AUC will be making some changes to its security measures on the new campus. Entry for students, staff and faculty onto the university grounds will necessitate a valid AUC ID card.
"Our plan is to have security gates similar to the ones recently installed in the downtown library that have the ability to 'read' the new ID cards," said Paul Donoghue, vice president for planning and administration. Currently, guards must individually inspect the card of each person entering the Greek and Main campuses. In addition to the electronic security system in place on the new campus, security guards will also be conducting random 'spot checks' to ensure ID users' validity and ownership.
AUC's new IDs are designed with radio frequency identification technology (RFID) that makes them easily readable and enables automatic identification. In the event that a card holder forgets or is not carrying his or her valid ID upon arrival, he or she will be required to go through the same procedures as for a visitor's pass before being allowed on campus. "This will be inconvenient and time-consuming but will be required for security purposes," explained Donoghue, strongly advising AUC's community to get into the habit of carrying their ID at all times. A visitor pass will be available for legitimate visitors who do not have an AUC ID card.
The same entry policy will also apply to vehicles. "We are hoping that the parking permits will also include RFID technology," said Donoghue. Only those cars with a valid parking pass will be allowed on the campus and into the parking lots. The only exception will be a single entrance that cars without a parking permit can use in order to access a designated drop-off point before being required to leave the campus premises.
There will also be a short-term visitors parking for those commuters who do not have or are not eligible for AUC parking permits. The parking lots will not only be monitored using closed circuit security cameras, but will also be regularly patrolled by security staff.
The new library will utilize the same electronic security gates that are now being tested in the downtown library on the Greek Campus. Although plans are under way to have ID cards also function as keys to offices, classrooms and labs, access procedures are still being reviewed.
March 16, 2008
