University of Montana fined $966K for crime stats omissions

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Education has issued more than $960,000 in fines to the University of Montana for reporting "inaccurate and misleading" crime statistics from 2012 to 2015.

The Missoulian reports the university plans to appeal the fine amount but does not dispute the federal agency's findings.

According to a letter to university President Seth Bodnar, the agency found that the university omitted more than 130 crimes in violation of the Clery Act, which requires schools that receive federal funding to give accurate crime statistics.

Communications director Paula Short says the university corrected the data, so it does not argue its accuracy.