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. |