WINONA, Minn. – Boozing in Winona State dorms took a dramatic upswing in 2019, according to the university’s latest government-required public safety report. There were 257 cases that went to on-campus disciplinarians — 7% more than the year before and double the year before that. Police were called to campus eight times in 2019, compared to not at all the previous two years. Three drug violations went into the on-campus disciplinary process in 2019, compared to none the previous two years. In most of the government required categories of safety issues, Winna State reported no cases. Worth noting: The report includes only on-campus safety issues. An assault across the street isn’t included. Nor are off-campus parties. Nor bar brawls or knifings downtown. Nor something like the 2004 double homicide involving psychology student Stacy Smith at a Sarnia Street apartment or the 2007 binge-drinking death of biochemistry student Jenna Foellmi at an off-campus apartment.
About the report
Federal law requires colleges to report annually on campus safety so parents can steer their high schoolers in choosing a college. At Winona State the campus security director, Chris Cichosz, compiles the report. The latest report, for 2019, was 112 pages. The report is required under Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, which Congress passed in 1990. Before then, there wasn’t any compilation of campus crime data. Most colleges, including Winona State, had a long tradition of suppressing bad news.