Disclosing campus crimes
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Safety Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, commonly referred to as the Clery Act, is a federal mandate requiring all institutions of higher education that participate in federal student financial aid programs to disclose information about certain campus policies, procedures and crime that occurs on the campus and certain off-campus locations. The Clery Act affects nearly all public and private institutions and is enforced by the U.S. Department of Education.
Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old Lehigh University freshman, was raped and murdered while sleeping in her dorm room in 1986. Jeanne did not know her killer. He was a freshman student at the university. Her assailant is now spending his life behind bars without parole.
Barton Community College has released the 2025 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, in compliance with federal requirements. Lead Campus Security Officer Lucas Stoelting shared details at a recent BCC Board of Trustees study session.
Criminal offenses reported on campus in 2024-2025 included four alleged sexual assaults on campus. One was an alleged rape in student housing. The other three were alleged cases of fondling and two of those were also in student housing. There was also one report of dating violence in student housing. Stoelting did not know the outcome of these cases, as they are turned over to local law enforcement. The college is under the jurisdiction of the Barton County Sheriff’s Office.
There was also one burglary on campus (not in student housing). It was the first burglary report in a long time, he said, and the loss was “miniscule.”
The most common arrests or juvenile referrals continue to be liquor law violations. While there were 26 such violations, Stoelting noted that this was the result of a few parties – one involved 11 people. Each individual involved is counted as a separate violation. Campus housing also had five drug law violations and one illegal weapons possession.
By comparison, in the 2023-2024 report, there were zero sexual assaults or burglaries reported. There were 33 liquor law violations in student housing and two drug law violations, one in student housing. There were no cases of illegal weapons possession.
Barton reported no hate crimes on campus either year.
No crimes were reported at other locations under Barton's jurisdiction. In addition to the main campus, locations used by the college are Camp Aldrich, Golden Belt One-Stop at 1025 Main in Great Bend, and locations at Fort Leavenworth, Fort Riley, and Grandview Plaza.
The fire safety report has shown no fires since the 2022-2023 report, when incense thrown in the trash at Bluestem Hall (one of the dorms), caused $160 in property damage.
Barton President Dr. Marcus Garstecki approved the report and commented at the meeting. “We have a very safe campus and it’s something to be proud of.”
Stoelting said creating the report is a year-long process required by the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.
He also reported that the new radios approved last year for campus security are effective.
“We get coverage everywhere now,” he said. “They work beyond my expectations.”
