Claverly Residents Demand Increased Security Measures

Claverly residents are now circulating a petition demanding additional security precautions for the Mt. Auburn St. dormitory.

The drafters of the petition said yesterday that the incident that provoked the petition was an assault on a Claverly resident last Friday night.

Archie C. Epps III, dean of students, said yesterday that he spoke to Police Chief David L. Gorsky following the incident and requested an investigation.

Nelson Denis '77 and Daniel Gale '77, the authors of the petition, said yesterday that they intend to sent it to administrators in Quincy, Adams and Lowell Houses. Claverly residents are all members of those Houses.

Attack

The attack on Andrew Salter '77 last Friday occurred as Salter was unlocking the door to Claverly. Four unidentified men approached and demanded to be let in, and when Salter refused, the men attacked him and fled.

Epps said yesterday that the student security guard assigned to Claverly pressed an emergency button to summon the Harvard police, but that police did not respond.

The petition describes the current precautions, "which consist of one student who sits near the entry from 6 p.m. until midnight" as inadequate, citing a rash of burglaries, assaults and attempted crimes in Claverly.

Extended Surveillance

The petition recommends increasing the number of guards on duty, employing student guards familiar with the occupants of Claverly and extending the surveillance period until at least 3 a.m.

Nelson expressed concern that "if as a result of our action other Houses start demanding increased security too, the administration may decide that they can't afford to help Claverly."

But we are really a unique house with a unique problem," he added.

Another Claverly resident said, "It used to be that if you lived on the top floors of Clavelly you were relatively safe, but that's just not true anymore. If I were a girl on the first or second floor I'd demand to get out of Claverly."

A series of break-ins and robberies at Claverly last year prompted the posting of the guard in the dormitory lobby.