MARSHALL (KMHL) – Southwest Minnesota State University has announced that it was named the 2020 Safest College in Minnesota from Your Local Security dot com.
The university says the website bases its rankings on data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security list and the FBI’s 2018 Uniform Crime Report for campuses with a minimum of 5,000 students offering a two- or four-year degree that is a public, private or non-profit university.
“Incoming freshmen and their parents can feel better entering college when they know their campus has crime prevention measures and crisis management systems in place to ensure lower crime rates,” reads the YourLocalSecurity.com website.
SMSU’s safety was evaluated based on a combination of factors including violent crimes, property crimes, hate crimes and the number of Violence Against Women Act offenses per 10,000 people.
“Recognizing SMSU as the safest campus in Minnesota affirms that we have a harmonious environment, one in which our Mustang Family is able to thrive,” said Public Safety Director Mike Munford. “This honor is not for Public Safety, it’s for the entire university community, who work hard to encourage a safe environment, year-round for all of our students, faculty and staff.”
