SGA approves security cameras

Author: Laura Budzyna

On Jan. 16, the Student Government Association (SGA) Senate voted 8-7 in favor of the installation of security cameras outside the dining halls. The bill was formulated and passed in response to the recent rise in theft on campus.

The bill, which was written by Junior Senator Marcus Hughes '06, proposes installing cameras near backpack drop-off points outside of dining halls. These cameras would be tape-feed, not live, and students would be able to review these tapes at Public Safety in the case of a theft.

The Senate agreed to start a four-month trial period in Proctor dining hall to test the effectiveness of the approved camera system with a maximum of three cameras. After the trial period, the Commons Administration, Treasurer's Office, Public Safety and possibly a student subcommittee will decide whether to continue the use of the cameras.

The SGA hopes that the bill will address what SGA President Andrew Jacobi '05 calls "a rash of theft" that broke out on campus in October 2004. According to Public Safety reports, there was a marked increase in the number of stolen bikes, backpacks and other belongings during the fall semester, as well as several reports of dorm room intruders and the incident of a student being threatened at knifepoint.

Since the fall, the SGA has been discussing ways to address this recent upsurge in campus crime, with particular concern for preventing future crimes and restoring a feeling of security to the College. The SGA conducted a cursory dining hall survey on campus safety in November and then sent out a more comprehensive e-mail survey in December. The survey questions included whether or not students felt safe at the College, whether they had personally experienced theft and what measures they would be comfortable taking to prevent future crime on campus.

According to the SGA results, the majority of students who responded to the survey agreed that the installation of security cameras outside dining halls would decrease the instances of theft, especially since the dining halls were shown in the survey to be the most common locations for theft of personal belongings. However, the majority of students did not approve of the same cameras screening campus bike racks.

According to Jacobi, many students against the cameras were nervous about how these security devices would change the atmosphere on campus and particularly that cameras would be an eyesore and create an unnecessary element of fear.

Wonnacott Commons Senator Eli Berman '06, who voted against the Security Bill, argued, "Everything about the bill is ambiguous. Yes, security cameras, but where? How many? For how long? Who will decide after the trial period is over?"

Berman also expressed his concern about the students' reaction to the change of atmosphere. "I think it's obvious that Middlebury students meant that cameras would, in fact, negatively affect the atmosphere of the college," he said of the email survey results.

Other members saw no reason not to institute such safety procedures, if it meant the security of Middlebury students and their belongings. First-year senator Fil Marinkovic '08, a sponsor of the bill, argued that "the number [of thefts] that still crop up on a weekly basis is unacceptable."

"If the cameras chosen are of an adequately small size and are placed so that they don't impose on the atmosphere of the dining halls, then I feel they would only add to the atmosphere of safety Middlebury already has," Marinkovic said. "Furthermore, the survey provided evidence that the majority of students would in fact support their installation, and felt that they would deter thefts."

Ross Commons senator Rishabh Kashyap '08, another sponsor of the bill, sought to reassure students of the good intentions of this project. "To me, by passing this bill the SGA has not approved the installation of security cameras," he said. "They have started a committee to explore a way to keep the campus safe as well as keep the students happy. That is why the cameras are being tried out; if there is a huge dissatisfaction with them and we don't see improvements in safety, we will uninstall the cameras."

Jacobi noted that the Community Council has to approve a bill before taking it to the administration and actually implementing it. Therefore, this SGA decision does not mean that there will definitely be security cameras up outside all the dining halls; it simply means that the SGA will lobby for it.

Jacobi said that in addition to implementing security cameras, the SGA will be working with CRA's and RA's to educate the student body on various safety issues.