In the News

The U.S. Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO) is making available a new 16-page guidance entitled “Emergencies on Campus.”  This guidance is intended to assist school officials who may be reassessing their campus safety policies by offering a summary of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), as well as pertinent provisions of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) that apply to postsecondary institutions.  The FPCO hopes that you will find this information helpful as you strive to protect parents and students’ privacy rights under FERPA as part of your emergency planning.  Also, they hope that the additional information about threat assessment teams and the HEA disclosure requirements concerning campus safety will be of assistance.

To access the complete guidance, please download the attached document:

Dr. Gary J. Margolis, MH&A Managing Partner, was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune on the challenges of responding to and addressing violence against women crimes on campus.

As part of the first phase in the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Administration (BJA) Campus Crime Prevention Grant, Margolis Healy will host a day-long focus group in Philadelphia, PA on June 2, 2011. The goals of this multi-disciplinary focus group, with participants drawn from a cross section of nationally-recognized campus public safety professionals, student affairs practitioners, and prevention specialists, is to discuss crimes on college and university campuses and to begin identifying the key dimensions of effective campus crime prevention programming. Attendees will also offer examples of current evidence-based programming to prevent crimes on the Nation’s campuses.

“This is the beginning of a research-driven effort to help raise the bar in terms of campus crime prevention effectiveness.  We’re excited to facilitate a national effort to identify and promote both on and off-campus programming which is evidence-based and supports institutions’ opportunities to positively impact student safety,” said MH&A Managing Partner Steven J. Healy. 

The two-year long project will culminate in the production of crime prevention program templates available to institutions across the country at no cost. Additionally, MH&A will create a web site to disseminate results as a modern social networking resource for information and assistance, including the launch of a web-based Technical Assistance Center to present ongoing findings, developments, and crucial campus crime prevention topics.

For more information please visit: www.campuscrimeprevention.org

Dr. Gary Margolis was interviewed by investigative reporter Claire Doan on the precepts of the Campus Threat Assessment project developed by MH&A through a grant from the US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

Managing Partner Dr. Gary Margolis was interviewed for a Chicago Tribune article highlighting newly released guidance from the U.S. Department of Education for school administrators regarding sexual violence cases. 

By clarifying expectations of institutions and administrators—while informing students of their rights—the White House is signaling an increased effort to proactively address the widespread problem of sexual assault for college students as an issue the country must confront. 

Please visit the MH&A Violence Against Women on Campus Resource Center to assist you with the latest Department of Education Office for Civil Rights documents, including the entire Dear Colleague Letter and overviews.

Follow MH&A on Facebook and Twitter for timely updates on campus safety and security news.

On April 4, 2011 at the University of New Hampshire, Vice President Biden and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan introduced comprehensive guidance to help schools, colleges and universities better understand their obligations under federal civil rights laws to prevent and respond to the growing problem of campus sexual assault. The new guidance makes clear the legal obligations under Title IX of any school, college or university receiving federal funds to respond promptly and effectively to sexual violence. This significant guidance also provides practical examples to aid educators in ensuring the safety of their students.

Please visit the MH&A Violence Against Women on Campus Resource Center to assist you with the latest Department of Education Office for Civil Rights documents, including the entire Dear Colleague Letter and overviews.

Follow MH&A on Facebook and Twitter for timely updates on campus safety and security news.

MH&A Vice President Kassa with Vice President Biden following Landmark White House Announcement on Violence Against Women Crimes on College Campuses.