It would be nice to have a completely open campus where everyone felt safe. However, in this day and age, it’s better to have building restrictions such as access control to ensure that sensitive data and locations remain safe. People living on campus will also want to be assured that their buildings are secure.
While keys and locks are helpful, they aren’t always the best option. You do want keys and locks on office and dorm doors, of course. But adding a card entry system gives you an additional layer of security and customization that really improves safety across campus.
Access Control Systems Prevent Unauthorized Entry
An access control system is exactly what it sounds like: a system designed to limit access to only the people who are authorized to be in a certain location. On a college campus, access control systems let you prevent non-residents from accessing dorms, for example, and stop unaffiliated persons from accessing areas with sensitive data or equipment.
If you’re worried about competition regarding research, you can add access control systems to labs to limit who can be in there. If you want to avoid something like disruption to sensitive locations, you can add very strict access controls. Every building on a college campus could benefit from access control.
Find out Who Was Where During a Security Event
One of the better features of an access control system is the ability to record who entered the building and when. If there’s a security event, and you’re trying to find out who might be responsible, the records of who got in and who left may reveal potential suspects. And if there’s a safety issue, the records can show you who may still be in the building. You can alert those people or send first responders to them as needed.
Reduce Your Liability
Ensuring you know who’s in a building and ensuring they’re supposed to be there reduces the chances that an unauthorized person will create a problem, or become injured due to an issue they weren’t trained to handle. When you restrict access to only those who have legitimate business in the building — and who are knowledgeable about what risks exist and how to handle them — you reduce your liability substantially. You show that you’re trying to minimize problems and protect those who are supposed to be in the building as much as possible.
Access control systems allow you to customize who can get in and when. You can allow open access during the day, for example, such as to a building full of classrooms that students need to access freely. Then, you can limit access at night to just janitorial staff and professors whose labs might be in the building. Or, you can require people to swipe cards any time they enter, restricting access only to those with campus ID. You can restrict access even further to only certain people.
Ensure Your Campus is Safe & Secure
Campus safety takes many forms, and restricting access to buildings is a big part of reducing potential issues. Having an access control system on each building is a great way to make sure only those who have legitimate business in the building are actually in there. If you want to find out about access system integrations in Lehigh County, PA, or need installation of an access control system in Philadelphia, Keystone Fire & Security has everything you need.