Liberty University President Dondi E. Costin says the U.S. Department of Education has threatened the institution with an “unprecedented” fine of $37.5 million for alleged Clery Act violations.
The potential fine comes on the heels of a leaked report from within the department accusing school officials, including a former president, of creating a “culture of fear” for sexual assault survivors.
“The leak is intentionally aimed at laying the groundwork for an unprecedented fine and the report is filled with factual errors that the department has admitted to Liberty in their negotiations,” Costin told Fox News.
The Clery Act, established in 1990, mandates that colleges and universities report campus crime data, support victims of violence, and implement policies to enhance campus safety. According to the Clery Center, the act aims to provide transparency and safety to students and the wider community.
In a preliminary review of Liberty University’s compliance with the Clery Act covering the period between 2016 and 2022, government officials found that the university tampered with evidence as soon as the investigation began in the spring of 2022. Furthermore, they assert that Liberty University failed to communicate essential information to the community, including credible accusations of sexual violence.
The report sheds light on distressing conditions that survivors of sexual assault allegedly faced within the institution.
“Victims of sexual assault felt dissuaded by Liberty administration’s reputation for punishing sexual assault survivors rather than helping them,” the report read.
Costin responded to the leak, stating the report is “based on purely anecdotal information” and was intentionally leaked to “poison the well.”
“The most damaging element of this whole process is the fact that for the first time that any of us are aware, the Department of Education leaked a preliminary report while we are in the process of negotiating with the department about all the advancements that we’ve made. And so that’s the biggest issue,” Costin said.
“They are making claims about our intentions,” he continued. “They’re claiming that we acted in bad faith. I think there are a number of factual errors in the report. For instance, they are assuming that individuals who are making these claims are accurate and honest and transparent without exception, when in fact, much of the assertions that they’ve made are based on purely anecdotal information.”
One of the most concerning aspects of the situation, Costin argues, is the timing of the leak.
“They are making claims about our intentions,” he said. “They’re claiming that we acted in bad faith. I think there are a number of factual errors in the report.”
Costin has expressed the university’s intention to seek a reduction in the proposed fine through an appeals process.
