I could go into a long dissertation about target hardening, threat assessments and determining vulnerabilities as components of preventing and preparing for critical incidents on campus, however I won't. Suffice it to say, the Public Safety Department surveyed all the classroom doors at the Brighton campus to determine which of them could be locked. We are in the process of correcting those that could not be locked.
My first point: All faculty who teach at the Brighton Campus should request and pick up a classroom key. When you come back from "break week" you may find a new locking mechanism and the door locked. It will be keyed to the same general classroom key that most of you already have. (I really don't want to mention the key number in this article)
Second point: My philosophy is if there is a lock, it should be used during and between classes.... I say, while I am teaching (and sometimes I do) I would prefer to have the control of who enters my classroom and when. If I am not, I would like to know that when no one is in my classroom that it and all the contents are secure for when it is time for my the next class. Don't you just get so annoyed when a remote or one of the computer components are missing? Darn, I need that CPU today!
As a college community member we all have a duty to do our part to help protect the campuses' assets (those are the people and the property). I think, locks on doors is one of our tools.
So..... to Lock or not to lock-is not a question. LOCK!
For those of you that teach at Damon, you are already "ahead" of us. You have a closed campus with a controlled entrance where college ID must be presented.
And of course if you would like to discuss further target hardening and threat assessments as components of preventing and preparing for critical incidents, feel free to contact us.
Leah Santirocco
Public Safety
03/12/2008 |