10 Common Dorm Security Challenges and Their Solutions

Training, policies, procedures and technology can all help.

Challenge 4: Providing protection to students who likely value convenience and openness versus security and control.

Possible Solutions:

  • Creative education in terms of the students’ role in the security program and the potential consequences if security fails
  • Sound physical and technical security planning and design to overcome a motivated student population that will attempt to circumvent security measures

Challenge 5: Monitoring perimeter doors for propped or forced-open conditions.

Possible Solution:

  • Installation of door alarms, utilization of electronic access control, 24×7 monitoring and response to actual or potential breaches of security

Challenge 6: Effectively deploying video surveillance under challenging requirements (such as influence of outside lighting, threat of vandalism, analog or IP, sharing of images/who gets to view live and recorded video, and standardization).

Possible Solution:

  • Retain a qualified independent security design consultant to identify requirements and match the technology to the needs.  Advisor should not be someone that sells the technology being specified.Challenge 7: Determining the appropriate lobby layouts to effectively manage visitors and prevent unauthorized access.Possible Solutions:
    • Limit non-residence life activities (e.g. retail, classrooms) inside residence halls, which expand authorization of non-residents inside the secure area of the building
    • Ensuring a second layer of access control from the lobby for proper processing of visitors
    • Consider guest limits
    • Staffing lobbies
    • Considering turnstiles for high risk towers with high traffic volumes

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