Liebowitz Approves Security System

Author: Claire Bourne

Acting President Ronald Liebowitz accepted Community Council's recommendation to engage the services of Strategic Technology Group to design a "campus access system" at Middlebury College. Liebowitz also approved the establishment of a Campus Access Committee to work closely with the firm "to ensure that all of the concerns of our community are considered during the design and implementation of [the] system," Liebowitz wrote in an all-campus e-mail onWednesday, April 3.

According to the same e-mail, Assistant Treasurer and Director of Business Services Tom Corbin will chair the committee, and work will begin immediately "given the need to define, develop and then implement our desired system."

In response to demands from Student Government Association (SGA) and Community Council members, the committee will explore ways to improve the current dormitory locking policy in order to facilitate 24-hour access to College residence halls. Liebowitz affirmed, "Until our new access system is installed, or until further notice, our residence halls will remain locked between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m."

In January, one month after an incident of armed robbery and assault in Hadley Hall that prompted the College to lock residence halls as a safety precaution, President John McCardell charged Community Council with examining campus safety issues.

According to Thermos' presentation, the design will most likely consist of a proximity card system that will allow students to enter their residence halls without having to remove their cards from their pockets or backpacks. Phase one of the project will involve installing proximity card sensors on all dormitory entrances. Academic, administrative and sports facilities may be included in the later stages of implementation.