We're the last dorm to be done by the security team. They got a consulting team to come in and help them design the security features. The key is to have a camera on the inside and outside of every egress. The only exception here is the MP room doors. For privacy concerns, the security office set a policy on all of the security data. It's all only saved for 14 days and trashed after that time period. They're getting rid of old DVR systems that lasted longer; it's just going to a secure server. If something is going on and they need to look at it, they would need to go through the security office and need permission from them. What would typically happen is if you go to them up to 13 days afterwards, they'll save the data and let you petition, and if it goes through, you could look at it. Camera-wise, it doesn't have a zoom or anything. We just have one shot. For instance, in Westgate, they've had a large view for the playground, so no one comes in there. But in the Westgate day care, it just looks at the door, even the top half of the door. They have digital masks on different parts at the cameras, like balconies. In the garage, all of the card readers will have cameras. There are some existing cameras, but we need more. There's another concern they noticed: Some doors don't have handicap access (electric springs to hold them open), which they're going to fix. In general, anything on the plans in fuschia is old, and anything in green is new. On the first floor, we have an exterior camera and a camera inside the door. You will have the ability to communicate via video with the night watchman. There will be new cameras on the exit near the restaurant. As they said, there won't be cameras in the MP Room due to the activity. They need a camera in the kitchen which they can mask. The north doors near the seminar room have card readers that don't work. They will be installed with new readers. The history there is that the very first SPEC requested that those not have access because we couldn't control access. With the new system, we'll have the ability to deny entrance to certain doors upon request, if we still want that. For future use, if we want another card reader on the hallway-bike room doors, it will be there. There are a few more cameras we don't own -- Parking owns some in the garage so you can contact them if you need to get out. There will be more cameras on the second floor stairwell going out (around room 250). There will be a timer on that door so you can go out, but after 30 seconds, it'll go off. (This does more than just beep; it immediately notifies the security folks so they can get someone to check on them.) Q: Can you fix the bike room door? A: Yes, we'll hope that that'll be fixed when everything is rewired. We'll also implement a testing system on a periodic basis. Q: How do we know that we won't get more stringent security measures in the future, like has happened in the undergrad dorms? A: We don't do anything like that without going through Housemasters at the very least. We don't want to deter you from access like at BU or Northeastern. This question was also raised in Edgerton, and they explained that the graduate communities have different norms. Your housemasters would have words with us if we tried to close things without conversation. It'd also need to be graduate-community-wide, and the GSC Housing chairs would need to be consulted. By the way, the conversation has arisen to build a Security Committee in the GSC to review all of these policies. Q: What is happening in the Owu room? Can we not have a camera there, like we don't have one in the MP Room? A: We need the camera there since it's right on the street, but we'll mask it really well. Once the cameras are installed and active, we'll take snapshots so they can see. The cameras won't be moved, but the masking will happen digitally at the camera. Unless someone actually dismantled it, nothing would change. We really don't care what you're doing inside the building. Q: One of the concerns that was raised: If we have a camera on the entrance to the gate, do we need cameras on the courtyard? A: The walls aren't high enough to prevent that. Remember that no one can look at the video footage except the police under a police investigation, in writing. No administrator or faculty member would have access. Chief DiFava is pretty strict on that. A good example of this working out was the death of Officer Collier. The police also don't look at all the data, and just the specific cameras that apply. There is one exception: If someone is reported as missing, they will look at card reader data and will try to find the last time they've been seen. That isn't a criminal investigation, but it is a police investigation. Q: This won't be used for petty things like underage drinking, correct? A: That would be a full-time job for the undergrad dorms. Quite frankly, we won't look at someone smoking a joint outside. This would be like if someone was stealing bikes from the bike room. If that happens, you need to submit a police report first, and they'll consider it. By the way, the desk worker will only get four live views on their screen with no way to record or capture it. One positive story here: This goes back to an armed robbery in Baker, one of the undergrad dorms. The first year we did these upgrades, a student was standing outside Baker and someone asked the student for his phone to make a phone call, and the guy ran off. They were able to use this to catch the guy (although they didn't get his phone back). The cameras are also pretty obvious, so they're a deterrent. Q: There is no audio on these cameras, right? A: Yes, state law actually doesn't allow that. Q: Are the cameras easily damaged? A: We have only had one issue when someone physically yanked it down. But then again, they were on camera. There's a pending announcement about SEMO, the security and emergency office, which is splitting up. Q: In summary, what will change with access? A: Just the two north doors. If that needs to change, it will require a discussion with the housing through your house government. If you want door alarms turned off, we can do that easily. They could program the alarms at specific times, with some reasonable advance notice.