As access to education widens, and student demographics regularly change and evolve, security is an increasingly critical concern of many campuses. The crowded nature of these sites makes criminal activity easier to conceal, and there is an ever-present risk of incidents such as acts of terrorism, campus shootings, or even simple vandalism.
Maintaining high levels of security is vital to ensure the safety of faculty and students alike. Here are some of the top tips for keeping a safe campus, to allow everyone to focus on the joy of education.
Mandatory ID Cards
Though not a failsafe solution, introducing compulsory ID cards means that it is easy to ascertain at a glance whether a stranger belongs to the campus. These should be obtained from a high-quality source, and contain a photograph, name, and position of the owner.
Further differentiation is also possible. For example, offering different colors for faculty, security, and students, or using corporate ID card printers to create employee badges with chips or sensors to better control and track access to certain parts of the campus.
Rigorous Visitor Procedures
A busy campus is going to have no shortage of visitors coming in and out on a daily basis. Parents, partners, visiting academics, maintenance, catering—the list of who might be entering a campus is a long one. It is essential to have a thorough process for signing visitors in and out, and a way of quickly identifying them while they are on campus.
This usually occurs through a system which takes the name of the visitor, their reason for visiting, the company or institution they belong to, and car registration details. The time they enter is also recorded, and they will likely receive a visitors pass. This can even have a photograph for maximum security. It is important that the guest is then signed out when they leave campus, to ensure that the record of who should be present remains up to date.
Adequate Lighting And Walkways
The physical design of the campus can also help to improve safety. All walkways should be signposted, and clear from any foliage or obstructions which can lead to hidden spots and potential danger. Lighting should be adequate throughout the site, particularly in areas such as parking lots and the walk back to dorms. By making it harder for crimes to occur, and increasing the likelihood that the perpetrator is identified and caught, you can help to boost safety and help ease the concerns and fears of students and staff.
Offer Physical Security
While technology is a massive bonus for improving safety, sometimes the presence of a physical human being is more effective. An on-site security guard is also far more likely to be able to respond to an ongoing incident in time. By offering this deterrent, you are ensuring that there is always someone around to hear strange noises or investigate when something doesn’t seem quite right. This can be the difference between a crime occurring and being prevented and offers an immediate solution in a way CCTV can’t achieve.
