Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study Abroad Act
This bill amends title IV (Student Assistance) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to modify campus security reporting requirements for an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student aid programs.
Currently, an IHE must annually report data to the Department of Education on certain criminal offenses that occur in the following geographic categories: on campus, on campus in a residential facility, on noncampus property, and on public property. This bill expands the geographic categories of reportable offenses to also include crimes that occur while a student is participating in an approved study abroad program.
Additionally, it requires an IHE to develop and distribute, as part of its annual security report provided to students and employees, a statement that it has adopted and implemented a program to protect students participating in an approved study abroad program from crime and harm.
[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3551 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3551
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require additional
reporting on crime and harm that occurs during student participation in
programs of study abroad, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 17, 2015
Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York (for himself, Mr. Gibson, and Mr.
Scott of Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Education and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require additional
reporting on crime and harm that occurs during student participation in
programs of study abroad, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ravi Thackurdeen Safe Students Study
Abroad Act''.
SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF CLERY ACT TO PROGRAMS OF STUDY ABROAD.
(a) Reporting of Crime Statistics.--Paragraph (12) of section
485(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (C);
(2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (D)
and inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) while a student is participating in a program
of study abroad approved for credit by an institution
of higher education, distinguished by whether the
criminal offense occurred at a location described in
subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D), or at another
location, without regard to whether the institution
owns or controls a building or property at such
location.''.
(b) Additional Reporting for Programs of Study Abroad.--Section
485(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1092(f)) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraph (18) as paragraph (19); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (17), the following new
paragraph:
``(18)(A) Each institution of higher education
participating in any program under this title, other than a
foreign institution of higher education, shall develop and
distribute as part of the report described in paragraph (1), a
statement that the institution has adopted and implemented a
program to protect students participating in a program of study
abroad approved for credit by the institution from crime and
harm while participating in such program of study abroad that,
at a minimum, includes the following:
``(i) A biennial review by the institution
of the programs of study abroad approved for
credit by the institution to determine--
``(I) the effectiveness of the
programs at protecting students from
crime and harm, and whether changes to
the programs are needed (based on the
most recent guidance or other
assistance from the Secretary) and will
be implemented;
``(II) for the 10 years preceding
the date of the report, the number (in
the aggregate for all programs of study
abroad approved for credit by the
institution) of--
``(aa) deaths of program
participants resulting during
program participation;
``(bb) accidents and
illnesses occurring during
program participation that
resulted in hospitalization;
``(cc) sexual assaults
against program participants
occurring during program
participation; and
``(dd) incidents involving
program participants during the
program participation that
resulted in police involvement
or a police report; and
``(III) with respect to the
incidents described in items (aa)
through (dd) of subclause (II), whether
the incidents occurred--
``(aa) on campus;
``(bb) in or on a noncampus
building or property;
``(cc) on public property;
``(dd) in dormitories or
other residential facilities
for students; or
``(ee) at a location not
described in items (aa) through
(dd) of this subclause, without
regard to whether the
institution owns or controls a
building or property at the
location.
``(ii) The crime statistics described in
paragraph (12)(E).
``(B) An institution of higher education described in
subparagraph (A) shall--
``(i) provide each student who is interested in
participating in a program of study abroad approved for
credit by the institution, with a pre-trip orientation
session and advising that includes--
``(I) a list of countries in which such
programs of study abroad are located;
``(II) all current travel information,
including all travel warnings and travel
alerts, issued by the Bureau of Consular
Affairs of the Department of State for such
countries; and
``(III) the information described in
clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (A),
provided specifically for each program of study
abroad approved for credit by the institution
in which the student is considering
participation; and
``(ii) provide each student who returns from such a
program of study abroad with a post-trip orientation
session, including an exit interview that assists the
institution in carrying out subparagraph (A) and clause
(i) of this subparagraph.
``(C) An institution of higher education shall not
disaggregate or otherwise distinguish information for purposes
of subparagraph (A) or (B) in a case in which the number of
students in a category is insufficient to yield statistically
reliable information or the results would reveal personally
identifiable information about an individual student.
``(D) The Secretary shall periodically review a
representative sample of the programs described in subparagraph
(A) that have been adopted and implemented by institutions of
higher education to protect students participating in a program
of study abroad described in subparagraph (A) from crime and
harm while participating in such program of study abroad.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training.
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