While the number of alcohol violations on Eastern’s campus plummeted from 1999 to 2000, aggravated assaults cases rose, U.S. Department of Education statistics show.

Aggravated assault cases increased on campus with 10 incidents in 2000, up from four such crimes in 1999, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Adam Due, acting University Police chief was unsure of why the number has increased but added that students may report more now because they know they can.

“(Students are) a little more educated knowing they could report more things,” he said. “It increases the amount reported but it might decreases the amount that actually occur.”

Aggravated assault is equal to battery charges in Illinois and can be as small as spitting and doesn’t have to involve touching to result in the charge, Due said.

In opposition, alcohol violations have been cut in half from 1999 to 2000, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

In 1999 there was 423 alcohol violations on campus and in 2000 that number was reduced to 247. Due attributes the cut to more foot patrol on campus and catching most students before they enter their residence halls.

In addition, Due said the increase in alcohol awareness and driving under the influence programs have suppressed the numbers.

“(We were) letting them know we’d be out there and what they can expect,” he said.

Due also said that the number may have gone down because the party moved off campus.

“Some of it could be attributed to students being smarter about it,” he said. “Or it could have moved off campus.”

Interim President Lou Hencken said campus safety is a top priority.

“Campus safety has always been important,” he said “I think we’ve got an excellent UPD and they work close with Charleston.”

Also according to the statistics kept by the Department of Education, there were five non-forcible sex offenses on campus in 2000 and no forcible sex offenses reported.

Records were not previously required to be kept by The U.S. Department of Education for non-forcible sex offenses, and Eastern has not had any forcible sex offenses reported on campus in the past three years.

Non-forcible sex offenses are in many cases date rape situations and include any sex act that was not consented but didn’t use force, Due said.

He said more incidents of non-forcible sex offenses are being reported instead of being filed as strictly informational. In the past, many incidents were not reported because the uncertainty of the victim, because of intoxication or because the perpetrator was caught.

In addition, Due said some incidents reported are false, but are still reported and the crime rate increases.

“We’ve had students who want to go home or have problems with a boyfriend and for attention they’ll come up with the claim, but these still wound up being reported,” he said.

Due also said that one year they may have no offenses but then have a year similar to 2000 in which there were five offenses.

“It kind of catches up with you if you haven’t had one in a year,” he said.