Refutal of Code Access to Dorms by Administration

Recently, I met with Colleen E. Stewart who is in charge managing ACIS (Locknetics) at our college to discuss in depth the details of residence hall access, especially as relating to entry by code instead of simply ID card. Declaring that access by codes instead of ID card would not be enacted, she stated that the main reason for this had to do with security, to the loss of convenience. Apparently, until 2002, there had been exterior building access using codes as well as card readers with magnetic stripes. However, there had been many reports of people being reckless with codes and sharing them with others, including people not even in the school despite the warning that such actions were strictly inadvisable. One incident in particular cited was that of an individual who gave the code to a “beau” and ended up having that particular code revealed across campus to quite a few people (I am not revealing the specifics). It seems that one or a few people spoiled it for everyone. In support this, statistics were also revealed that about 20-25 codes are replaced/reset per month due to complaints of compromise and “mistaken sharing”. Of course, the idea of sharing codes on this level, since codes can actually simply be passed on by word of mouth, email, or text, is one that is completely unappealing. The ACIS manager said that one of the main reasons that ID cards are required is that they can not exactly be shared easily, since they require physical presence for the proximity reader to work not just a numerical code or any such thing. Needless to say, the inconvenience of the cards are also the safety of them. Secondarily, supposedly because of the ID system, Trinity College is ranked number 23rd safest of 135 colleges according to Reader’s Digest. This obviously not a ranking the school administration would like to lose. Thirdly, the ACIS manager also iterated that the reason for having ID cards supersedes simply dorm access as ID cards are necessary for very many different actions on campus, such as food, etc, and cannot consider reasons why a student would not have it on them. It seems that in some ways accidents are not excusable? But, the main point seems to be that making dormitory access to easy for students would be making it easier for a lot of other personages to access the dorms as well, through diverse methods mostly having to do with finding out codes. Upon the last word, the ACIS manager revealed that in the future the college plans to make access to other facilities and residence halls, perhaps even rooms, more exclusively by ID cards for students and faculty. I personally am not completely convinced of the reasons provided and will seek additional information from other sources. If additional clarification is needed, please contact me as all the info presented to me is not necessarily present here.

6 Comments

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  Andrea Wise October 29, 2008 at 6:55 pm

  This is good information, and I appreciate hearing the administration’s side of things, but I still don’t hear any reason why code-access to only an individual’s dorm would be unsafe. We’ve talked about it before, so I’d like us to press for that. It’s far too easy to lose or forget your ID and be locked out of your building, and at night, that becomes a huge safety concern. I can understand not allowing my code to work on ANY dorm on campus, but I see no reason why the codes of the residents of a building shouldn’t work.
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  Ibrahim October 29, 2008 at 11:25 pm

  I think ID access is just fine. As very clearly explained, Codes could be shared by multiple individuals. As far as tracking and accountability goes here is a perfect reason not to: We all know individuals that share their codes with more than 3 people. If, for some reason Campus safety was auditing doors to see who entered a building at what time, they would have to play a guessing game between 3 to 5 individuals who can all deny ever entering the building at that particular time. With a physical ID, this is not possible. ID is just straight forward and lot easier. I am all for IDs.
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  Andrea Wise October 30, 2008 at 12:05 am

  I am all for code access to your dorm building, and your dorm building only.
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  Nathan Kirschbaum October 30, 2008 at 1:40 pm

  I don’t think it is fair to say that individuals share their codes with more than 3 people. How do you know that? But even if it was 10 it wouldn’t matter. If the school is trying to find someone who did something wrong, auditing the door codes is not conclusive evidence anyway. It may or may not be helpful in trying to find someone. What if the person who did whatever they did was a resident and had been in their room for the last 12 hours? What if someone else let them into the building? So, it might narrow their search if they are lucky. But that is it. As for people who give out their codes, they should be taken to honor council for violating college policy and compromising the safety of their fellow students. It is that simple. I think it is more dangerous for students not to be able to get into their buildings in the middle of the night.
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  Ibrahim November 4, 2008 at 2:14 am

  I know people share their codes Nathan. I think you just need to interact with people on campus a little bit more and you will see it. Bringing someone to the honor council because of it?? You will be bringing a third of this campus and that’s a conservative estimate.
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  Andrea Wise November 4, 2008 at 11:52 am

  Yes people share codes, but the concern doesn’t really have anything to do with that. If someone wants to get into a building, they can. That’s Nathan’s point – someone can easily just follow someone else in. Our concern shouldn’t be so much keeping other people out as much as making sure that our students aren’t locked out of their rooms late at night. It’s scary when you can’t find your ID and you’re alone and need to find a way to be let into your building. I really don’t see it as a safety concern to let students use their codes on THEIR dorm buildings. So what if I give my code to my friend and they can now get into my building. Just like it is college policy that you are responsible for your guests, if you give your code to someone who uses it to get into your building to do something suspect, then you are going to be held partially responsible. Also, people might keep their codes more private if the codes were used for more than just their individual bedrooms.