By Anniston Bieri and Maggie Susa

The statistics for substance abuse crimes spiked at Chatham University in the 2018 Clery Report, which Public Safety released Friday, Sept. 27, 2019 via email.

Under the Clery Act, passed in 1990 after Jeanne Clery was raped and murdered by another student in her dorm room at Lehigh University, colleges and universities are required to publish a report that contains three years of campus crime statistics and certain campus security policy statements by Oct. 1 every year.

The report covers incidents involving Chatham students on the Shadyside campus, Eden Hall campus, residential facilities, nearby public properties and non-campus properties such as Ellis Field and Highmark Stadium.

Over the past three years, there was no crime reported at Eden Hall, and most of the crime reported at the Shadyside campus was in residential facilities (the five dorms and five apartment complexes). There were two rape cases; there were also two in 2017 and one in 2016. There were two cases of dating violence in 2018.

The largest spike in crime dealt with substance abuse-related charges.

There were four drug violations resulting in referrals for disciplinary action, but none resulting in arrest. There were 12 violations that led to referrals for disciplinary action, but none resulting in arrest. This is almost double the seven violations recorded in 2017.

According to Section 3 of the Clery Act, Chatham University obligates all students to follow Pennsylvania laws concerning the purchase, sale, possession and consumption of drugs and alcohol. Students found in violation of these laws are subject to disciplinary action, referrals, counseling services and more.

The Clery Report is produced and all laws detailed in it are enforced by the Chatham Public Safety Department (CUPD). Currently, the department employs 14 full-time officers and four part-time officers, all trained to address a range of situations relating to police work. They annually qualify in firearm training, as well. Several officers are certified crime-prevention officers through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

In addition to the Clery Act, students have access to a daily crime log. A print copy can be picked up in the Public Safety garage behind Rea House. Any incident that falls in the Clery crime categories must be recorded in the daily crime log and reported in the Annual Security Report (Clery Report). All incidents must be recorded in the daily crime log within two business days that it was reported to Chatham University Public Safety.

Public Safety enforces all Pennsylvania state laws: Title IX offenses, which includes relationship violence and sexual misconduct; drug and alcohol violations; thefts; hate crimes; assault; and any other criminal offenses that may take place on campus. Public Safety is a resource for anyone, including students and faculty, as well as vendors and visitors on school grounds.

An officer is available on call 24 hours a day to answer a report of any urgency. To report an emergency, call 911 or the CUPD at 412–365–1111. To report a non-emergency, call the CUPD at 412–365–1230. The non-emergency number may also be used to request an escort service for those who feel unsafe walking on campus for any reason.

Victims of sexual assault may choose to call the CUPD to file a voluntary or confidential report. A confidential report allows a person to choose to have the CUPD report the incident without revealing their identity, as detailed in Title IX and in compliance with the Clery Act.

You can view the 2018 report under Public Safety’s page on the Chatham University website. Each Clery Report contains crime incidents reported in the past three years, but reports from earlier years (also written in groups of three) are not available on the site. To view the report and find more information, go to www.chatham.edu/campus-life/services/public-safety/crime-statistics-and-prevention.cfm.