A school-by-school look at dormitory safety

The Washington Examiner asked universities around the Washington area about security measures employed at their residence halls to keep students safe. Here’s how they responded.

American University: All residents have to swipe their card at the front door and a resident assistant checks IDs. Some residence halls have a double-barrier swipe system. At these halls, students first swipe at the doors, show their ID to a resident assistant, then swipe again into an elevator or doorway.

Catholic University of America: Students have to swipe their ID to enter each residence hall, and public safety assistants monitor the entrances of residence halls seven days a week during the academic year. Centennial Village, a gated residence community, has just a card swipe. A double-swipe system was added to the North Neighborhood buildings this fall.

George Mason University: Students have a card that is unique to their residence hall, and they must swipe it to get through the outside entrance.

Georgetown University: Students must swipe their ID and present it when entering. All residence halls have guards. At on-campus student apartments there are no guards; residents just swipe into a door to enter and then use a key for their door.

George Washington University: Students must swipe ID cards to enter. Security guards patrol all halls, and community service aides provide a presence at the front doors.

Howard University: Students must swipe into residence halls. The desk is staffed around the clock, and IDs are checked.

University of Maryland: Students swipe in through the first set of doors, then walk through a lobby area. Students must then swipe into the elevator or ground floor hallway. Community assistants watch for suspicious activity.

– Leigh Giangreco

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