Princeton Tightens Dorm Security System

In a move that has drawn mixed reactions from its students, Princeton University recently upgraded the electronic security system in its dormitories to 24-hour monitoring. The dorms had only been locked from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. prior to this fall.

Students gain access to the dormitories through keycards, known as "prox cards" because they must be placed in close proximity of an electronic security device.

Each card allows the student universal access to every dormitory and a few other campus buildings, including those in the Engineering Quad.

Princeton and Yale University both have universal keycard access on campus. Students at Harvard have been advocating a similar system in recent years.

"It [Princeton] is just another argument on the pile in favor of universal keycard access," said Noah Z. Seton '00, a member of the Undergraduate Council who has led the effort for universal access.

In response to an e-mail message sent by The Crimson concerning the Princeton security system, Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68 urged Harvard students in favor of universal keycard access to examine the Yale system rather than Princeton's because of Yale's similar urban setting.

According to Charles "Barry" Weiser, crime prevention specialist at Princeton, the Princeton administration negotiated with students for over a year before finally installing the complete lock-down.

Weiser said students demanded that the system be well-maintained 24 hours a day to prevent students from being denied access to the dormitories. Students also asked to have only one card for keycard access and identification. Previously prox cards were separate from the student's ID card.

This fall's move to increase security is not a response to a specific crime on the Princeton campus, but an effort by the administration to be proactive in crime prevention, Weiser said.

"We were seeing suspicious types within the dorms," Weiser said.

Several years ago in response to student demand, Princeton had also instituted a

system by which residents can admit visitorswithout cards via telephone. Through a systemcalled Telekey, students can open their entrywaydoor for 20 seconds by dialing #5 on their roomtelephone.

"I have never heard of that option about thephones [raised at Harvard]," Seton said. Lewiswrote that he also had not considered a telephonesystem and declined further comment.

The electronic security system has stirredcontroversy both on- and off-campus because it canbe used to track students' movements.

According to the Princeton UniversityDepartment of Public Safety, tracking informationwould be released to help in the investigation ofa crime or in the search for a missing individualwho is believed to be in danger.

The files are stored electronically. Accordingto Weiser, due to memory issues, files areoverwritten every three weeks.

"When the files are overwritten, then they arecompletely erased," Weiser said.

The files were requested recently by a localcourt after a vandalism suspect reportedly raninto a Princeton dormitory. Before files arereleased, both the Director of Public Safety andthe Dean of Student Life must approve the action.

"There's a whole detailed process," saidPrinceton Director of Public Safety Jerrold L.Witsil.

Princeton decided not to release the electronicfiles, but the files were subpoenaed andeventually released.

According to Lewis, it is Harvard's policy forthe Dean of Harvard College to approve requestsfor release of electronic files.

"The threshold for releasing information fromkeycard records is very high," Lewis said.

According to Lewis, Harvard's electronicrecords have never been subpoenaed.

"They [the requests] are very rare--two orthree a year perhaps--and in the three plus yearsthat I have been Dean, I don't remember a requestcoming from anywhere other than HUPD [HarvardUniversity Police Department], and then only whenit has been investigating a crime," Lewis wrote.

Weiser emphasized the deterrent of lockeddoors. He compared stealing from open dormitoriesto stealing from unlocked cars. "You find thedoor that's open," Weiser said.

According to the Princeton Department of PublicSafety, the burglary rate for the University was33 in 1995, 43 in 1996 and 42 in 1997.

Weiser cited the prevalence of laptop theft oncampus as an example of the crimes Princeton hopesto prevent with locked dormitories.

This fall, Princeton started a program sellingsubsidized laptops to students and, so far thisyear, six have been stolen. According to Weiser,five of the students admitted that their roomswere probably not locked at the time of theburglary.

According to Weiser, student reaction to thenew system has been mixed. But he said hebelieves the anxiety over the new system will goaway as the students get used to it.

"The campus had always been wide open," Weisersaid.

Students have protested the decision in variouspublications, including The Nassau Weekly and TheDaily Princetonian.

Princeton plans to install keycard access forall administration buildings in the distantfuture

system by which residents can admit visitorswithout cards via telephone. Through a systemcalled Telekey, students can open their entrywaydoor for 20 seconds by dialing #5 on their roomtelephone.

"I have never heard of that option about thephones [raised at Harvard]," Seton said. Lewiswrote that he also had not considered a telephonesystem and declined further comment.

The electronic security system has stirredcontroversy both on- and off-campus because it canbe used to track students' movements.

According to the Princeton UniversityDepartment of Public Safety, tracking informationwould be released to help in the investigation ofa crime or in the search for a missing individualwho is believed to be in danger.

The files are stored electronically. Accordingto Weiser, due to memory issues, files areoverwritten every three weeks.

"When the files are overwritten, then they arecompletely erased," Weiser said.

The files were requested recently by a localcourt after a vandalism suspect reportedly raninto a Princeton dormitory. Before files arereleased, both the Director of Public Safety andthe Dean of Student Life must approve the action.

"There's a whole detailed process," saidPrinceton Director of Public Safety Jerrold L.Witsil.

Princeton decided not to release the electronicfiles, but the files were subpoenaed andeventually released.

According to Lewis, it is Harvard's policy forthe Dean of Harvard College to approve requestsfor release of electronic files.

"The threshold for releasing information fromkeycard records is very high," Lewis said.

According to Lewis, Harvard's electronicrecords have never been subpoenaed.

"They [the requests] are very rare--two orthree a year perhaps--and in the three plus yearsthat I have been Dean, I don't remember a requestcoming from anywhere other than HUPD [HarvardUniversity Police Department], and then only whenit has been investigating a crime," Lewis wrote.

Weiser emphasized the deterrent of lockeddoors. He compared stealing from open dormitoriesto stealing from unlocked cars. "You find thedoor that's open," Weiser said.

According to the Princeton Department of PublicSafety, the burglary rate for the University was33 in 1995, 43 in 1996 and 42 in 1997.

Weiser cited the prevalence of laptop theft oncampus as an example of the crimes Princeton hopesto prevent with locked dormitories.

This fall, Princeton started a program sellingsubsidized laptops to students and, so far thisyear, six have been stolen. According to Weiser,five of the students admitted that their roomswere probably not locked at the time of theburglary.

According to Weiser, student reaction to thenew system has been mixed. But he said hebelieves the anxiety over the new system will goaway as the students get used to it.

"The campus had always been wide open," Weisersaid.

Students have protested the decision in variouspublications, including The Nassau Weekly and TheDaily Princetonian.

Princeton plans to install keycard access forall administration buildings in the distantfuture