The Critical Role of Campus Security in Educational Success

According to the Department of Education, nearly 31,000 crimes were reported on university campuses in 2021. We may confidently presume that the true figure is significantly greater because so many go unreported.

Campus threats, such as theft and sexual harassment, occur frequently, making campus security a priority. All campuses are bound by a particular campus security policy that aims to maintain campus safety at all times.

Any college student will tell you that getting into someone else’s dorm is not difficult. Keycards are now widely used as the preferred entry security technique, making it possible to gain access to hundreds of students’ dorm rooms and other buildings with a single swipe if you find a keycard that has been left in a classroom, lost at a party, borrowed from a friend, or even stolen.

Students who live in dorms typically leave dorm room doors open and unlocked while others pass by and stop in to visit, which adds to the problem.

Following the epidemic, some institutions have decided to finally address the problem as part of more extensive facility modifications. More advanced and technology-focused security solutions are emerging.

In this article, we talk about campus security and how important it is for campus safety officers to invest in technology-driven solutions.

Key Takeaways

1. Campus security and safety collectively refer to the institution’s security plan and established control measures to protect campus members.
2. Campus security is critical in reducing the likelihood of criminal offences and misconduct that could affect the students’ and faculty members’ way of living on campus.
3. Great Valley Lockshop offers advanced solutions, such as a keyless access system, to increase security measures for campus safety.

What Is Campus Safety?

Campus safety refers to the overall effectiveness of an institution’s security measure plan for ensuring a safe campus environment for students and faculty.

Security measures for safety in an educational institution include programs and carefully designed plans. These initiatives all aim to make campus living free from threats.

Campuses in the US are mandated to inform all constituents about crime on and around the campuses as part of the Clery Act. To do this, campuses must establish campus security measures that may involve the following:

1. Physical security measures include well-lit pathways, access, entryway security features, and other safety precautions.
2. A complete emergency preparedness plan for cases of natural disasters or crime events.
3. Security personnel and officers who patrol the campus and facilitate safety.
4. Technology supports such as the use of keycard access, biometrics,
5. Seminars and educational training for the campus community. This includes providing security tips and critical information about the community’s established measures.

The specifics of campus safety can vary depending on the size and nature of the organizations, local laws and regulations, and the unique challenges each campus faces. Regardless, creating a safe and secure environment is a top priority for educational institutions to support the overall well-being of their communities. Improving campus safety is a continuous process for administrators and law enforcement agencies.

What Is the Campus Security Act?

All US universities and colleges entitled to government funding and grants are required to comply with the Clery Act, which acts as the campus security act of the country.

The Campus Security Act refers to the Clery Act. The law, or Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, was signed into law in 1990.

The law mainly requires educational institutions to disclose information about any crime involving the campus immediately. It was named after a college student, Jeanne Clery, who was violated and murdered in her residence hall in 1986.

The Clery Act covers the following key provisions:

1. Institutions must publish and distribute an Annual Security Report to provide transparency for their constituents.
2. Institutions must collect and disclose crime statistics for different crimes involving the campus.
3. Institutions must notify all constituents about crimes through timely warnings for emergency management.
4. Institutions must publish an annual fire safety report that includes safety practices, related incidents, and the fire safety features of dormitories.
5. Institutions must disclose policies and procedures related to campus safety to all of their constituents.
6. The law defines key individuals with crime security responsibility for student and campus activities.

The federal law helps reduce suspicious activity in campus setups and protects students, faculty members, and other campus constituents.

Security companies are now moving toward using advanced technology to adapt to the evolving campus security threats and uphold the Clery Act. Today, advanced solutions such as what we offer in Great Valley Lockshop integrate the benefits of using technology in strengthening security systems.

We provide advanced security measures for all kinds of institutions, including campuses. Choose from a wide selection of security systems, from card access to facial recognition systems.

 

What Is the Role of Security in a Campus Community?

The role of security measures on campus is critical in preventing crimes and creating a safe environment. Every year, college students and faculty members become victims of various crimes, such as sexual assault, robbery, homicide, and vehicle theft.

Management systems establish security measures to control such cases in a campus community.

Here are some key aspects of the roles of security in a campus community:

• Access control. Security measures aim to mediate entry points on campus and check the identity of all incoming and outgoing individuals.
• Crime prevention. Security helps prevent criminal activities by implementing strategies and helpful monitoring tools.
• Emergency response. A part of security measures is establishing a response plan in case of emergencies. This helps lessen the impact of critical events on the affected community members.
• Investigations. In case of crime incidents, security measures are expected to provide key information or evidence to help local law enforcement.

The role of security in a campus community may expand depending on its jurisdiction. One thing all security measures have in common is that they help foster better learning, collaboration, and safety by mitigating potential threats and risks.

Top Reasons Why Campus Safety and Security Is Important

Campus safety and security help students focus on learning and personal development. On the other end of the spectrum, these factors also help faculty members provide critical education to students without fearing for their safety.

Campuses are responsible for preserving all their members’ safety by establishing risk mitigation plans.

Here are the top 4 reasons why campus safety and security are important:

Preventing all Forms of Crime, Violations, and Misconduct.

Security measures significantly help control and prevent criminal activities and misconduct in campus setups. Universities and colleges are well-known to be prone to all sorts of crimes.

