Santa Clara University’s Campus Safety Services released its annual security and fire safety report this week, a detailed accounting of campus crime and safety data spanning the past three years.

The report, more than 100 pages long, is required under the federal Clery Act and covers incidents on the main campus in Santa Clara as well as the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley. It includes statistics on sexual assaults, burglaries, alcohol and drug violations, and fire safety, along with updates on new state and federal laws.

While the numbers reflect familiar patterns—alcohol violations leading the tally, sexual assault reports varying year to year—the inclusion of hazing statistics in next year’s report is expected to add a new layer of scrutiny. Universities across the country, including Santa Clara University, will for the first time be required to publish the number of hazing cases tied to student organizations. For the University, the coming disclosures will test how well new prevention efforts match the realities of campus life.

Alcohol and Drug Violations

Alcohol violations remain the most common offense, though referrals declined. In 2022, there were 603 referrals for liquor law violations on campus. By 2024, that number had dropped to 520, a 14 percent decrease.

Drug violations also showed movement. Referrals spiked in 2023, with 139 cases, but fell back to 101 in 2024. Arrests for drug offenses, though relatively rare, doubled between 2022 and 2024.

Weapons possession was low overall, but five students were referred for disciplinary action last year, up slightly from four in 2023.

Sexual Violence Cases

In 2022, there were five rapes reported on campus; that figure fell to two in 2023 before rising again to three in 2024. Fondling cases showed a similar pattern, from two in 2022 to three in 2024.

Reports of domestic violence spiked in 2024, with seven cases, compared with one or none in each of the prior years. Dating violence, by contrast, dropped to zero in 2024 after four cases the year before.

Fires and Damage Costs

The main campus reported one fire in three years. On Oct. 22, 2022, an accidental appliance fire in Sobrato Residence Hall caused $15,988.20 in property damage but resulted in no injuries or deaths.

At the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, there were no reported fires between 2022 and 2024. JST apartments are equipped with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, though they do not have sprinkler systems. Both campuses conduct routine evacuation drills—52 annually on the main campus and quarterly drills at JST—along with annual fire safety inspections.

Theft and Hazing

Property crimes continue to affect students. Burglary and motor vehicle theft appear consistently in the data, with students often warned that many thefts involve unlocked doors or unattended belongings.

But the most significant change is still to come. Under the Stop Campus Hazing Act, signed into law last year, universities must begin reporting hazing incidents in their Clery Act disclosures. Santa Clara University notes that the 2026 report will be the first to include hazing statistics, covering incidents from January 2025 onward.

The University has already enacted its own Policy Prohibiting Hazing, effective June 2025, and must now publish a Campus Hazing Transparency Report twice each year, identifying student groups found responsible for violations.

Violence Against Women Act Statistics

The report also includes data required under the federal Violence Against Women Act, which tracks domestic violence, dating violence and stalking. Cases of domestic violence rose in 2024, with seven reports compared to one in each of the two previous years. Dating violence nearly disappeared in the most recent year, dropping to zero in 2024 after four reports in 2023 and none in 2022. Stalking remained low but steady, with two reports in both 2023 and 2024, after none were recorded in 2022.

A “respectful campus environment”

In releasing the report, University officials underscored the mix of progress and continuing challenges. Liquor law violations are trending downward. Sexual assaults persist but fluctuate year to year. Domestic violence rose sharply in 2024. And hazing, though not yet tracked, will soon add a new layer of transparency.

The report frames the changes as part of an effort to “create a safe and respectful campus environment”—a goal students will see tested as new laws and accountability measures take hold.