CSAC Annual Report 2025-2026

Introduction

Article 129-A of the New York State Education Law requires the formation of a campus committee at the college to address specific safety related matters set forth in the statute. The following Annual Report serves to report Vassar’s efforts in safety-related topics designated to the Campus Safety Advisory Committee in accordance with New York State Law.

Formation of Committee

Section 6431 of the NYS Education Law requires that the President of each college appoint an advisory committee on campus security. The committee must consist of at least six (6) members, at least half of whom shall be female. In addition, one-third shall be appointed from the faculty, one-third shall be appointed from the students through VSA, and one-third shall be selected by the President.

The Campus Safety Advisory Committee for 2025–2026 was:

Name	Type of Appointee	Gender
Arlene Sabo Director of Campus Safety – Chair	Appointed by President	Female
Jessica Gasbarro/Belinda Guthrie Institutional Equity/Title IX	Appointed by President	Female
Nico Rayes Cardoza	Appointed by VSA – Student	Male
Nicole Gao	Appointed by VSA – Student	Female
Lori Newman	Appointed by Faculty	Female
Alan Hankers	Appointed by Faculty	Male
Shay Humphrey General Counsel	Advisory Only	Female

Review of Policies and Procedures

The committee has held three (3) meetings for the purpose of reviewing and making recommendations for the improvement of the following Vassar policies and procedures:

1. Educating the campus community, including security personnel and those persons who advise or supervise students, about sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking offenses and bias-related and hate crimes;
2. Educating the campus community about personal safety and crime prevention;
3. Reporting sexual assaults, domestic violence, stalking incidents, and hate crimes;
4. Assisting victims during investigations;
5. Referring complaints to appropriate authorities;
6. Counseling victims; and
7. Responding to inquiries from concerned persons.

Findings

Rules & Regulations

• Noted new Community Expectation Process webpage that includes Restorative Practices options
• Noted new/updated Employee Handbook added to Human Resource webpage for easy reference

Training

• Recommended Hazing education be added to programming efforts

Policies

• Drafted and edited Vassar’s Beau’s Law Policy, which established guidelines for parental notification when a student under 21 is found in violation of drug or alcohol policies or hospitalized due to drugs or alcohol. This policy ensures compliance with New York State Education Law, Section 6438-d, Beau’s Law. This policy is to be published in the Policy Library.
  • Note: The Beau’s Law Policy implementation plan provides education to those identified as needing to know FERPA provisions for parental notification in health and safety emergencies, managing rule infractions and drug/alcohol-related disciplinary violations, and coordinating responses to student hospitalizations for alcohol and drug overdoses.

Safety

• Discussed specific incidents.
• Discussed retention of video beyond 30 days for the purpose of Title IX investigations.
• Shared an emergency response recommendation with the Campus Response Programming Group supporting the addition of signage that would aid emergency responders in locating campus buildings.
• Heard student safety concerns regarding fire alarm volume, lighting, Ring doorbell cameras installed at apartments by students, immigration law rights, theft of packages/food delivered to dorms, and blue light phones.

Responses and Recommendations

• Conducted a light survey and forwarded lighting issues to Facilities Operations.
• Added hazing education to New Student Orientation, Summer Program Orientation, and Student House Fellow Training. Noted hazing training also provided by the Institutional Equity Office.
• Added a “call to action” quick reporting button to the Campus Safety Department webpage.
• Forwarded a draft of the Beau’s Law Policy to the College Council for review and publication in Vassar’s Policy Library.
• Notified Facilities Operations of complaints regarding the low volume of fire alarms in some Josselyn dormitory rooms. Facilities Operations tested and confirmed low volume; work was completed on August 13, 2026, which resulted in a 7.5 dB sound-level increase in the building.
• Advised changing the Title IX investigation process to request video footage upon receipt of a report concerning an incident that occurred less than 30 days in the past, rather than waiting for a decision regarding a formal complaint.
• Advised that language should be added to faculty housing contracts and student residential life regulations regarding the installation and use of Ring doorbell cameras.
• The VSA reported sponsoring two “Know Your Rights” and risk-assessment workshops. One workshop was designed for student organizations and one for all individuals. The workshop content focused on active-bystander de-escalation and intervention and immigration law. VSA has also added a document with law enforcement and immigration information to its website.
• The College Counsel’s Office posted a Q&A in the Vassar Policy Library regarding immigration rights and co-sponsored a campus visit and workshop presented by Pace Immigration Justice Clinic Director Amelia Wilson.

I made light grammatical corrections, including “an 7.5 dB” to “a 7.5 dB,” while retaining the report’s substance. I also moved “Review of Policies and Procedures” below the committee table, matching the existing web page rather than its misplaced position in the PDF.