Boston University underwent an estimated $608,784 in fire damages in the 2009 fiscal year, according to a new report.
The same report found that only two sexual assaults were reported to school authorities in 2009 &- a fall from previous years &- and that drug and alcohol arrests of BU students are down compared to the past two years.
The report, “Safety on Campus” was released as a part of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.
The Clery Act requires schools to track every instance of manslaughter, sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson that is reported to them.
In exchange, schools receive federal funding.
The report can be viewed at bu.edu/police.
For the first time, BU is required to report emergency fires as a part of the act, disclosing the date, address and reason for the damages.
For instance, a single instance of an “electrical switchgear failure” on April 25, 2009 at 700 Commonwealth Avenue cost the university more than half a million dollars in damages.
Most of the reported fires were caused by cooking accidents.
The slight drop in total reported crime does not necessarily mean that crime has fallen, as some crimes may not have been reported to school authorities.
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