ID to Access Dorms Only Over Winter Term
By Rachel Decker

Last Winter Term, the College Administration developed an experimental policy in which students who remained on campus, for a stretch of nine days in January, could only access their own dorms with their OCID’s. The Administration took this measure as a precaution to limit access to campus facilities while much of the College community was away.
Although the Administration stated last February they felt the policy was not as effective as they had hoped and that they would not effect it again, it will in fact be in place for a longer period of time this coming January, for not only nine days, but two weeks.
“I’ve given this a lot of thought,” stated Residential Life and Dining Services Director Kim Lafond. “For the first two weeks of January, there are fewer students on campus and allowed access to all of the dorms is just not looking at security clearly.”
Dean of Students Peter Goldsmith felt similarly.
“I think that there’s evidence from other campuses that the larger the number of individuals who have access to a residence hall, the less secure the residence hall is,” he said.
In light of the recent arrest of a non-student who had been living in Harkness Co-op for much of the year, the College is looking to reduce security risks that can be seen throughout the campus, such as door-propping and door-holding.
The guest policy held by the College is also a potential risk.
“We have a liberal guest policy, to say the least,” College President Nancy Dye said. “I am always distressed and worried when I hear that individuals that are not students are living in our residences.”
Lafond is happy with the guest policy, yet stressed the importance of its enforcement.
He recommends that students who see unfamiliar faces in residence halls call security, and that practices such as door-propping be recognized as risks.
Students remaining in Oberlin this January are not especially pleased with the policy or its time extension.
“It just seems like such a pain,” said sophomore Andrew Callaway. “I don’t understand the thought process behind it. I think it is going to encourage exactly what they are hoping it will stop.”

Sophomore Kate Bridge agrees. “A lot of people are going to be left outside waiting of someone to come along and hold the door,” she said. “And I thought that’s exactly what they [the Administration] don’t want.”

Co-ops and the dining halls will not be a part of the limited OCID access policy this January.