College Campus Safety

Be Safe on Campus

The Princeton Review has partnered with LiveSafe to educate and empower today's students to live safely on and around college campuses.

Safety on and around college campuses is a key concern for everyone. We know from visiting hundreds of college campuses and high schools each year and speaking to students and their parents that campus safety is of great concern to all of you. We’re here to help with timely information that we hope empowers and informs your college decisions. Here are the best resources and information available on campus safety.

The rising sexual assault statistics on campuses have recently warranted increased advocacy and the creation of a White House task force focused on addressing this issue with the seriousness it demands. Existing federal legislation requires colleges and universities to:

• Disclose their security policies
• Keep a public crime log
• Publish an annual crime report
• Provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees

You can find links to individual schools’ annual crime reports on the "Campus Safety” tab on our school profile  pages. The statute also ensures certain basic rights for victims of campus sexual assaults and requires the U.S. Department of Education to collect and disseminate campus crime statistics.

Maintaining a safe campus requires more than complying with the Clery Act, Title IX, and other legislation. Educational programs instituted across all components of the campus system, including students, faculty, staff, and safety officials are key. Bystander intervention and trauma-informed training programs are also critical to fostering a culture of safety, concern, and mutual responsibility for the campus community. 

Check out what type of support and help is available on-campus for students dealing with depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. Resources may include:

• Counseling center including on-staff psychiatrist
• Culture of support: faculty, staff, and peers who reach out and help
• Programs that reduce stress and anxiety. Some examples are: group counseling, drop-in workshops, on-campus therapy dogs, peer to peer stress management programs.

Ask the college:

• What resources are available to students coping with depression, anxiety, and/or suicidal thoughts?
• How are students made aware of these resources?
• What programs are available to help students develop stress-management skills?

News reports and government action around sexual assault on campuses have spurred colleges to take action. Check out what the colleges on your target list are doing to prevent assaults. Resources may include:

• Safety committees made up of students, campus security and police
• Climate surveys to gauge student sentiment
• Culture of inclusion: campus + community events, intramural activities for students and campus police
• Safety tools like LiveSafe, security escorts, and safe rides

Ask the college:

• What is the relationship like between police/students?
• How often does the campus seek feedback from the community regarding safety and security issues?
• What programs, initiatives, mobile apps, and/or environments exist for students and safety officials to interact on campus?

The Association of American Universities Campus Activities Report: Combating Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct

A report that follows up on the AAU’s 2015 campus climate survey of 27 institutions of higher education, the goal of which was to provide participating institutions of higher education with information to inform policies to prevent and respond to sexual assault and misconduct.

Clery Center for Security on Campus

As stated in its mission, the Clery Center for Security On Campus is "a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to preventing violence, substance abuse and other crimes on college and university campuses across the United States, and to compassionately assist the victims of these crime."

Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool

The Clery Act also requires the U.S. Department of Education to collect and disseminate campus crime statistics. Use this tool to find safety statistics about specific schools.

Center for Changing Our Campus Culture

Supported by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women, the Center for Changing our Campus Culture is an online resource to address sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Its website provides information on victims' rights, crisis centers, how to file a complaint, and links to federal data and reports on the topic.

U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights

Colleges and universities are required to respond to assault and sexual harassment complaints under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. In the event that a school fails to comply with the law, a student may file a complaint through the DOE's Office for Civil Rights. (More information on how to file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights and/or the Department of Justice is available at www.notalone.gov/students ).

Consortium of Higher Education—Find an LGBTQ Center

Developed by members of The Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals, this interactive LGBTQ Support Services Map features college and university offices and centers that are professionally run by at least one paid professional staff or graduate assistant directing LGBTQ resources.

Campus Pride Trans Policy Clearinghouse

An online, regularly updated resource for transgender policies at colleges and universities across the United States.

National Center for Transgender Equality

As stated in its mission, NCTE is “a national social justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy on national issues of importance to transgender people.” Its website provides information on what rights transgender students have at school and how students can advocate for themselves and others.

Armed Campuses

While the vast majority of both two- and four-year colleges and universities in the United States prohibit firearms on campus, this resource covers individual state laws that allow guns on public campuses.