College Security
College security needs to hold some importance in your decision when choosing a university. The hazards include partying, hazing, sexual assault and of course shooting rampages. In most cases it will be the first time away from the safety of the family home. Every campus should have its own polices regarding college security. While safety is also the responsibility of each individual, well documented polices are a sign of well thought out plans. Most students will engage in some form of partying. Hopefully common sense will prevail, but sadly, it seems, many of us were not endowed with it. I have met many full-on adults who lack common sense. Always go to parties with friends- never alone! Let other friends know where you are going and when you’ll be back. Never leave your drink out of your sight. Never accept a drink you if did not witness it being prepared to help avoid the possibility of date rape. Hazing is a definite college security issue. Pledging for sororities has always been part of campus life, but sometimes the initiation process becomes harmful as some will do almost anything to become part of the group. Some typical forms of hazing include:
- Binge drinking
- Paddling
- Spitting
- Forced eating
- Beating
- Mental intimidation
- Physical intimidation
Like most schools and businesses, colleges will hold fire and disaster drills and most recently shooting drills. Of course many students are already aware of these from high school. It’s a beautiful world, right? Many students are trying to take matters in their own hands and campaigning for approval to carry concealed weapons. Originally known as the Campus Security Act, The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistic Act requires colleges in the United States to disclose information about crime on and around their campuses.
This law was named for 19 year old Lehigh University freshman Jeanne Ann Clery who was raped and murdered in her dorm room while sleeping on April 5, 1986. Her parents found out that students had not been informed about 38 violent crimes on that campus in the three years before her murder. In 2000 the law was amended to require schools beginning in 2003 to notify the campus community about where public "Megan’s Law" information regarding registered sex offenders on campus could be obtained. Here is a helpful check list to help you evaluate college security protocols for
Dormitories: - Card swipe entrance
- Patented keys
- Standard keys
- Propped doors
- Doors always locked
- Doors locked at night
- Doors never locked
- Guards on duty
- Visitors sign in
- Visitors show ID
- Visitors intercom entrance
- Peep holes in room door
- Dead bolt in room door
- Safety chain on room door
- Panic alarms in rooms
- Fire sprinklers
- Secure windows
- Security patrols in dorms
- Single genders dorms
- Freshman dorms
- Coed Dorms
- Single gender bathrooms
Campus - Surveillance cameras
- Security guards
- Sworn police
- Patrolling in day
- Patrolling at night
- Bicycle patrols
- Carry forearms
- Emergency phones
- Escort services
- Shuttle services
All these things and many more should be considered when investigating college security and making the important choice of where to go to school, or where to send your children to school.
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