The Red and Black

Issue date: 10/7/08 Section: News

Media Credit: JIM DIFFLY Students can enter dorms such as Hill Hall without showing an ID card to a desk clerk. [Click to enlarge]

Many on-campus residence halls appear more secure than Fort Knox, but others remain as relaxed as a roadside motel.

Some dorms require each student to swipe an ID card, scan a hand, then show the ID to the desk clerk. At night, there's often a security guard present to witness the entire exchange.

Although it can become tedious, this ritual has been deemed necessary, at least for the larger dorms, by campus security. But not all dorms have these security precautions.

Freshman residences, including Soule, Mary Lyndon, Payne, Morris, Rutherford and the Hill community, except for Hill Hall, don't have desk clerks. These dorms don't require students to claim their guests or show their IDs.

These dorms are usually smaller, with fewer people coming in and out each day, but some residents still question the overall safety and security of the students.

"I feel as if anyone can get into our dorm as long as someone lets them in the door. It's a little unsettling," said Jamie Lewis, a freshman from Marietta living in Church.

It's common practice in these smaller dorms to prop doors open for expected visitors, despite signs around the halls forbidding residents to do so.

To be polite, many students let people in through the front door without knowing if the individuals live in the dorm.

In buildings such as Russell or Creswell halls, residents must show proof of identity to get into the dorms, but in Lipscomb or Church halls they have complete access of the building once they come in the door.

Some students living in smaller dorms said they enjoy the relaxed atmosphere because it's easier to enter and bring guests.

Emily Dreschel, a freshman from Canton living in Lipscomb, said, "I was skeptical at first about the lack of security, but so far I have felt very safe in my dorm."

Some students, however, are more wary about the lack of security. Chris Okonkwo, a freshman from Kennesaw living in Mell, said he likes the freedom that living in Mell gives him but adds "it seems like campus security cares less about Mell and the rest of the Hill community just because it's smaller, which doesn't seem fair."

Ralphel Smith, assistant director for Residence Life, said he's gotten complaints like this in the five years he's worked for the University.

What many students don't know, he said, is that "there is 24-hour security coverage of each dorm, which is something we pride ourselves on here at UGA."

Each dorm has a security camera at the front door, so that the main desk in each community has a continuous view of the dorms.

Smith said it would be "virtually impossible" for the University to have someone in each desk of every residence hall all the time, but the security cameras make 24 hour coverage possible.

The RAs in each dorm forbid propping doors and have started putting up more signs in dorms without security desks saying that every guest must be escorted and those who are seen propping doors open will be "documented and go through the conduct process."

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