Last week the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced the rescission and replacement of the 2016 Clery Handbook with a new “Clery Act Appendix for the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Handbook.” ED determined that much of the content of the 2016 Handbook, which was intended to assist institutions in implementing the requirements of the Clery Act, had expanded beyond the scope of the original statute and regulations (20 U.S.C. 1092; 34 CFR 668.41 and 668.46).

Described as part of the Department’s efforts to reduce regulatory and administrative burden, ED’s new Clery Act Appendix is intended to be a more straightforward approach. It hews precisely to the requirements either articulated in the statute or the regulations. The 2016 Handbook will remain available as an archived document and may factor into program reviews and audits for prior reporting years.