LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty University is under fire after leaders failed to warn students on campus about safety threats and under-reported crime statistics, according to a Washington Post report on the preliminary findings of a federal investigation.
The University provided a statement on Wednesday saying they’re taking steps to appropriately address past gaps in compliance.
According to the Washington Post, the gaps in crime reporting occurred between 2016 and 2022. The Post said the report found the school did not adequately take complaints of crimes, produce incident reports, warn the campus of emergencies and threats to safety, advise crime victims of their rights, or handle the data needed for crime statistics.
Now, LU leaders said they’ve been in constant communication with the Department of Education to improve their Title 9 and Clery Act compliance.
New Liberty University President Dondi Costin released a statement that read, in part,
“Liberty University remains fully committed to ensuring compliance in this area is met and maintained and understands the purpose of this review process is ultimately in the greater interest of our students, faculty, and staff. More than that, we recognize the original purpose of the Clery Act is for the health, safety, and overall well-being of our entire University...”
Liberty University President Dondi Costin
Students said while they’re aware crime happens on campus, they typically feel comfortable.
“I know rapes do happen, like in the tunnels especially that’s why we always have to be safe, so I know that does happen,” sophomore Felicity Surprenant said.
Suprenant believes university leadership is doing the best they can in what she said is a tough situation following Falwell’s departure.
“I do feel very safe on campus,” Surprenant said. “There’s a lot of safety measures they go towards keeping, so I’m really shocked by if it is true.”
She said groups providing safe rides and resident advisors in dorms are some she notices.
In the statement on Wednesday, Liberty University claims there were some errors in the department’s preliminary findings, and they’ve submitted a response hoping those will be corrected.
Liberty released a second statement Wednesday after their student radio broadcast was taken off the air and switched to web streaming instead.
“Liberty operated WQLU(FM) under parameters not authorized by the FCC for several years related to moving radio transmission equipment between two towers on Candlers Mountain without proper notice and authorization from the FCC and without consulting counsel before the move,” the statement said. “To resolve the FCC’s inquiry into the WQLU non-compliance issues, Liberty and the FCC negotiated a Consent Decree adopted by the FCC on September 29, 2023, under which Liberty agreed to pay a $10,000 civil penalty and to relinquish WQLU’s FCC license.”
Liberty University