Dorm safety at Penn State questionable

Love them or hate them, dormitories are the home of choice for many students while at school…. Love them or hate them, dormitories are the home of choice for many students while at school. They are conveniently close to campus, they provide a way to meet other students, and – perhaps most importantly – they are safe.

At least, they are presumed to be so.

Last week, at Pennsylvania State University, three women living in McKean Hall reported that a man entered their rooms at night without their invitations or consent. One woman says the man – authorities believe it is the same man in all cases – touched her inappropriately before she woke up.

Penn State’s security system differs from Pitt’s. At Pitt, residents must swipe their Pitt ID, then a guard unlocks the door, ideally after examining the card to ensure that the student who stands before them is the same one pictured on the card. At Penn State, there are no guards. Swiping a valid ID unlocks the door – there’s no guard in the transaction.

Every dorm dweller has had an inconvenient moment with a security guard making them wait while he or she scrutinizes their ID. And extended guest forms, required for overnight guests on weekdays, can be a pain to remember at 1:50 a.m., 10 minutes before a guest becomes a violation.

But all these minor inconveniences add up to one thing – safety.

No one gets into a Pitt dorm without a security guard knowing about it. Guests can’t even walk themselves out – their host must sign them out or risk sanctions – so no one can wander the halls.

All three of the women at Penn State had their doors unlocked. It stands to reason that, sleeping in a building you perceive to be secure, you might not feel the need to lock yourself in your room.

This man could have gained entry to McKean Hall in any number of ways. He could know someone else in the building. He might even live there. He also could have found a lost, valid ID and simply let himself in.

It’s chilling to think that a matter as simple as misplacing your student ID could lead to a home invasion, but at Penn State, it apparently can. Someone could find one, look up the rightful owner, find out what dorm they live in, and have free access to that building.

Penn State has a huge campus. It will be expensive to hire security for every dorm. But in light of these invasions, it would be inexcusable for them not to.