University of Utah Housing Needs Oversight To Improve Security
Dec 19, 2018, 10:13 PM | Updated: 10:51 pm
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Housing at the University of Utah is covered with lights, security cameras and swipe cards are at every door. It’s not easy to get into the dorms at the University of Utah, still an investigation released in the wake of Lauren McCluskey’s on campus murder, found holes in housing security.
“There needs to be significant oversight and attention to housing guest policy issues,” said report investigator and former Department of Public Safety Commissioner John T. Nielsen.
The report found the lack of housing security has to do with students and staff not enforcing security in place.
“It’s pretty easy for someone just to swipe someone inside,” said sophomore Kaylee Wilcox, who adds that’s even happened to her.
“I’ll be waiting for one of my friends outside of her dorm and they’ll be like, ‘Oh, do you need to come inside?’ Yeah, I want to come inside but I can also see that as a security risk,” Wilcox said.
The U is going to be spending more time educating students and staff on the policies and strictly enforcing them. They don’t want students swiping people into dorms, just because they look like they belong.
“If they have any concern at all, talk to the police, talk to their resident advisor,” University of Utah Communications Director Chris Nelson said.
They want students to report problems using the SafeU.Utah.edu website. Reports can also be sent through the housing.utah.edu website. Reports can be anonymous and can be sent by anyone worried about someone or something on campus. Parents, professors and even community members can submit reports. Reports are sent to one central location that’s available by several agencies on campus. Reports are then sent to the agency that can resolve or address the problem.
