Criteria for Issuing a Clery Timely Warning Notice or a Security Alert Notification

Overview and Decision to Issue Clery Timely Warning Notification

Willamette University takes its duty seriously to inform the campus community about
threatening situations and how to best be protected from harm. In the event of a
substantiated serious safety concern on University property or in the near vicinity of the
campus, numerous efforts are made to notify and advise the campus community. These
notices will be issued as a means of a “Clery Timely Warning Notice” (CTWN) or a
“Security Alert” (SA).

The decision to issue a Clery Timely Warning Notice or a Security Alert is made in
coordination and consultation between the Vice President for Student Affairs, the
Executive Director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management and the Vice
President for Communications. In an extreme emergency, the notification process will
be implemented at the sole direction of the Executive Director of Campus Safety. All
members of the University community will receive email, text and or phone notifications
via the University’s emergency notification system.

What Constitutes Issuance of a Clery Timely Warning Notice

Clery Timely Warning Notices are specifically related to compliance with the federal
Clery Act, which requires colleges and universities to notify students and employees
whenever there is a threat that a serious crime is ongoing or may be repeated--so that
campus community members can protect themselves from harm. The Clery Act outlines
the crimes that require a timely warning notice to be issued and reported to campus
officials and/or the local police . These crimes need to be believed to have occurred on
campus, in or on non-campus buildings or property immediately adjacent to the
campus.

All Clery Act crimes represent a serious or continuing threat and well-being of students
and employees. Examples include but are not limited to:
● Criminal Homicide
● Sex Offenses
● Robbery
● Aggravated Assault
● Burglaries (occupied rooms/offices/structures)
● Hate Crimes
● Persons with weapons with intent to use
● Threat of violent crime
● Situations where suspect is not known
● Assault (physical or sexual) 

Timing, Content, and Decision Criteria for a Clery Timely Warning Notice

● The Clery Act does not define what is timely. However, the warning should be issued
as soon as pertinent information is available, because the intent of a Clery timely
warning is to alert the campus community of continuing threats, especially concerning
safety, thereby enabling community members to protect themselves.
● Clery Act regulations do not specify what information should be included in a timely
warning. However, the warning should include all information that would promote
safety, because the intent of the warning is to enable members of the campus
community to protect themselves.
● The issuing of a timely warning notice should be decided on a case-by-case basis in
light of all of the facts surrounding a crime, including factors such as the nature of the
crime, the continuing danger to the campus community and the possible risk of
compromising law enforcement efforts.
● Generally, the warning will specify the type of reported crime, the time and location at
which the reported crime occurred, and specific advice to the campus community
regarding steps to take to avoid becoming a victim.

How Clery Timely Warning Notices are Issued

Clery Timely Warning notices will be issued to all members of the University community
upon confirmation of a significant emergency, dangerous situation, incident or crime,
impacting the campus community and/or the surrounding area.

This information will be disseminated to campus community members via a variety of
mechanisms or mediums.
● Electronic mail messages
● Text messaging to cell phones of those enrolled in the emergency notification system ●
Campus Safety website
● Other methods deemed necessary that may be used in the information dissemination
process.

Security Alert Notifications

What Constitutes Issuance of a Security Alert

Willamette University uses a Security Alert System to notify members of the Willamette
Community when it is determined that there is a series of criminal activity not subject to
the timely warning standard required by the Clery Act. Examples of situations that may
constitute the University’s decision to issue a Security Alert include, but are not limited
to:
● Examples include:
o Active Shooter
o Bomb Threat/Explosion/Suspicious Packages
o Burglaries (unoccupied rooms/buildings/structures)
o General criminal activity (fraudulent use of credit cards/forgeries)
o Vehicle Thefts & Incidents (series of thefts/vehicle break ins)
o Bioterroristic Threat
o Missile Threat
o Situations Requiring Lockdown and/or Shelter in Place

● Situations that cause major disruption to campus operations. Examples include, but
are not limited to:
o Hazardous Material Incident
o Weather-related situations (hurricane/flooding/tsunami)
o Fire
o Earthquake/Volcanic Eruption
o Power outages
o Water emergencies
o Pandemic