In response to On lockdown: Decision to lock residence hall lobbies little more than PR move
I would like to provide some clarification. The Residents' Action Council (tRAC) is Ohio University's residence hall student association and advocates for the on-campus student population. As you stated, the issue of locking lobby doors is hardly new as OUPD has recommended the change since its CPTED survey in 1999. The shooting at Virginia Tech served as a catalyst for tRAC to create a committee to look into the feasibility and effectiveness of locking the lobby doors all day. The Residence Hall Security Committee consists of representatives from tRAC, Student Senate, Residence Life, Ohio University Police, Environmental Health & Safety and the Housing Office and will be submitting a formal recommendation to Dr. Kent Smith, VP for Student Affairs, on this issue of locking the doors and other residence hall security initiatives. With an overwhelming majority, members of tRAC have already approved a recommendation to lock lobby doors at all times in addition to requesting that all residence halls have swipe card access systems installed.
While it might seem like a small change to lock one more door, residence hall lobbies will now be secure and students following other students into the building will have to tailgate through two sets of doors instead of one.
As the president of the Residents' Action Council, I encourage students with opinions on this issue to e-mail audit@ohiotrac.com or attend a tRAC meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays in Baker 230.
Kevin Yurask is president of the Residents' Action Council. 17
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