Press Release  Audit Finds Noncompliance With Key Provisions of a Safety Law at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Boston — In an audit released today, the Office of State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump found that Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA) did not uphold key safety provisions contained in the Clery Act, a federal law enacted in 1990 that requires institutions of higher education to comply with certain campus safety- and security-related requirements as a condition of their participation in federal student financial aid programs. This includes requiring public and private colleges and universities to disclose information on campus security and crime prevention procedures and practices, as well as certain incidents that occur within their geography, as a means to protect current and prospective students and employees from crime. The audit, which reviewed the period of July 1, 2017 through December 31, 2019, is one of several audits completed in recent years that have reviewed higher education institutions’ compliance with the Clery Act.

“The Clery Act was established to equip students and staff with pertinent information they need to be aware of incidents occurring in the proximity of their college or university, and make informed decisions to protect their personal safety, which is why it is imperative that all aspects of this law be followed,” Auditor Bump said of the audit. “While I am pleased to see that Mass Maritime is committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the Clery Act moving forward, it is necessary to be proactive on matters such as this which can impact public safety.”

Specifically, the audit found that MMA did not maintain a current and complete daily crime log that listed all reported incidents that took place within MMA’s geography, which could prevent stakeholders from obtaining information to assess risks regarding their personal safety. In addition, MMA did not accurately report Clery Act crime statistics in its 2020 annual security report, nor did it retain adequate documentation to support its reported crime statistics. Some information contained in MMA’s 2018 and 2019 annual security reports was incomplete and inaccurate.

During the audit period, MMA also did not ensure all newly enrolled students and newly hired employees were assigned and completed required Clery Act training, which includes primary prevention and awareness training for topics such as dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and alcohol abuse, within the required timeframes. The audit found that only 1,220 (80.9%) of MMA’s 1,508 newly enrolled students were assigned the training, and of that only 1,160 (95.1%) completed it, 611 (52.7%) of which were completed within MMA’s established 30-day timeframe. In addition to create safety risks to students and employees, noncompliance with the requirements of the Clery Act related to training, the maintenance of a daily crime log, and annual security report reporting could also result in MMA losing the opportunity to participate in federal Title IV programs.

The audit offered recommendations to the auditee to address each of the findings. Based on its response, MMA noted that it is taking the steps necessary to ensure compliance with its Clery Act obligations, and has enlisted the services of an outside entity to review its methodology and processes for complying with the Clery Act.

MMA is a fully accredited four-year coeducational public state university and the second oldest maritime academy in the country. MMA participates in federal student financial aid programs under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) and therefore must comply with the requirements of the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act).

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