Among the many criminal offenses noted to occur in schools, the following happen at a higher rate based on the report of the National Center for Education Statistics:

• Sexual offenses (44% of total on-campus crimes)
• Burglaries (32% of reported on-campus crimes)
• Motor vehicle theft (12% of reported on-campus crimes)
• Aggravated assaults (7% of reported on-campus crimes)
• Robberies (2% of reported on-campus crimes)
• Arson (2% of reported on-campus crimes)

The majority of these crimes can be prevented if campuses establish safety measures to protect students. Cases of robberies, arson, and assault on university dorms, department offices, and residence halls can be prevented by installing security measures, such as advanced lock technologies. In other situations, emergency door locks for classrooms can help prevent prevalent university crimes, such as mass shootings.

Creating a Positive Learning Environment

A secure campus fosters a positive and supportive learning environment for students. Students and faculty can perform their assigned tasks more efficiently by having a safe and secure campus.

In addition to this, having a strong reputation for safety can help influence student and parent decisions to attend a certain university or school. In a recent survey of current and prospective students, approximately 56% said that campus safety is a major concern in choosing an institution for higher education.

Students are more likely to choose a school with established safety protocols.

Protecting the Lives of Campus Members

The main objective of security measures is to prioritize the lives of students, faculty, staff, and visitors. Setting up proper security measures prepares the campus for emergencies and minimizes any potential risks.

Cases of crimes and violence often happen in places that are not well-secured and far from the reach of respondents. Having a comprehensive safety system covering danger-prone areas provides peace of mind for all campus members.

Addressing Emergency Situations

A part of why campuses must install safety measures is to prepare them for emergencies. Cutting-edge security tools can minimize or control problems such as break-ins or security threats.

Nowadays, security locks may come with facial recognition features or dual-purpose lock features to help protect students. Adequate safety measures, emergency plans, and well-trained personnel are essential for emergency management.

Great Valley Lockshop understands the critical essence of security measures in a campus setup. We help campuses create a safer environment for students and staff by establishing cutting-edge lock technologies for dormitories and other campus facilities.

Key Cards Aren’t Supporting Campus Security 

On campuses, keycards have long been the most widely used security measure. The fact that employees and students must swipe to enter a building gives them a sense of security, and inexpensive cards are simple to buy, program, and distribute.

Keycards only provide the appearance of security; they don’t provide any protection. They become painfully opaque when campus security needs to know who got admission or you wonder how a stranger wound up in your dorm hall because there is no assurance that the user of the access card is its rightful owner. There is no record of who has entered the building. There is a high likelihood of finding a misplaced ID badge on campus, with thousands of students.

Keycards have long been known to have these security flaws, but development has been stymied by the worry that they will lose their affordability and convenience.

To date, more advanced solutions, such as our keyless access systems and biometric solutions, are becoming more popular for institutions like campuses. These solutions resolve the security problems that come with tools using key cards. Campuses can increase visitor control and retain a more comprehensive crime log with the help of our lock solutions. Credentials are intuitively stored in the security system, providing security and a higher level of confidence to the campus administrators.

 

Technology to Upgrade Security for Campus Safety 

Biometric AI vision technology on university campuses worldwide is increasing quickly. Early adopters included universities like Beijing Normal University, which started utilizing AI to safeguard residence halls around five years ago. This technology was also implemented in a similar year on American college campuses.

By matching real-time footage of a person to a recognized facial template, biometric AI vision for access control operates. Students can benefit from enhanced security in their living quarters and 24/7 access to their dorms without a proximity device if they participate in the program and consent as part of their dorm agreement. Following the installation of the new security system in 2017, students at Beijing Normal University singled out these features when expressing their high satisfaction with it.

The fact that AI vision, unlike keycards, can guarantee that the intended user is the one who gains access and can also provide verifiable records of entry, a crucial forensic tool for security administrators and law enforcement, is another reason it has become one of the best new security measures on campuses.

Why is it Important to Invest in a Campus Security System?

Along with the most recent technological advancements in campus security systems, the level of threats to the safety of campus members consistently increases. As such, investing in a comprehensive campus security system is becoming more important than ever.

Here are key reasons why you should invest in advanced campus security systems:

1. Enhanced situational awareness. Advanced security systems can give administrators real-time information and enhance awareness of campus situations for security personnel. This solution can help security forces respond faster to potential threats inside the campus.
2. Support for campus surveillance. Campus police and security personnel rely on security systems to monitor and patrol the campus. Advanced solutions can help gather critical information for detecting suspects.
3. Compliance with regulations. Advanced security systems can help fulfill regulatory requirements, such as making crime statistics logs and annual security reports through the collected data.
4. Prevention of campus disruptions and crimes. Visible security measures deter criminal behavior, such as surveillance cameras, access control systems, and well-trained security personnel. More advanced solutions can offer critical information for mitigating security risks.

Advanced security systems can help make reporting more efficient. The information gathered through these solutions can help campus administrators protect safety and show a more committed approach to their constituents.

 

Topnotch Campus Security and Safety With Great Valley Lockshop

Commercial security is a constant evolution. Great Valley Lockshop works to stay on top of the latest security technology and implement the best solutions for businesses and educational facilities in the Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey areas.

We offer advanced security solutions such as advanced access control systems, keyless access, biometric entry, and keypad locks for improving university security. Our services also include conducting a comprehensive hardware audit that can help you identify and address critical issues with security.

Contact us now and allow us to give you a full walkthrough of what Great Valley Lockshop can do to elevate your campus security systems.

Find out more about the university and campus locksmith services offered by Great Valley Lockshop.