The University installed a new swipe system in McDowell Hall over the summer that requires residents to swipe their student IDs to run the elevators.
Students reacted to the new system by ripping out the elevator card readers on three separate occasions during the first two weeks of classes.
AU chose to implement this new “double-barrier” swipe system as part of a building-wide renovation project.
“It [was] just an opportunity to improve security … more and more universities are providing a double-barrier system,” Housing and Dining Director of Administration and Finance Chad LaDue said. “The idea is that as we renovate buildings, if the resources are available, we install the double-barrier system.”
LaDue said the need for security in residence halls has increased since the halls are now being used for multiple purposes such as classes and meetings.
Residence Director for Leonard and McDowell Halls Matthew LeBrasseur confirmed in a Sept. 15 email to residents that the destruction of the card readers was intentional. Housing and Dining has not yet found out who is responsible for the incidents.
The cost of replacing the card readers will be divided among McDowell residents until the culprits are found. The cost to fix the card readers is $260, according to LeBrasseur’s email.
“This vandalism has had a major impact on the entire McDowell community,” LeBrasseur wrote.
Under the new security system, elevators are programmed to shut down when card readers are torn out, causing delays for residents looking to use the elevator. McDowell Hall only had one functioning elevator for the first three weeks of the semester because of these problems with the card swipe system.
Technicians fixed both elevators in McDowell Hall early Sept. 19 with durable card readers that Housing and Dining hopes will make vandalism more difficult.
McDowell resident and sophomore in the School of Public Affairs Laura Friessnig said the elevators delays were a major disruption in her daily routine.
“They’ve made me late to class,” she said.
SPA sophomore Nick Ribaudo echoed Friessnig’s frustration.
“Not only does it set my schedule completely off, it’s such a hassle to actually walk up the stairs,” he said.
Letts, Roper and Clark Halls already have double-barrier card reader systems, and the three halls have yet to experience any problems.
“In Letts Hall, we’ve had no issues at all,” LaDue said. “If someone were to rip [the reader] off the wall, people would see it or hear it.”
LaDue said the card readers aren’t going anywhere in the long term.
“That’s not even on the table,” he said.
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