- U.S. Education Department opens a Clery Act review following violence at a conservative campus event
- Investigation adds to mounting federal pressure on the University of California system
- UC Berkeley says it is cooperating fully and defending both safety and free expression
Education Department Launches Clery Act Review
The U.S. Department of Education has launched a formal investigation into campus safety practices at the University of California, Berkeley following a violent protest during a Turning Point USA event on November 10.
Federal officials say the review will examine whether the university complied with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act, a law that requires colleges receiving federal aid to accurately report crimes, issue timely warnings, and maintain clear safety procedures.
According to the department, the incident involved physical altercations that led to multiple arrests. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the episode raised serious concerns about whether the university adequately protected students and staff. She emphasized that the review is focused on safety and transparency—not on limiting lawful protest rights.
The investigation is being conducted by the Office of Federal Student Aid and will assess both the November protest and UC Berkeley’s broader, ongoing compliance with federal safety requirements.
The department has given the university 30 days to submit extensive documentation, including crime logs dating back to 2022, police call records, campus safety reports, emergency notification policies, and agreements with local law enforcement agencies.
The Department of Justice has also announced a separate inquiry into the protest, adding to the scrutiny surrounding the event. Officials have not publicly identified the perpetrators behind the violence.
University Defends Response as Political Tensions Rise
UC Berkeley officials say they are cooperating fully with the federal review and strongly contest the idea that the campus failed to act responsibly. Assistant Vice Chancellor Dan Mogulof said the university promptly disclosed two violent incidents from the night of the event—a fistfight connected to an attempted robbery and a person struck by an object—and deployed extensive security resources to manage the situation.
University leaders say they coordinated with multiple law enforcement agencies, used private security, and restricted access to parts of campus to ensure safety. Mogulof stressed that Berkeley is committed to following all applicable laws while protecting free expression across the political spectrum.
The protest targeted an event hosted by Turning Point USA, the conservative student organization founded by Charlie Kirk. The group has drawn heightened national attention since Kirk was assassinated at a Utah campus in September, just two months before the Berkeley event.
The federal review also revives past concerns. The Education Department pointed to a 2020 settlement in which UC Berkeley paid a $2.4 million fine after misclassifying more than 1,100 crimes and failing to maintain adequate public records. Under that agreement, the department continues to monitor the university’s compliance.
This investigation unfolds amid broader clashes between the Trump administration and traditionally liberal institutions. In recent months, federal officials have targeted the University of California system over campus protests, antisemitism allegations, and federal funding disputes.
A federal judge recently blocked efforts to impose large fines or halt future grants to UCLA, signaling limits to the administration’s actions.
For UC Berkeley, the outcome of the Clery Act review could carry financial and regulatory consequences—while also shaping the national debate over campus safety, political speech, and federal oversight in higher education.