In the wake of this month’s Governor’s Corner robberies, Stanford administrators are looking to improve both student awareness and security systems — perhaps by implementing an SUID card-based access system for campus residences.

Enlarge
#gallery http://daily.stanford.edu/image/full/8524
John Shen

A sign on the door of Robinson House, where a string of burglaries occurred this month, warns residents to take proper safety precautions.

A task force has been at work for months — even before the recent robberies took place — planning longer-term policy proposals.

“One of the recommendations the task force will be making is to implement a card access system that would enable people to use their SUID to access buildings,” said Chief of Police Laura Wilson. “This proposal, which has not yet been finalized or presented to the University decision makers, would be a huge undertaking and would require several years to implement [fully].”

Executive Director of Student Housing Rodger Whitney said such plans could commence in the coming months.

“We’re certainly looking to start with the residences,” Whitney said. “The hope is that some of this will be in place as early as the fall.”

A move toward card access would mimic similar systems at universities across the country; students at Amherst, Harvard and Yale all enter dorm buildings by swiping their student identification cards, using keys for their actual rooms. At bigger schools such as UC-Berkeley and New York University, students check in with security guards, who verify identification and sign in guests — students then proceed to their rooms, which they enter with a key.

Still, data suggests that most Stanford students tend to feel safe on campus. Soon-to-be-published results from the annual Winter Housing Survey rank students’ “sense of safety” at 4.6/5, a figure that is in keeping with historically high trends.

This sense of safety, however, may help contribute to security incidents if students neglect to take proper precautions.

“We’re glad students feel safe,” Whitney said. “But sometimes students don’t engage in safe practices because they feel so secure. People aren’t always doing what they should in terms of following the policies.”

Stanford’s current security policies rest on the assumption of student compliance with clauses in residential contracts, including following proper security measures. The adoption of ID-card entry still would not necessarily prevent potential student neglect.

“There is an expectation that people are going to use common sense when it comes to safety and security,” Wilson said. “Do not prop doors open. Do not allow strangers into the dormitory. Do not allow people you do not know to follow you into your dormitory. These are pretty basic concepts, but people violate them every day.”

Ensuring dorm security at Stanford is a shared responsibility between the Department of Public Safety, Residential Education and Student Housing. Administrators expressed a positive opinion about cooperation between the departments and the benefits of dialogue as they head toward continuing improvements.

“We are constantly in communication and discussion about safety and security,” said Interim Director of Residential Education John Pearson. “It is important to note the need for constant reminders and vigilance.”

While there is strong support for card access in dorms, guards in dorm entrances are not part of any plans for the near future.

“Fortunately, the level of crime on our campus does not warrant that level of security,” Wilson said.

In considering any improvements, administrators all agreed on the importance of preserving an open campus culture while keeping safety as a number one priority.

“We don’t want the campus to feel like Fort Knox, we want it to feel like home,” Whitney said. “And it’s all about finding that balance between keeping Stanford special and being aware of what’s around us.”