Comments on: On Key Code Access to Dorms

By: Bryce Blum

Bryce Blum — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:08:45 +0000

I agree with Otis and Andrea. Im sorry Orko, but i just don’t follow your logic. If the codes are so unsafe, then why isn’t there already something in the works to change how we protect our rooms? Also, as much as i understand wanting to monitor who comes in and out of the dorms, the reality is that this information is practically useless. Even if only one person entered a dorm with 3 hours of when a fire alarm was pulled, this information still wouldn’t get us any closer to proving it was them. I think the arguments against this are pretty weak. Unless i hear something more compelling, i think we need to go ahead and get this done.

By: Andrea Wise

Andrea Wise — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:05:33 +0000

I agree with Otis on this one. I also see it as a big safety concern to NOT let students use their codes to get into their dorm buildings. I, for one, always keep my ID in the same pocket of my wallet, only last week I accidentally switched my ID with my credit card so when I ran out of my room in a hurry, I grabbed my credit card instead of my ID. Needless to say, a credit card doesn’t do you much good to get into a building on campus. I didn’t notice the switch until I was alone and locked out of my dorm around 2 am on a Saturday. Doesn’t seem very safe to me to have to wait around for either someone to walk by, or for campus safety to arrive.

A possible solution that was proposed at last Sunday’s SGA Senate meeting was to allow code access only to the residents of individual dorms on campus. That way, I still need to use my student ID to get into other buildings on campus, but if I won’t find myself locked out of MY dorm.

Other thoughts?

By: Otis

Otis — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:05:09 +0000

Personally, I feel using key codes to get in dormitories is very convenient. When a person leaves their card, they can still get in their dormitory without waiting outside for a dormmate to pass by.

I don’t feel the argument that key cards are safer has strong validity because a card is a physical entity that can be stolen or lost. Key codes are memorized. I know many people, including myself, who do not share their key codes. Coincidentally, I have dropped my key card on the ground and misplaced it a couple of times and had to depend on a dormmate I had to see across the yard to let me in.

By: orkomomin

orkomomin — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 21:28:43 +0000

I want to take the opportunity to consolidate the arguments put forward by the Facilities Department. Key codes are shared by almost everyone on campus. This means that allowing code access to dorms will make access control difficult. It would also make it more difficult to identify violators of college policies. For instance, if a malicious false fire alarm is set off, it is possible under the current set up to narrow down possible violators by checking who has accessed the building around the time of the event. This is certainly fallible but nonetheless possible. However if students could just use their codes, one who knows a friend’s code could use it to go inside and cause trouble and effectively hide his/her own identity.

Regarding the effectiveness of codes for access to rooms, I feel this is the most practical way of doing it. Facilities continually forbids students from sharing their codes. It is infact a violation of a College Policy, as per the Student Handbook (pg 107, Locking Systems..) to share codes. If a student wants a friend to access his/her room, facilities can actually program the friend’s code into the door itself. It is this sharing of codes that decreases the effectiveness of the system. One alternative would be to have card access to rooms. That might prove to be difficult for those who forget their cards, because the only other solution to this problem would be to notify campus safety. Even one such case every day for the entire year is going to be a lot of extra burden on campus safety.

In short, the current seems most practical and reliable, given the resources and infrastructure we have. I hope that made sense!

By: Bryce Blum

Bryce Blum — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:45:53 +0000

I’m with Nathan. Are you saying that codes cannot be tracked the same way cards can? Also, if the codes aren’t safe enough to give people access into their particular dorm, how can we justify this as our method of keeping our individual rooms secure? It seems to me like Facilities needs to have stronger arguments for not pursuing this. But then again, maybe I’m missing something.