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Courtney Evans - Junior
4/3/2006 1:00 p.m.
(Comment on Resident Assistant Pushes for Card Locks)
Editor's note: The Resident Director in Stroup asked for new locks and other improvements in security more than six months ago. Courtney Evans outlined her safety concerns in a letter to college officials on September 19, 2005. After reading about Stephanie Hasty's concerns, Evans brought the letter to The Hilltop. She wrote the letter to Security Director Sandra Robertson and sent copies to President Dan Lunsford, Vice President for Administration Bob McLendon, and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Nina Pollard. Pollard wrote her that she would recommend to McLendon and the president that the college move quickly to look at alternative lock and security systems. Meetings were held. But so far, Evans says, no commitment has been made. She has been told that the issue is funding. A copy of her letter follows.
September 19, 2005
Dear Mrs. Robertson,
My name is Courtney Evans and I am the Hall Director in Stroup Residence Hall. The past two weekends, my Resident Assistants and I have had two or three different incidents with males trying to enter our dorm long after the visitation hours have ended. One incident dealt with a Stroup resident under the influence of alcohol, another with two males trying to "find their roommate" who was supposedly in the dorm. In both incidents, the males trying to enter the dorm knew our lock code for the door, they just didn't know how to work the lock. The lock on the entry door to Stroup was broken and turned in as a high priority to Facilities. It has since been repaired, but I have a strong feeling that the lock will be broken again, as this is the third year I have lived in Stroup and the lock has been broken, fixed and broken again many times throughout my stay.
This, to me, is a huge security issue. My job as Hall Director is first and foremost to keep my residents safe and to let them know and feel that they are in a safe environment. I understand that the lock code will be spread around campus, to both males and females, so we need a different, better way of locking our door. I also understand that if a resident wants to bring someone into the dorm before or after the set visitation hours, it will happen no matter what. However, I do not like being awakened at 3:00 and 4:00 in the morning by males trying to sneak into my dorm. I also do not like when males from another college come into my dorm's lobby and ask the Resident Assistant on duty and me if they can wander around the dorm. After being told "no," they then proceed back outside to ask girls sitting on the front steps if the girls will escort them around the dorm so they can "just take a look."
This letter is my request to heighten security in the older dorms. Gibson and Myers Residence Life staff cannot lock their front doors at night because the front doors do not have code locks or card readers, and there is no way to lock the door and still keep these dorms up to fire code. I have been told that the college cannot afford to install card readers on every dorm. Wouldn't it be a better investment in the long run to install card readers than to have a situation where a student is hurt, either physically, emotionally, or mentally and the parents press charges against the school because the residence hall was not secure enough? Having a better lock system would avoid liability accusations against the college if such an event occurred. The security issue is more prevalent in female dorms, especially in freshmen residence halls, rather than in male dorms. If this is an issue of money, the freshmen female dorms should be the first priority. Also, I know of many Residence Life staff members who would be ready and willing to organize or participate in fundraisers to bring more security to our campus.
Last year, we had approximately two rapes on campus. To me, that is two too many. Please consider my request as the high priority that it is. Also, refer to www.securityoncampus.org/aboutsoc/didntknow.html for the best example I can give you of why we need more security in our residence halls. I will follow up with you to schedule a meeting time so we can discuss this in person. If you have any questions, please contact me at extension 6387 or cle03@mhc.edu.
Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns.
Sincerely,
Courtney L. Evans.
Stroup Residence Hall Director
CC: Mr. Bob McLendon
Dr. Dan Lunsford
Dr. Nina Pollard
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