Federal Education Dept. visits campus to investigate crime reporting procedures

In the latest step of an on-going investigation, the U.S. Department of Education interviewed University security officials over the summer to determine whether the University violated federal law by under-reporting campus crime. The interviews are part of audits launched by the federal government and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office into the University's definition of on- and off-campus crimes. The distinction between the two is important because the Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990 requires universities to make on-campus crime data available to students and prospective students. Penn's annual crime report listed 18 on-campus robberies in 1995, 38 in 1994 and 45 in 1993. But internal University Police records show the department received 188 additional reports of robberies in 1995, 170 in 1994 and 176 in 1993 that did not fit the University's narrow definition of on-campus crime. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office investigated the University's crime reporting practices in 1995, but decided at the time that Pen had not violated the applicable laws. Citing confidentiality requirements, the Department of Education refused to reveal the status of the current investigation or identify which University officials had been interviewed. A spokesperson for the department explained that "when the review is completed, when all the work is done, we issue a letter to the school" containing a list of "issues that we feel needs to be brought to [the school's] attention." The letter is also released to the public. The University will have the opportunity to respond to such a letter before the government issues a final report. The spokesperson added that "the school's response? is not public, but then we issue a final letter, which is public." Earlier this summer, Public Safety Managing Director Thomas Seamon said his department was "looking for guidance, and if the [Education] Department makes recommendations, the University will probably adhere to them." He added that "we're trying to be very open." Under the University's interpretation of the government's crime reporting regulations, Locust Walk and the sections of 36th through 39th streets between Walnut and Spruce streets are considered on-campus, while Spruce and Walnut streets themselves -- as well as public sidewalks and properties leased by the University to outside parties -- are officially off-campus. According to the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, "on-campus" is defined as any building or property the University owns or controls that is directly related to its educational mission. The crime reporting issue is complicated by allegations by a former student that rape charges against a fellow student went unreported by University officials. The matter is currently before U.S. District Court Judge Jay Waldman.