Jeanne Clery Act—Crime Statistics

The University of Hartford Annual Security Report contains information regarding campus security and personal safety, including topics such as:

• crime prevention
• fire safety
• University police law enforcement authority
• crime reporting policies
• disciplinary procedures and other matters of importance related to security and safety on campus

The report also contains crime statistics for the three previous calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by University of Hartford ; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

• 2025 (PDF)

Hazing statistics will be available in the Clery Annual Security Report starting October 1, 2026.

I. Policy Statement

The University of Hartford is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all members of its community. Hazing—regardless of intent—undermines the values of respect, inclusion, integrity, and community that define the University’s culture and mission. It is the responsibility of all student organizations to model an atmosphere of learning, social responsibility, and respect for human dignity and to provide positive influences and constructive development for members and aspiring members.

II. Scope

This policy applies to all members of the University of Hartford community including but not limited to students, staff, faculty, members of student groups, athletic teams, volunteers, and affiliates.

III. Definitions

A. “Hazing” is defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person (whether individually or in concert with other persons), against another person or persons regardless of the willingness of such other person or persons to participate, that:

(i.) is committed in the course of an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, a student organization; and

(ii.) violates local, federal, or state criminal law or causes or creates a risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation at the University of Hartford activities or the Student Organization’s activities, of physical or psychological injury as defined below.

B. “Student organization” means a fraternity, sorority, or other organization organized or operating at the University of Hartford.

IV. Policy

Hazing by individuals and Student Organizations is prohibited in any form both on campus and off campus. Any activity may be considered hazing regardless of consent or willingness to participate in the activity. Prohibited acts of hazing include, but not limited to:

A. whipping, beating, striking, electronic shocking, placing of a harmful substance on someone’s body, or similar activity;

B. causing, coercing, or otherwise inducing sleep or food deprivation, exposure to the elements, violations of privacy, extreme calisthenics, or other similar activity;

C. confinement of a person to unreasonably small, unventilated, unsanitary or unlighted areas;

D. causing coercing, or otherwise inducing another person to perform sexual acts;

E. requiring indecent exposure of the body or degrading dress codes;

F. causing, coercing or otherwise inducing another person to consume food, liquid, beverage, alcohol, liquor, drugs, or other substances;

G. any activity that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily harm through the use of threatening words or conduct;

H. any activity against another person that includes a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal or Federal law;

I. any activity that induces, causes, or requires another person to perform a duty or task that involves a criminal violation of local, State, Tribal, or Federal law; and

J. any activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of a person, or which subjects a person to mental distress.

V. Reporting Requirements

If you believe that you have been hazed or have witnessed hazing, please report the incident to:

A. Public Safety

    860.768.7777(emergency)

    860.768.7985 (non-emergency)

B. Anonymous reporting via LifeSafe App

C. Office of Student Engagement and Inclusion (OSEI)

     Assistant Director, Civic Engagement and Fraternity & Sorority Life

     Gengras Student Union, Room 209; 860.768.5257

D. Student Conduct Referral Form

E. Dean of Students Office

    Gengras Student Union, Room 307; 860.768.4285

Individual students and/or student organizations that are accused of allegedly violating this policy may be placed on interim suspension while allegations are investigated.

VI. Policy Violations

Individual students and/or student organizations found responsible for hazing will be sanctioned. In addition to action taken by the University, individuals and/or student organizations may be subject to criminal or civil action (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-23a). 

VII. Information Regarding Applicable Local, State, and Tribal Laws on Hazing

In addition to the University’s Hazing policy, members of the campus community should be aware of applicable jurisdictional laws pertaining to Hazing.

Connecticut Hazing Laws and Regulations
In Connecticut, hazing is a criminal offense. Connecticut General Statutes § 53-23a(a)(1) defines hazing as “any action which recklessly or intentionally endangers the health or safety of a person for the purpose of initiation, admission into or affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a student organization.” The statute includes examples of hazing, such as requiring indecent exposure, sleep deprivation, extended isolation, confinement, assault, or requiring ingestion that could adversely affect the health or safety of the individual. The statute expressly notes that a victim’s consent, implied or express, cannot serve as a defense to a hazing charge.

