Every entrance that students need to use at night should have a scanner for easy access.
The entrance to Phillips Hall requires that you call campus security to verify that you are an art student and that you belong there. This is a waste of time for you as a student to wait for security, as well as a waste of time for Campus Security, who most definitely have better things to be doing than heading to Phillips. ID scanners would be helpful here, which already identify you as a student and could then also be used to identify you as specific type of student who should have access to the building during that semester if you are in an art class or registered to be in the building. This could be handled over email with someone or done automatically with art students, or even by doing it online on CaneLink.
The current system is very inefficient and can cause delays for students. I personally see students who call Campus Security from their dorm and then head over to Phillips as a way to save time, but that is not even a good compromise. You do not want to leave our officers waiting when they could be responding to other calls or patrolling campus.
If the ID Scanner system is good enough to be used to protect the computer lab in the library 24/7 and all the lobbies on campus, then it should be enough to protect the things in Phillips. And if it is not enough, we should not be using it to protect ourselves and our assets in the lobbies. Phillips security would in fact be better served because they would be able to see who had accessed the building. So if something was stolen, we could track down everyone who was inside at the time.
ID Scanners should also be used in places like Fisher South, which still uses door codes for every door. They also have a problem with the first-floor men’s floor having no security whatsoever because it houses the laundry facilities. If there was a scanner, then anyone who has access to the building could also have access to the hall.
Even other academic buildings could have ID scanners, because there are reasons that you should be in a building late at night, especially when finals week approaches. For example: there may be Kendall students who require use of the theater at night, or “Collegian” editors needing access to their office.
