Residence security doesn't measure up

Staff Photographer Agi Janik contributed to this story.

SF State students who live in any one of the three residence halls: Mary Burke Hall, Mary Ward Hall, and the apartment complex, often enjoy the luxury of going from bedroom to classroom -- all in a matter of minutes.

While convenience may not be a question, safety, based on a recent review of police reports on resident-housing incidents, might be.

According to Sgt. Molly Borja, head of investigations for the University Police Department, four separate incidents in the residence halls raise safety questions.

Borja said in November, officers were dispatched to the Gold Coast Taqueria, inside the Cesar Chavez Student Center, on the report of a theft. The UPD apprehended three individuals -- one, an SF State student -- just outside Burk Hall. Upon further investigation, the UPD discovered one suspect carrying an LSD tab. In addition, two of the suspects, one a 17-year-old runaway from Sacramento, had been living with the SF State student inside his room at Mary Ward Hall.

According to Borja, incidents like this have taken place before.

"We had another minor staying with (an SF State student) in the residence halls. The (minor) ended up stealing her ATM card and took money out of her ATM," she added.

In yet another case, an SF State student living in the residence halls befriended a transient and allowed him to stay in the halls, resulting in the theft of her video equipment.

Borja said another incident concerned a convict who violated the terms of his parole by staying with his girlfriend, also an SF State student living in the residence halls.

Should students inside the residence halls be concerned?

Melinda O'Brien, associate director, residence life, said she thinks the safety procedures in place are effectively designed to minimize these events. However, O'Brien would not comment on the above incidents directly.

"We provide a combination of safety and security systems that involve physical facilities, staff procedures, and resident-awareness participation," she said.

As an example of strict security measures, O'Brien said all secondary access doors, like those in back of the residence halls and the apartments, are locked 24 hours a day.

The primary doors, the main entrances into the residence halls, are unlocked from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., but are staffed by reception desks on a 24-hour basis. According to O'Brien, students are also required to scan special cards at entrances to open doors after 8 p.m.

According to one staff member however, these measures don't quite cut the mustard when it comes to providing security. The source, who wished to remain anonymous, said access to the buildings is quite easy.

"There was recently a fight about two or three weeks ago, late one evening, between some residents and a nonresident. The guy (nonresident) ended up going out the back door -- nobody knew who it was," the staffer said.

In addition, he said it was pretty easy for unauthorized people to gain entry into the residence halls. It's "just a matter of waiting for somebody to come out or having a friend open the door for you," he said, adding that few people are actually caught. Residents of at least two halls also dispute the safety precautions.

A.J. Landry, a senior majoring in theater arts and a resident of the apartments, finds little comfort in the card-swiping process. He thinks the card-scan system can be an open invitation for unwanted guests.

"If you're not living in the apartments and you wait for someone to swipe their card to open the doors, you can get in and nobody (will) question you," Landry said.

Rebecca Claire, a freshman living in Mary Ward Hall for the last two semesters, goes in and out with relative ease without using her card -- despite the fact security measures are supposed to be in place.

"I just open up the door and go in without swiping my card. I was told the door was broken there was no need to swipe," Clair said.

While O'Brien could not verify whether the card system was operating, she admitted there were flaws in the security system.

"Certainly our system can be circumvented -- (just like) people can cheat on final exams, people can sneak on the Muni through the back doors," she added.

Still, other security measures are in place.

"There are always multiple staff members on duty who wear pagers and two-way radios. Contact with a staff member is always available on an immediate basis," she added.

When residents are faced with a crisis situation, O'Brien said staff members are extensively trained to assist students.

"Our RAs (resident assistants) go through about two weeks of training. We identify various resources on campus who come and spend time with the RAs anywhere from one to three or four-hour sessions. Examples of different departments would include University Police, people from the Safe Place, people from counseling," O'Brien said.

In addition, RAs walk the floors to check for suspect activity, according to O'Brien.

Landry said he thinks the school might want to look at alternative methods of monitoring the residence halls, especially at night.

"The school ought to think about installing surveillance cameras, especially on the floors and areas like the back of the apartments where nobody is watching," he said.

[ Golden Gater Online February 29, 1996 ]

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