The Hitchcock residence hall and housing in Massachusetts Row and the Gold Coast became the first dormitories to utilize the new electronic security system this past week. The system will be implemented across campus at the beginning of next term.
Woody Eckels, Director of Residential Life, expressed pleasure with the way the system has been operating, noting that he believes "it's gone better than expected."
"The basic kind of things that we've been responding to is doors that don't close tightly," Eckels said, explaining that under the new security system, if a door is propped open or fails to close properly an alarm will be triggered alerting Safety and Security of the occurrence. The Office of Residential Life is presently working on adjusting hinges to ensure that all doors close tightly.
Eckels also mentioned that some students have come to ORL with difficulties getting their cards to function properly, but that the problems are relatively few and are being worked out.
The most common problem surrounding the locks has been students getting locked out of their dorms because they have forgotten to carry their Dartmouth cards.
"I haven't had any problems myself, but I've already had to let people in," Peter Sokol-Hessner '04 said.
Some students, however, do not feel burdened by having to constantly carry their cards. Cate Macomber '04 noted that students have to carry their cards anyway for purposes other than getting into their dorms.
Students living off campus and in private fraternity and sorority houses are still able to enter the affected dormitories freely, as long as they are enrolled in classes. Students who are working in the Hanover area but are not taking classes must apply to the Dean of Residential Life for access.
Local vendors making deliveries have not complained to ORL about the new security measures. There has been one instance of a vendor inside a dorm, which goes against the policy set by the College. The undisclosed business was contacted and reminded of the need to remain outside of dorms. Eckels declined to provide further comments on the situation.
Locks are currently being installed at the Tuck School of Business, Alumni Gymnasium, Dartmouth Medical School and various other academic buildings. Older card-activated security systems like the one used at Tuck residence halls will be upgraded.