Student organizations found to be in violation of this statute face a fine of not more than $1,500 and forfeiture of all the rights and privileges of being an organization at the institution for at least one year. Students found to be in violation of this statute face a fine of not more than $1,000. Additionally, this statute does not limit prosecution for any underlying crimes. In other words, those found to be in violation of this statute may also be liable for other criminal or civil violations.

Title 53. Crimes
Chapter 939. Offenses Against The Person
Sec. 53-23a. Hazing.

A. For purposes of this section:

i.) "Hazing" means any action which recklessly or intentionally endangers the health or safety of a person for the purpose of initiation, admission into or affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a student organization.
The term shall include, but not be limited to:
         1. Requiring indecent exposure of the body;
         2. Requiring any activity that would subject the person to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation or extended isolation from social contact;
         3. Confinement of the person to unreasonably small, unventilated, unsanitary or unlighted areas;
         4. Any assault upon the person; or
         5. Requiring the ingestion of any substance or any other physical activity which could adversely affect the health or safety of the individual. The term shall not include an action sponsored by an institution of higher education which requires any athletic practice, conditioning, or competition or curricular activity.
ii.) No student organization or member of a student organization shall engage in hazing any member or person pledged to be a member of the organization. The implied or express consent of the victim shall not be a defense in any action brought under this section.
iii.) A student organization which violates subsection (b) of this section (1) shall be subject to a fine of not more than one thousand five hundred dollars and (2) shall forfeit for a period of not less than one year all of the rights and privileges of being an organization organized or operating at an institution of higher education.
iv.) A member of a student organization who violates subsection (b) of this section shall be subject to a fine of not more than one thousand dollars.
v.) This section shall not in any manner limit or exclude prosecution or punishment for any crime or any civil remedy.

The Jeanne Clery Act (Clery Act), a federal law that requires colleges and universities to annually compile and publish crime statistics for their campuses. The law requires that Campus Security Authorities (CSA) report crime statistics for inclusion in the University’s Annual Security Report. 

who are the Campus Security Authorities?

If you meet any of the definitions outlined below or have received notification from the President, a supervisor or the University Clery Compliance representative(s), you are a CSA, as that term has been defined by the United States Department of Education. CSAs include, but are not limited to:

• Officials of the University with significant responsibility for students or campus activities.
• A faculty member who does not have any responsibility for student and campus activity beyond the classroom
• Clerical or cafeteria staff are not considered CSAs. However, all other faculty, administrators, athletic staff, human resource personnel, public safety personnel, residential life staff and student affairs staff, who have significant responsibility for students and/or campus activities, are considered CSAs under the Clery Act.

The following are defined by the Jeanne Clery Act as Campus Security Authorities. 

• Campus Police Department
• Individuals with Campus Security Responsibility: Any individuals who have responsibility for campus security but who do not constitute a campus police department or a campus security department, such as an individual who is responsible for monitoring entrance into institutional property. Examples of this category are: parking enforcement staff, event security staff and bicycle patrol staff.
• Individuals Designated by the Campus: Any individual or organization specified in an institution's statement of campus security policy as one to which students and employees should report criminal offenses. Examples include: Chancellor's Office, Ombuds Office, and Office of Student Life.
• Officials with Significant Responsibility for Student and Campus Activities: 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. If such an official is a pastoral or professional counselor as defined below, the official is not considered a campus security authority when acting in those capacities. Examples of this category are: Deans of Students, Student Housing Officials, Students Discipline Officials, Students Judicial Affairs Officials, Officials who oversee a student center, Officials who oversee student extracurricular activities, Director of Athletics, Team Coaches and Faculty Advisors to student groups.

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, The University of Hartford is required to disclose on an annual basis certain reported crime statistics that occur during University sponsored / arranged domestic and international student trips. Community members who are administratively responsible for domestic and international student trips are expected to report student trip information to the University Of Hartford Department Of Public Safety for compliance.

For trips to be reportable, student trips must meet certain requirements. The University of Hartford must have control over the trip or program accommodation and any related academic space used in conjunction with the trip. Control, as defined by the Clery Act, means that there is a written agreement (no matter how informal) directly between the University and the end provider for use of the space.

In addition, the controlled space must be used in direct support of, or in relation to, the institution’s educational purposes and frequented by students. Some examples of a written agreement include renting hotel rooms, leasing apartments, leasing space in a student housing facility or academic space on another campus and even an e-mail agreement for use of space free of charge. Hostels are not normally reportable unless the written agreement gives the University control over the space within the accommodation.

