Utah Tech University

Campus Security Authority (CSA)

Who is a CSA?

A Campus Security Authority (CSA) is a Clery Act-specific term that encompasses four groups of individuals and organizations associated with an institution.
1

A campus police department or a campus security department of an institution. If your institution has a campus police or security department, all individuals who work for that department are campus security authorities. A security department can be as small as one person

2

Any individual or individuals who have responsibility for campus security but who do not constitute a campus police department or a campus security department (e.g., an individual who is responsible for monitoring the entrance into institutional property). Include individuals such as those who provide security at a campus parking kiosk, monitor access into a campus facility, act as event security, such as for sporting events or large, registered parties, or escort students around campus after dark (including other students).

3

Any individual or organization specified in an institution’s statement of campus security policy as an individual or organization to which students and employees should report criminal offenses (see Policy 423).

Policy 423
4

An official of an institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including, but not limited to, student housing, student discipline and campus judicial proceedings. An official is defined as any person who has the authority and the duty to take action or respond to particular issues on behalf of the institution.

What is a CSA’s responsibility?

Campus Security Authorities are responsible for reporting allegations of Clery Act Crimes that are reported to them in their capacity as a CSA. This means that CSAs are not responsible for investigating or reporting incidents that they overhear students talking about in a hallway conversation; that a classmate or student mentions during an in-class discussion; that a victim mentions during a speech, workshop, or any other form of group presentation; or that the CSA otherwise learns about in an indirect manner.

A CSA is not responsible for determining authoritatively whether a crime took place—that is the function of law enforcement personnel. A CSA should not try to apprehend the alleged perpetrator of the crime. That too is the responsibility of law enforcement. It’s also not a CSA’s responsibility to try and convince a victim to contact law enforcement if the victim chooses not to do so.

CSA Reporting Procedure

A crime is considered as having been officially reported to the institution when it is brought to the attention of an individual or organization designated as a Campus Security Authority (CSA), according to the standards of the Clery Act, or when it has been reported to local law enforcement.

When a crime is reported to a CSA, first ask the person if they would like to report it to UTPD. If so, contact UTPD immediately. If the CSA has firsthand knowledge and confirmation that the reporting party filed a police report with UTPD, then the CSA is not required to submit an online Incident Report Form. However, if the reporting party says they will file a police report, but have not yet done so, leaving the CSA with no confirmation that a police report was filed, then the CSA must still complete and submit an online Incident Report Form.

 

CSAs, when interacting with the reporting party, need to gather incident information that would provide sufficient detail to properly classify the incident. This means CSAs need to document reporting party responses, or lack thereof, to the following questions:

  • Where did the incident take place? (Be specific: include room numbers, cross streets, city, and state data)
  • When did the incident take place? (Provide date and time)
  • Who was involved, or what did the person or persons look like?
  • What specifically are the allegations made to the CSA? (Examples: my purse was stolen; I was robbed; I was raped; etc.)
  • Have you reported this matter to police?

CSAs should not investigate the crime or attempt to determine where a crime, in fact, took place. When in doubt, an online Incident Report Form should be completed and submitted. Lastly, CSAs must provide resources to those making them aware of any situation.

CSAs can report online or by calling police dispatch at 435-627-4300. While some employees are classified as CSAs, University employees have different reporting obligations to the Office of Equity/Title IX, depending on their job titles and duties, in how they are required to respond to disclosures of sexual misconduct.  For clarification, please contact the UT Title IX office at 435-652-7747 or titleIX@utahtech.edu.