Key access added to first-year buildings as part of security initiative
By Alexandria Heyer, Staff Writer
The campus is once again alive with the sounds of student life as Gettysburgians return from across the country, and across the
A poster outside of Hanson Hall reminds students to carry their IDs.
world, to begin the new semester.
With this revived hustle and bustle, the new first-years will be starting their lives on their own at Gettysburg College. And while many things will be different in their lives, one more thing to add is the new security system that has been installed in the freshmen dormitories.
The new enhancement of the campus is only one part in a major project to enhance the safety of the college.
“The college began this enhancement several years ago,” said Director of Public Safety Bill Lafferty.
These enhancements have included the installation of emergency phones across campus, camera technology in remote parking lots and fire safety systems and sprinklers in residential facilities.
The new access control system in 24-hour academic buildings and first-year residential facilities are also part of this project.
This past summer the Department of Public Safety worked with the Provost’s Office, Information Technology, Human Resources and Risk Management and College Life to add these new access control features.
Patrick, Hanson, Huber, Rice, Stine and Paul halls are the first residential buildings to receive these new security features.
“The first year halls seemed like a good first step considering their size, structure and number of bed spaces,” Lafferty said.
The new security system requires students to swipe their College ID card to access the exterior doors of the first-year halls between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m..
“It is part of the college’s strategic initiatives to enhance life safety and the quality of life on campus,” stated Lafferty.
These access control features are not the last part of the plan to improve student life and safety. Each summer, the budget will be analyzed and approved for each new development in the increased security measures.
“The next several phases will include the installation of access control or a form of access control in our remaining residential facilities,” Lafferty said, “and there are no plans to extend beyond the exterior doors of our 24 academic buildings and residence halls.
Soon, all students will have to use their student College IDs, not only to access the 24-hour academic buildings– Glatfelter, Breidenbaugh and McCreary halls and the Science Center–during late night cram sessions, but also to access their residence halls.
“I believe making students aware of access control points into residence halls and alerting them and DPS of propped door issues and concerns will certainly enhance existing security initiatives,” Lafferty said.
