Who Is and Isn’t a Campus Security Authority

A Campus Security Authority (CSA) is a campus employee, volunteer, or other official with significant responsibility for campus and student activities. A CSA has responsibilities under the Clery Act to report information for timely warnings and campus crime statistics.

CSA training is mandatory for all CSAs and is designed to educate and inform them of their responsibilities as a CSA under the Clery Act regulations. In addition to and certain administrators, faculty and other staff that have significant responsibilities for student activities are all designated as CSAs. Las Positas College has identified the following groups or individuals as CSA:

• The Las Positas College Campus Safety Department and its employees including officers, dispatchers.
• Any official of Las Positas College who has a significant responsibility for student and campus activities.
• The Director of Athletics and All athletic coaches, for all sports
• Director, Student Life and Leadership Programs
• Coordinators of clubs and affairs
• Director of Campus Health / Counselling Center
• Faculty and staff advisors for clubs
• Faculty and staff advisors for academic and social clubs
• Title IX Coordinator
• Student Conduct, Rights and Responsibilities staff

Examples of individuals who would not meet the criteria for being campus security authorities include:

• A faculty member who does not have any responsibility for student and campus activity beyond the classroom
• Clerical or cafeteria staff
• Facilities or maintenance staff

What Does a Campus Security Authority Do?

The function of a campus security authority is to report to the official or office designated by the institution to collect crime report information, such as the Las Positas College Campus Safety department, those allegations of Clery Act crimes that he or she receives. CSAs 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.

What Shouldn’t a Campus Security Authority Do?

A campus security authority is not responsible for determining authoritatively whether a crime took place that is the function of law enforcement personnel. A campus security authority should not try to apprehend the allege perpetrator of the crime. That too is the responsibility of law enforcement.

When a campus security authority receives crime information that he/she believes was provided in good faith, (little or no reason to doubt the validity of the information) the CSA has the duty to immediately report the crime information to the Las Positas Campus Safety Department by calling (925) 424-1690 or dialing 1699 in an emergency.

• Campus Security Authority (CSA) Reporting Form