Universal Keycard Access Is Crucial For Student Safety

To the editors:

This letter is in response to the editorial, “Locking Students Out” (Op-Ed, March 2) When I was an undergraduate (1995-1999), I worked late at two area shelters and sometimes arrived home to my dorm at unusual hours. I valued being able to duck into a dorm that wasn’t my own if I felt unsafe. For others who may also keep odd hours, universal keycard access could enhance safety and peace of mind.

I wonder if there any way to selectively give a group of students 24-hour access rights. A condition of getting access could be attendance at a meeting where ground rules would be explained—like the importance of not allowing another student to enter behind oneself without showing Harvard ID. Students who self-selected and opted to get 24-hour access could sign a contract which states that they know what is expected of them and that they understand any consequences if they do break the rules. For students who do have a reason to be out from 2:30 to 7:30 a.m., having universal key access could give them a safe haven. I wish that universal keycard access could be available to everyone—but perhaps if it were rolled out to a smaller group of people first, then those that need the benefit soonest could get it, while House Masters and the University administration might be able to gather more data about whether it makes sense to roll out the change to the undergraduate community as a whole.

Stephanie Mayer ’97-’99

March 2, 2004