The installation of a singular button that would lock the outside doors on more than 90 academic buildings and residence halls with one click should be an option for campus emergencies, but the questionable points of the system must be thoroughly explored as the project moves forward.

During the last Orange Alert, which took place on Oct. 14 after a homicide on Hope Avenue prompted police to search for suspects near the Syracuse University campus, a Department of Public Safety official had to click the “emergency lockdown” button more than 90 times to secure each building.

The creation of one button would essentially streamline the process. But the DPS should acknowledge that there are several aspects of the system that must be thoroughly fleshed out to ensure its use best serves the university community in times of emergency.

To find a balance between the button and the existing security lockdown system, the department must solidify the circumstantial protocol in which the button could the used. These decisions must address what situations would call for the use of the singular button and disclose who would have authority over its use.

The importance of finalizing these details as a precautionary measure should stem from the fact that the university could be one of the first institutions with such a system.

Because the button is expected to be tested and operational by next semester, the university should proceed with consideration of the fact that it is a pioneering institution incorporating this technology into campus safety plans — a strong reason why the button should not replace the existing option of manually locking down buildings, but act as a supplement for it.

Refraining from having this sole reliance on the new addition acknowledges the fact that there is not one emergency situation in which the use of the button would be the perfect safety solution.

In some cases, the button could even pose as a danger to students who could be locked out of every building on campus, although a threat may be posed to only a certain area. Although this could also be a problem under the current system of individually locking each building, having one button lock students out of all buildings at the exact moment only creates room for more danger.

While all emergency situations are different and the button should not be seen as the ultimate answer, it will pose as an additional option for DPS when the department is figuring out the most effective approach to take at times when the SU campus is faced with an emergency that threatens student safety. 

Published on November 17, 2015 at 12:50 am

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