U. releases list of recommended safety measures

The Division of Public Safety offered seven policies to better security in 24-hour buildings. In response to the attack of a Penn sophomore in a Steinberg-Dietrich Hall bathroom last month, the University has proposed several suggestions for improving security in campus buildings open 24 hours a day. The seven recommendations, issued by the Division of Public Safety, included requiring students to wear ID badges at night, having fewer buildings open all night and generally increasing security measures in those that do stay open. Steinberg-Dietrich, the Engineering School's Towne and Moore buildings and the McNeil Building are currently the only publicly accessible academic 24-hour buildings. The proposals, however, are only preliminary, according to Penn Det. Commander Tom King. Neither Vice President for Public Safety Tom Seamon nor University Police Chief Maureen Rush could be reached for comment last night on whether these suggestions would be implemented. The list also suggests limiting the spaces for after-hour activities to specific rooms and floors within buildings and locking rooms that are not designated for 24-hour use. Additionally, Public Safety is proposing that only one door in each building be open late at night, with that door accessible only by a PennCard reader or staff member who checks for identification. Steinberg-Dietrich currently has one entrance which is manned by a security guard with a card reader. The Towne and Moore buildings have one main entrance manned by a security guard and three entrances with card readers after hours. Further, to prevent non-University affiliates from entering buildings after hours, the policy states that all building users be required to prominently display their PennCards between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Also included on the list is to only have one non-emergency exit unlocked at night so that students don't leave them open. Police believe the suspect in the recent Steinberg-Dietrich attack entered the building through a side door that was propped open. Right now, the exit doors of both Steinberg-Dietrich Hall and the Towne and Moore buildings are not armed with security alarms. The Security Policy, released to the Undergraduate Assembly on Tuesday, addressed many of the concerns raised by the UA in their first Building Security Resolution earlier in the semester, passed several days after the attack, according to UA Chairperson Bill Conway. "Public Safety has adequately responded to all of our concerns," the Wharton junior said. "The Security Policy is a step in the right direction but our main goal is to involve the entire community in safety and not merely give the issue to Public Safety to solve." The UA has been working for three weeks on administering a security survey to the entire University community. The survey attempts to determine student and faculty opinion on where they feel the least safe on and off campus, the performance of SpectaGuard bike patrol officers and residential security. The survey also polls students about the PennWalk Escort Program and the Penn Escort shuttle vans. "The survey gives the UA the ability to be a liaison between the Department of Public Safety and the University community," said UA West Philadelphia Committee member Keri Hyde, a Nursing junior. The data from the survey will be compiled by the beginning of next semester.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.