Georgia State needs to put some renovations plans on the back burner while campus police focus on beefing up security.
After three armed robberies in the library in January yielded no suspects in custody, University President Mark Becker said at a Feb. 11 town hall forum that Georgia State is upgrading security.
Jerry Rackliffe, the school’s chief financial officer, said 55 Park Place renovations could be delayed by about 2 years to pay for increased security measures, including biometric scanners in the library, which will identify students by their fingerprint.
“We originally had a 5 year plan to renovate 55 Park Place,” Rackliffe told The Signal, “and [funding the police force expansion] may extend that plan to 7 years.”
Biometric fingerprint scanners, which will cost up to $3,000 per entry point, allow students library access through a unique set of numbers linked to a student’s own fingerprint. Incoming and current students can register for the biometric system at the PantherCard office, according to Director of Marketing Chris Connelly.
“The biometric scanners work as if one had swiped his or her PantherCard,” said Connelly. “Except you cannot guess a fingerprint like a password, and fingerprints cannot be stolen like access cards.”
Three times in January and once in December 2015, Georgia State students have reported being robbed at gunpoint at Library North. Georgia State University Police Department (GSUPD) has increased “plainclothes” and uniformed patrols as of Jan 7, according to The Signal.
Becker said during the Feb. 11 Town Hall that new security measures include visual ID check, biometric scanners, and surveillance cameras throughout the entire library. Becker also said student fees will remain unchanged.
“Student and housing fees will not be affected,” he said, “but we’re going to spend less on something we’ve been spending money on [to fund police].”
The Georgia State University Foundation, the school’s fundraising arm, purchased the former Georgia-Pacific Plaza building at 55 Park Place for more than $33 million dollars in July 2013, according to a July 1 press release.
Since 2009, Georgia State dining halls use biometric fingerprint scanners, according to Public Relations officer Andrea Jones. Jones said the Deans are looking to accelerate the 7 year time table, but was unable to provide more information.
“They are looking into fundraising to accelerate the [7 year] timetable, yet it’s premature to estimate the length of delay or the total cost,” she said.
Jeff Steely, Dean of Libraries, said all security upgrades are forthcoming, but biometric scanners will be installed later to avoid disrupting students.
“There is no fixed date for installation,” Steely said, “because physical changes to the entrances may prove noisy and impede flow of students into the library.”
GSUPD Chief Mullis said security cameras used to be only in library hallways, and security cameras on all library floors are still to be determined. Mullis also said the outer camera system upgrades should be complete by the end of February, and visual ID checks will continue until the scanners are installed.
“The upgrades [to the surveillance system] are happening now,” he said. “Walkthroughs are being done to figure out the best places to put [security cameras] them.”
Mullis also said patrols are now campus wide, and his personnel work overtime if needed, yet the new measures don’t strain their budget because that funding is supplemental.
“It’s part of our job,” he said. “Some of our officers work overtime.”
Michael Payne, a Georgia State criminal justice major, said he feels safer on campus since the measures took place, but thinks town halls on safety should be held regularly. He also likes the idea of biometric scanners.
“I say more power to them,” he said. “It’s 2016. There’s never such a thing as being too safe.”
According to The Signal, GSUPD patrols increased to over 27 officers following the Jan. 7 library robbery. Mullis said GSUPD has over 110 police officers because of the Perimeter College Consolidation, about 70 officers work at the main campus. He also said plainclothes officers have rotating and stationary shifts.
“Students may not recognize plainclothes officers, but neither should the criminals, and those officers are looking for anyone out of place based on their behavior,” he said.
Payne agrees security volume should be increased, but he also suggested a hotline for students to report crime. He also thinks that security should be increased campus wide.
“The library is one location–what if someone gets robbed at Aderhold? This could become a trend on different parts of campus, and just securing the library doesn’t make the whole safer,” he said.
Mullis also told The Signal that the hidden cameras Maj. Coleman mentioned on Feb. 11 were temporary measures purchased through the police department budget.
“The hidden cameras were temporary until the [surveillance] system could be upgraded,” he said.
