Canaday Hall Targeted For Experimental Locks

The University is considering installing experimental locks in Canaday Hall which would use electronic access cards instead of keys, officials said this week.

The possible conversion is intended to enhance security and to eliminate the necessity of replacing students' lost keys and changing door locks, officials said.

The electronic access cards would be similar to the ones used for automated teller machines. Students would simply pass the card through an electronic reader in order to be allowed entrance.

Director of Physical Operations Michael N. Lichten said he would welcome the conversion. "Key management is a fairly large task for us," he said. "Every year those keys have to be collected and handed out when students return."

Lichten also pointed to other difficulties with the use of conventional keys, such as the security risk posed by lost keys.

Under the new system, "If a card is lost or someone moves, the card can just be cancelled out," Lichten said.

Lichten suggested that it might eventually be possible to include the electronic access codes directly on student I.D. cards, thus eliminating a need for separate cards.

If the experiment proves successful, officials said, the new locks might be installed in other dormitories.

University officials said that they have not yet decided to go through with the experiment but that if they did, installation of the new system would begin immediately after Commencement Exercises in June.

At this point, Canaday is the primary dormitory being considered for the experiment because it has one of the largest demands for replacement keys of any residence hall, said Eric Engel, manager of Harvard Yard facilities.

"Our hope is for it to happen over the summer and to have it ready for next year's freshman class," Engel said.

Officials said they do not know how expensive the change will be since they are still evaluating proposals from several contractors.