The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday announced it is imposing a $14 million fine on Liberty University, a private Christian university in Virginia, for violating a federal law on campus safety under the Clery Act.
In its over 100-page report, the department cited multiple violations made by Liberty between 2016 and 2023, including failing to issue timely warnings about criminal activity, failing to notify the campus about emergencies and dangerous situations, and failing to maintain an accurate and complete crime log.
"Students, faculty and staff deserve to know that they can be safe and secure in their school communities. We respond aggressively to complaints about campus safety and security," Richard Cordray, the chief operating officer of the Education Department's Federal Student Aid office, said, as quoted by The Washington Post.
Liberty will be required to pay $14 million in fines under the Clery Act, which requires colleges receiving federal funding to share a public annual security report to members of the campus every October. It is currently the largest fine ever imposed via the Clery Act.
In addition to the fine, Liberty University must pay an additional $2 million over the next few years "for on-campus safety improvements and compliance enhancements." It will also be placed under federal monitoring through April 2026.
What Led to the $14M Fine?
The release of the Education Department's report comes after The Post reported on a confidential preliminary report detailing Liberty's numerous alleged failures. These included discouraging people from reporting crimes such as sexual assault and failing to warn campus members about potentially dangerous incidents like gas leaks, bomb threats, and reported sexual violence, including one case involving a senior administrator and an athlete.
The draft also said that people who reported sexual violence or other incidents to campus officials "were frequently questioned about their own conduct that may have allegedly contributed" to the said crime. Students, for example, were questioned about their sexual history and clothing choices.
Additionally, the draft claimed officials at the university destroyed evidence after the education department's inquiry began.
The university disputed that account and said it hired two firms to study their compliance with the Clery Act.
