 2021, Liberty University engaged Healy+, a national consulting practice with vast Clery Act expertise. Healy+ worked with Liberty to perform an extensive data audit and assessment of past and current campus security functions at the university. The university has worked in collaboration with Healy+ staff to make significant advancements in Clery Act compliance related to policies and procedures. Liberty remains committed to continuing to work through the Program Improvement Plan with Healy+ to improve efforts around Clery Act compliance.

Major advancements that have been fully implemented on campus include a new Clery team within the OEC and Liberty’s Office of Security and Public Safety that works with the Liberty University Police Department and OEC regarding Clery Act compliance and ensures proper procedures, protocols, and classifications of all campus reporting. In creating this team, OEC recruited and hired new personnel with professional expertise in law enforcement, social services, and Title IX. Nathan Friesema was announced as Liberty’s new Title IX coordinator and joins a team of experienced investigators, Clery officers, a case manager, and an education team that focuses on training, prevention, and awareness with students and staff. Robust training courses and information resources relating to both Title IX and Clery Act reporting obligations have been developed for those designated as Title IX Responsible Employees and Campus Security Authorities (CSAs), as well as the residential student body. The training has been rolled out to over 20,000 individuals, resulting in 45,000 hours of combined training.

The OEC has continued its “Speak Up” campaign, which encourages students to do exactly that — speak up when they experience or witness behavior or misconduct that potentially violates Title IX policies. “Speak Up” signs with contact information for the office are posted throughout campus on doors in residence halls, television screens, campus buses, and many other visible locations.

In Spring 2023, the OEC moved to its current location in DeMoss Hall 1232, in an area of main campus readily accessible to students. This location was constructed in a way that allowed for a safe reporting environment and one where students and staff would feel comfortable engaging with the trained staff.

The investments have also led to growth in campus infrastructure, security assets, and surveillance equipment. This includes over 1,000 new cameras throughout campus with enhanced facial recognition, license plate readers, and advanced screening and detection capabilities. The university installed 13 blue lights in August 2022 and will continue to evaluate the needs for additional blue lights and cameras (interior and exterior) for enhanced security measures across campus.

Last year, Liberty launched the “Champion Safe” application for any Apple or Google Play smartphone device that fully integrates safety and security features, such as a mobile blue light, campus maps, emergency plans, emergency contacts, support resources, training resources, and reporting functions. The app also has a guest function for family members and members of the LU community.

Reich said the $2 million Liberty has pledged to spend as part of the Clery Program Review include new initiatives that will further enforce Liberty’s commitment to student safety. The university plans to work with several areas, including the Student Government Association, to talk through recommendations. Staff will look to implement student-facing initiatives as well as efficiencies and training opportunities that will continue to move OEC forward as an exemplary program. OEC welcomes feedback from Liberty staff and students; recommendations can be submitted to clery@liberty.edu for consideration.