A crime statistics comparison across five Michigan universities has placed Ferris State University second in terms of total criminal offenses on campus.
In 2023, Ferris had 261 crimes occur on the main campus.
Among these was one reported hate crime, determined to be intimidation based upon sexual orientation bias.
Among the criminal offenses reported on Ferris’ main campus in 2023 were four occurrences of rape, 10 reports of fondling, two burglaries, three aggravated assaults, five reports of domestic violence and 20 reports of stalking.
Noted arrests for 2023 on the main campus included three in conjunction with weapons violations and two related to drug abuse violations.
Ferris also had a total of 203 disciplinary judicial referrals from the main campus for that year.
Within the comparison, Ferris was found to be the university with the second-highest number of criminal offenses within Michigan in 2023. First place was held by rival Grand Valley State University, which had 363 crimes for the year.
The 2024 security report for Grand Valley State University noted that four of the crimes included in the 2023 statistics occurred in 2022, but were reported for 2023.
Also included in the comparison were Central Michigan University, Saginaw Valley State University and Grand Rapids Community College.
Grand Rapids Community College had only eight criminal offenses reported on its main and DeVos campus in 2023.
Central Michigan University had 167 reported criminal offenses on the main campus for 2023, and Saginaw Valley State University had 33 criminal crimes reported on campus for the year.
Saginaw Valley State had one hate crime included in their 33 criminal offenses for 2023, determined to be property/vandalism related.
Grand Valley State University, Central Michigan University and Grand Rapids Community College did not have hate crimes reported on their main campuses for 2023.
Each year, universities are required to create a security and fire safety report in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act.
The Clery Act, established in 1990, is a federal law that requires universities and colleges to report criminal offenses that occur on campuses as well as share an annual security report.
Dispatch Specialist Brittany Taylor explained that the crime statistics report provides Ferris with needed information to adjust security needs as necessary.
“If we have a lot of thefts in a parking lot, we’re going to have patrol heavily go through that lot to make sure those criminals don’t come back,” Taylor said. “It’s just a matter of identifying and making sure officers are being seen and people aware that we are here.”
Taylor additionally mentioned that there is currently a project focused on getting more cameras on campus to improve security measures.
Within the 2024 annual security and fire safety report, Ferris State outlines several safety policies and procedures that have been implemented on the main campus.
Included in the safety policy procedure are the emergency blue lights, which are posted at various points around campus. The blue lights are designed to allow students to quickly request help if needed.
Ferris also noted the use of the FSU Emergency Alert system, which notifies students via email or text message of potentially dangerous situations on or around campus.
The most recent use of the FSU Emergency Alert was in early January when there were reports of gunshots near Top Taggart Field. These reports were determined to be unsubstantiated.
Ferris State has also provided a crime map, which demonstrates the exact location where reported crimes occurred.
Despite these safety measures, digital animation and game design junior Morgan Keller stated that safety on campus is not where it should be.
“The camera situation on campus is incredibly lacking,” Keller said. “I have had several friends who work for the university share their opinions and stories where things end up going wrong because they don’t have any cameras. I think it’s a huge disservice to what Ferris can be.”
Keller additionally noted that the concern goes beyond the lack of cameras on campus, but also with the effectiveness of the emergency blue lights, which may not be helpful depending on the threat of the situation.
While information such as crime reports and statistics must be available to the public per the Clery Act, there is no part of the law that requires the university to advertise this to students.
Digital animation and game design junior Maddox Epps stated that information regarding crime reports should be made more easily available to students.
“I don’t know if it’d make people feel safer if it was posted somewhere, where more people could see it,” Epps said. “I’d want to see it, even if it’s just small stuff.”
Ferris has not yet released the annual campus crime statistics for 2024. These statistics are expected by late September of 2025.
Maddox Epps was formerly employed by the Torch.