Ad Board Passes Key Policy

The Administrative Board last week passed a new policy restricting the release of information recorded by students' electronic card keys.

The new policy prohibits the University from releasing the record of a student's entry into a building unless the release has been specifically authorized by the student or by the Dean of College.

The information logged via card keys will be released to the University Police "under circumstances when the information is important in investigating a crime or other incident related to campus security."

Students will then be notified upon release of the information, and will be provided with a copy of the information as well.

The policy also defuses the limits, of what can be shown using the card key records. It says, "The key card record can indicate that a card has been used in a particular building at a particular time, but it cannot establish who actually used the card."

When electronic locks were installed on the doors to Yard dorms last fall, the Civil Liberties Union of Harvard (CLUH) voiced objections to University officials ability to track student's activities.

CLUH members feared that the University would violate students' right to privacy by using card key information irresponsibly, said CLUH Director Robert W. Yalen '95.

One of CLUH's main concerns was that the University would use a card key record as evidence against a student when considering formal charges of misconduct or illegal actions.

CLUH executive officers approached Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 about formulating a policy to define the purposes for which the College would use card key records.

"Dean Jewett was very helpful to us in working out a statement," Yalen said.

After several meetings, Jewett and CLUH members drafted a proposal the represented a compromise between student and university inter outs.

"The concerned students submitted a written statement to us, which we approved," Jewett said.

Upon acceptance by the Administrative Board, the product of months of negotiation now becomes official College policy regarding the accessibility of card key usage records.

"When we made the compromise and presented it to the full board of CLUH, they were very happy with the proposal and approved it immediately "Yalen said

One of CLUH's main concerns was that the University would use a card key record as evidence against a student when considering formal charges of misconduct or illegal actions.

CLUH executive officers approached Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 about formulating a policy to define the purposes for which the College would use card key records.

"Dean Jewett was very helpful to us in working out a statement," Yalen said.

After several meetings, Jewett and CLUH members drafted a proposal the represented a compromise between student and university inter outs.

"The concerned students submitted a written statement to us, which we approved," Jewett said.

Upon acceptance by the Administrative Board, the product of months of negotiation now becomes official College policy regarding the accessibility of card key usage records.

"When we made the compromise and presented it to the full board of CLUH, they were very happy with the proposal and approved it immediately "Yalen said