Why is this information needed?

Information on qualifying student trips is needed by University of Hartford Department of Public Safety for follow-up with the local law enforcement agency associated with the trip location. University of Hartford Department of Public Safety will request to the trip location local law enforcement agency to determine if any Clery Act qualifying crimes (occurring during the trip time frame and at the University arranged accommodation and/or related academic space) were reported directly to the local law enforcement and thus may not be known to University personnel.

Clery Reporting Trips Form 

Need More Information?

If you have any questions on whether your trip or program should be reported, please contact David Stender, executive director of the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution, Clery, and Compliance, at 860.768.5403 or stender@hartford.edu.

Crime Definitions

Murder and Non-negligent Manslaughter – The willful (non-negligent) killing of one human being by another.

Negligent Manslaughter – The killing of another person through gross negligence.

Sex Offense Forcible (F) – Any sexual act directed against another person, forcibly and/or against that person's will; or not forcibly or against the person's will where the victim is incapable of giving consent: forcible rape; forcible sodomy; sexual assault with an object; and forcible fondling.

Sex Offense Non Forcible (N) – Unlawful, non-forcible sexual intercourse: incest; statutory rape.

Robbery - The taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.

Aggravated Assault – An unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. This type of assault is usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. It is not necessary for an injury to result when a gun, knife or other weapon is used in the commission of the crime.

Simple Assault – Assaults and attempted assaults where no weapon was used and which did not result in a serious or aggravated injury to the victim. (Currently, this crime category only applies to hate crimes.)

Burglary – The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft. For reporting purposes this definition includes: unlawful entry with intent to commit a larceny or felony; breaking and entering with intent to commit a larceny; housebreaking; safecracking; and all attempts to commit any of the aforementioned.

Motor Vehicle Theft – The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. (Classify as motor vehicle theft all cases where automobiles are taken by persons not having lawful access even though the vehicles are later abandoned-including joyriding.)

Arson – Any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.

Liquor Law Violation – The violation of laws or ordinances prohibiting: the manufacture, sale, transporting, furnishing, possessing of intoxicating liquor; maintaining unlawful drinking places; bootlegging; operating a still, furnishing liquor to a minor or intemperate person; using a vehicle for illegal transportation of liquor; drinking on a train or public conveyance; or any attempts to commit any of the foregoing violations. Note: this list does not include public drunkenness and driving under the influence.

Drug Law Violation – Violations of State and local laws related to the possession, sale, use, growing, manufacturing, and making of narcotic drugs. The relevant substances include; opium or cocaine and their derivatives (morphine, heroin, codeine); marijuana; synthetic narcotics (Demerol, methadone(s); and dangerous non-narcotic drugs (barbiturates, Benzedrine).

Weapon Law Violation – The violation of laws or ordinances regulating weapons.

Hate Crimes – Any crime that manifests evidence that the victim was intentionally selected because of the victim's actual or perceived race; religion; gender; sexual orientation; ethnicity or physical/mental disabilities.

Disciplinary Referrals – incidents in which a student was not arrested but was referred for campus disciplinary action for liquor law violations, drug law violations, and illegal weapons possession.

Location Definitions

Campus – (i) any building or property owned or controlled by an institution within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area and used by the institution in direct support of, or in a manner related to, the institution's educational purposes, including residence halls; and

(ii) any building or property that is within or reasonably contiguous to the area identified in paragraph (i) of this definition, that is owned by the institution but controlled by another person, is frequently used by students and supports institutional purposes (such as a food or other retail vendor).

Non-Campus – (i) Any building or property owned or controlled by a student organization that is officially recognized by the institution; or

(ii) any building or property owned or controlled by an institution that is used in direct support of, or in relation to the institution's educational purposes, is frequently used by students, and is not within the same reasonably contiguous geographic area of the institution.

Housing – Residence Halls or other university-owned residences. The University Albany Village site is classified as a non-campus location because it is not considered contiguous to the main campus.

Public Property–"public property" is defined by the Clery Act regulations as all public property including thoroughfares, streets, sidewalks, and parking facilities that is within the campus, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.   Include the sidewalk across the street from your campus, but do not include public property beyond the sidewalk.