2019 Campus Safety Report: Here’s the Breakdown

Reported by: Aurora Biggers

NEWBERG, Ore.—In January, George Fox University (GFU) released a campus safety report for 2019, the annual compilation of crime statistics required by law for all U.S. higher education institutions.

Under the federal “Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act,” the statistics must include reported occurrences on all university property and public property in and adjacent to campuses for the following offenses: criminal homicide manslaughter by negligence, forcible sex offenses, non-forcible sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, arson, motor vehicle theft, hate crimes; alcohol, drug, and weapon related violations and arrests. A 2020 amendment added sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and dating violence.campus safety report for 2019

If you didn’t skim the 2019 report, here’s the breakdown:

In 2019, there were 23 total crimes reported within the GFU system and in collaboration with Newberg Police Department for the adjacent public properties, though all crimes were listed as occurring on campus property. 12 of these reports were instances of liquor law violations resulting in disciplinary action but no arrests. The remaining reports included two burglaries, three accounts of fondling, four instances of stalking, one instance of dating violence, and one instance of statutory rape. However, the Department of Education (DOE), which collects all crime data from U.S. higher-ed institutions, claims GFU had five reports of fondling and one report of aggravated assault. The GFU report does not correspond with this data. 

The only 2019 statistic that increased from the 2017 and 2018 reports were liquor law violations, with an increase of 71% from 2017, and statutory rape (the first reported occurrence in the past three years), and relative to other Oregon colleges, GFU’s crime statistics are low.

Despite the increase in liquor law violations (which do not include DUIs), the low crime rates are likely owed to GFU’s dry campus policy and the absence of Greek life. Students 4 Social Change, a national civic leadership organization, say campuses with Greek Life are 74% more likely to see cases of rape and fraternity members are 4% more likely to commit rape.

Another factor in GFU’s low crime rates is geography. Newberg is ranked 62nd in crime for Oregon cities (the highest being Lincoln City, followed by Portland). It is worth noting that GFU’s annual report is not exhaustive and only includes crimes that fall within the act’s required parameters and cannot represent unreported crime. 

In 2014, Reed College reported the highest number of rapes per capita nationally for a higher-ed institution. Yet, further investigation suggested the statistic was the result of more rigorous efforts to increase reporting. Portland police confirmed that sexual assault is underreported and applauded Reed for making the reporting process more transparent and accessible. In an interview with the Washington Post, a Reed College spokesman commented, “We have made the process very transparent and as friendly as it can possibly be in that situation.”

As an institution with a storied history regarding Title IX—failing to initially embrace it and retaining special exemption to discriminate against transgender students, unwed parents, and divorced people (the university has allegedly moved past its discriminatory policies towards unwed parents and divorced students, but the institution is still granted an exemption regarding transgender students and continues to maintain policies to that effect)--GFU’s rate of reporting such crimes is likely not comparable to the number of cases that actually occur.

In May, the DOE released new regulations that broadened the scope of Title IX to include sexual harassment as a form of sex-based discrimination, the aforementioned amendment—meaning this is the first report in which GFU accounts for crimes of this nature. Previously, all sex-based crimes were bundled under one figure. Ed Gierok, director of campus public safety and emergency management, did not respond to The Crescent’s request for an interview.

In 2019, students expressed concern about the effectiveness of GFU’s campus safety department and the university’s ability to properly address issues of sexual harassment and assault.  Justine Hostetler, now an alumna, released an open letter addressed to student life and campus safety, in which they cited poor messaging on the part of the university, a lack of security on campus, and support from members of security. The letter included a list of requests for the university to improve its safety measures and stance towards sexual harassment and assault. The letter was shared on social media and cosigned by numerous students and staff at GFU. While crime statistics are low for GFU and the surrounding public property, a lack of thorough reporting and investigation may play a role in keeping them that way. 

Campus Public Safety photographed by Jen Wright.

It should also be noted that the university also applies the hierarchy rule, a stipulation of the Clery Act stating that when a crime is reported, if there are multiple offenses, only the highest offense is recorded in the statistics—except in the case of a hate crime, in which all offenses are recorded.