Campus Security Authority Resources
Columbia University is dedicated to maintaining a safe and transparent campus environment, and Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) play a vital role in this effort. According to the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (The Clery Act), CSAs are individuals who, because of their role at the University, have a responsibility to report certain crimes to Public Safety to help ensure timely warnings, accurate crime statistics, and appropriate follow-up.
This page provides essential resources and guidance to help CSAs understand their responsibilities and confidently fulfill their reporting obligations under the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act.
Who are considered Campus Security Authorities?
A Campus Security Authority (CSA) is an individual at Columbia University who has significant responsibility for student life and campus activities. You are most likely a CSA if you are:
- A member of the Public Safety team, including full-time and part-time employees, Officers of Administration, uniformed personnel, and contract guards.
- An individual with responsibility for campus security, even if not part of the Public Safety department (such as event security or building access staff).
- Someone officially designated to receive crime reports such as Title IX Coordinators and other staff at the Office of Institutional Equity, staff working for student conduct offices like the Center for Student Success and Intervention, Directors of Student Wellness offices and programs, and members of other offices where students are instructed to report incidents.
- Staff, faculty, students and volunteers with significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to:
- Deans of Students and their staff,
- Faculty and staff advisors to student groups, clubs and organizations, including both recognized and unrecognized student groups,
- Athletic directors, coaches, assistant coaches, and trainers,
- Residence life staff and student services professionals,
- People working with and overseeing fraternities, sororities, and other special housing groups,
- People involved in student conduct and judicial proceedings.
Who is not typically a CSA?
Administrative and support staff without student oversight (such as clerical employees, facilities staff, or most faculty without advisory or supervisory roles) are generally not considered CSAs.
***Please note, a CSA is distinct from a “mandatory reporter,” and CSAs may make a Clery report without personally identifiable information, where appropriate. For more information about mandatory reporters, please visit the Institutional Equity website.***
If you are unsure whether your role qualifies you as a CSA, please contact the Director of Clery Act Compliance by emailing [email protected]. Understanding who is a CSA ensures that our campus community has access to accurate safety information and appropriate support.
Reporting Responsibilities
As a Campus Security Authority (CSA), your primary responsibility is to promptly report Clery Act Crimes that are alleged to have happened in our Clery Reportable Geography to Columbia University Public Safety. Reporting helps ensure the University can provide accurate crime statistics, issue timely warnings when necessary, and maintain a safe and well-informed campus community.
If you are a CSA and someone reports a crime to you, you must inform them that you are a mandated reporter and must report the incident to Public Safety for Clery Act purposes. Incidents can be reported confidentially, which means that Public Safety will not reach out to the victim or reporter to assist them in filing an official report, follow up with an investigation or get involved in any way. Please note, the Clery Act does not allow for any personally identifying information to be released in any of our mandated disclosures, such as the Daily Crime Log or Timely Warning Notifications.
The sections below contain helpful information for all Campus Security Authorities. Please click on the menu below to easily travel to each section as needed. You can also reach out to the Director of Clery Act Compliance by emailing [email protected] for further assistance.
When submitting a report, Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) are not expected to investigate incidents or determine whether a crime actually occurred. However, providing as much accurate and detailed information as possible helps Public Safety assess the situation, determine if there is an ongoing threat, provide appropriate support, and ensure the University complies with Clery Act reporting requirements.
There are many reasons why a person reporting an incident may not give you enough information to provide a complete report. In cases where a reporter is unable or unwilling to provide complete information, please file a report regardless, and include all the information you do have and the reason why the information is incomplete.
When completing your report, please include the following key details, if known:
Who Was Involved?
Include the name of the person reporting the criminal incident if they are willing to share it. Again, reports can be filed confidentially and/or anonymously.Include the names or descriptions of the alleged perpetrator(s), if known.
- What Happened?
Include a brief, clear description of the incident. Whenever possible, quote what the reporter has told you. Make sure you include as many details as possible, such as if force or weapons were used, what items were missing or stolen, relationships between the parties involved, and any injuries that resulted from the incident, including whether the injuries required hospitalization or other medical care.
Feel free to include the type of crime reported to you, but do not worry if you are unsure of what it is. It is our responsibility to ensure crimes are correctly classified given what information you provide for us. For more information on Clery Crime classification visit the Clery Crime section of this website.
- When Did It Happen?
Include the date and time of incident, if known.
Include the date and time the incident was reported to you.
- Where Did It Happen?
The Clery Act requires the University to follow precise definitions when determining what constitutes our Clery Reportable Geography. Where an incident happens, determines if we have any Clery Act responsibilities for reporting on that incident. For more details about what is considered Columbia’s Clery Reportable Geography, please visit our Clery Reportable Geography page.
To ensure accurate classification, please be as detailed as possible when describing where an incident occurred. Precise location information helps us correctly assign the report to its proper Clery category. Include building names, addresses, and room numbers, if applicable. Please note that you should not hesitate to provide such information due to privacy concerns, as the University will not publicly disclose location information that is so specific that it would identify a reported victim of a crime.
If the incident happened outside, or when in transit, be specific about where the person was. Use street names and landmarks when possible. If an incident happens in a subway station, let us know where exactly it happened.
If the incident happened electronically (like harassing or threatening phone calls or emails), include where the reporter was when they received or noticed the electronic communication.
- Is There a Continuing Threat?
Please include any information that suggests there may be an immediate or ongoing danger to the campus community. Examples include, if the crime was a random attack, if the victim witnessed the perpetrator targeting someone else in the vicinity, or if the crime is still ongoing.
- Any other Relevant Details
Other relevant details include the directions suspects fled, whether the victim filed a report with the police or another Columbia University department (like their Dean of Students or the Office of Institutional Equity), or if the victim received medical assistance.
Be specific about whether the reporter wishes Public Safety to follow-up with them or not. Reporting something for Clery Act purposes will not automatically trigger follow-up by Public Safety. Public Safety pledges to respect the wishes of the victim or witness regarding any follow-up action.
If you have questions about what to include in your report, or if you are unsure whether something should be reported, please contact the Director of Clery Act Compliance by emailing [email protected]. It’s always better to report with the information you have than to withhold a report because you feel it may be incomplete.
CSAs can make reports in the following ways:
- You can report incidents directly to Columbia University Public Safety by contacting any of our three main operations centers. You may file your report in person or by phone:
Morningside Campus
Address: 535 West 116th Street, 101 Low Library, MC 4301, New York, NY 10027
Main Line: 212‑854‑2797
Emergency Line: 212‑854‑5555
Manhattanville Campus
Address: 3270 Broadway, New York, NY 10027
Main Line: 212‑853‑3301
Emergency Line: 212‑853‑3333
Medical Center Campus (CUIMC)
Address: 650 West 168th Street, 109 Black Building, New York, NY 10032
Main Line: 212‑305‑8100
Emergency Line: 212‑305‑7979
If you wish to file a report anonymously, or on behalf of someone who prefers not to be contacted by Public Safety, please clearly state that your report is being submitted solely for Clery Act compliance.
- To streamline Clery Act reporting and prevent duplicate entries, Campus Security Authorities (CSAs) using Maxient to file a report with another office can also seamlessly notify Public Safety.
When you submit a form through most offices in the Office of Institutional Equity (e.g., Title IX, Bias Reporting), the information is automatically shared with the Director of Clery Act Compliance.
If you submit via student health offices or the Center for Student Success and Intervention (CSSI), there is an option to send a copy to the Clery Compliance Director within the form.
Please note: Maxient submissions alone do not trigger Public Safety action beyond Clery reporting.
- CSAs may also contact the Director directly via email: [email protected]