Opening doors for everyone

There are legitimate security concerns on the Tufts' campus, and care should be taken in changing student access to University residence halls.

Students at Tufts are fortunate that, unlike Boston University and other schools in large cities, we do not need security guards on duty all hours in our dorms or have to sign guests in and out. But incidents in campus residences and in the athletic facilities are evidence that Tufts does face some safety issues. The safety and comfort of students should take precedence over ease of entry into dorms in which students do not reside.

But concerns that a universal fob will decrease safety are a Trojan horse to tank the proposal. Far from a safety risk, the fob can actually make Tufts' campus safer. First, if every student -- or every student who still lives in campus housing -- has a fob, then students can be more aware of random people attempting to "piggyback." Residents of a dorm will know that all other students have fobs and are able to open the door themselves. Second, the program should be rewritten so that it keeps a record of entry into dorms. Police will be able to have a record of where and at what time a student entered a dormitory in case such information is needed.

Students at Tufts are aware of both the pros and cons of changing the system to offer universal access. Setting up the system so that it does not allow entry into other dorms at night will provide an element of protection from other students. Occurrences of vandalism, stalking, and drunken confrontations with other students are far more likely to happen at night than during the daylight hours.

The universal fob system will also encourage students to stop in and visit their friends in other dorms, a social skill that needs to be promoted as much as possible at Tufts.

A universal fob system will almost certainly benefit the student body. The Daily encourages Director of ResLife Yolanda King and Director of Public Safety John King to work to implement this new and beneficial system.