There are 271 surveillance cameras around Ohio University's campus, most of which feed to a central university server. However, there may be more cameras to which the university does not have central access, a problem OUPD is working to solve with a policy upgrade.
The cameras that don't feed into the server are known as "legacy stand-alone" cameras. Professors and faculty members could set up their own cameras in offices of university buildings in the past, and, as a result, some of the footage is not stored in the central server.
"The history of cameras on campus are at one time, anyone could put in any system they wanted," OUPD Lt. Tim Ryan said. "There was no regulation, and those (cameras) are still in existence, potentially."
Ryan said anyone who wants cameras in a building now has to petition OUPD to have them installed, but the legacy cameras might still be running without university oversight.
"We wouldn't know about (legacy cameras) until we have a different policy, which we are currently working on," Ryan said. "Within the next year or two, people ... are going to have to upgrade or deactivate (the legacy cameras) to make sure we know how many (cameras) are on campus."
That would mean all cameras would feed into the central server.
Josh Bodnar, director of access, transaction and video services for the university, said it costs $20 annually per camera to use the software that connects the cameras to the central server. Those cameras store the footage for a minimum of 120 days.
Some students said they don't mind cameras, even legacy cameras, recording while they are on campus.
"When I lived on South Green freshman year, I thought they were really useful, especially because there's not as great lighting back there," Courtney Smith, a sophomore studying strategic communications, said.
Others felt the school could use some additional cameras.
"I feel like I get too many emails from OUPD where there is stuff that happens in a place where you think a camera would be," Brad Miller, a senior studying sport management, said. "As long as (the cameras are) not in bathrooms or any place you would be seeking out privacy, I'm fine with it."
