An improvement project this summer added surveillance cameras to another Ohio University residence hall, continuing a trend set last year by a similar project in Voigt Hall.
Residential Housing installed 31 cameras in Adams Hall over the summer to monitor public spaces, installing 15 inside the building, eight in the parking garage, and the remaining eight around the building, according to Josh Bodnar, assistant director of Residential Housing.
$150,000 was budgeted for the project out of the Residential Housing Minor Capital Improvement Fund, a student fund set aside for minor residence hall improvements, Bodnar said, adding that he didn’t believe all the money was spent.
The cameras can be accessed by the OU Police Department during an investigation, but they have not had the need so far, OUPD Chief Andrew Powers said.
“They’re IP-based cameras...so we log into them through a secure web-based portal to use them,” Powers said.
Police investigators can access the cameras retroactively or in real time to aid in an investigation; however, the cameras are not monitored otherwise, Powers said.
“I could certainly envision all sorts of scenarios when such cameras would be helpful to police, but more importantly, they’d be helpful to residents of the building,” Powers said. “It helps us help (students) by helping us to identify the perpetrator. It enhances security in the buildings.”
Proposals to install any type of surveillance at OU must go through a three-step process, beginning with approval by Powers.
“We’re responsible for managing the installation of surveillance cameras anywhere on campus by university policy,” he said. “I’m actually the first person the proposals come to.”
After Powers’ approval, the plans proceed to the Surveillance Oversight Committee, a nine-person committee created in 2008 to oversee the installation and management of any security or surveillance cameras.
Harry Wyatt, associate vice president for Facilities, makes the final decision to install surveillance cameras, Powers said.
Residential Housing has not selected another residence hall to equip with cameras; however, there has been discussion of beginning another project this winter or next summer, Bodnar said.
bv111010@ohiou.edu
