Public Safety pushes for surveillance
Rowan's lack of cameras called into question
By: Ashleigh Ries
Posted: 2/8/07
The string of assaults and robberies that occurred behind Willow Hall over the past school year has led to a discussion of Rowan's lack of surveillance cameras around the campus. This issue has been contended in the Student Government Association's (SGA) Senate meetings and in Parliament, an SGA-established assembly that discuss issues pertinent to the Rowan
campus.
"It's either all or nothing," stated Timothy Michener, Director of Public Safety. "We either have to go ahead with a large system or not at all."
Currently, there are a variety of cameras watching the daily hustle and bustle on Rowan's campus, but none of which are operated or connected to Public Safety.
A larger system would see all the cameras connected to one backbone or infrastructure. The cameras would then be monitored from a centralized spot by an individual, Michener said.
SGA president Dan Schohl and president of University Senate Dr. Jim Newell are in agreement about surveillance cameras but feel that they should be placed with care. Students have a mixed reaction to adding surveillance cameras on campus.
"I don't think we need security cameras on campus," said freshman mechanical engineering major Mike Kerbaugh. "It's a relatively safe school, so there's no major need for them."
Freshman chemical engineering major Joe Hankins disagrees with Kerbaugh.
"Even though Rowan is a safe school, cameras would keep it safer," said Hankins.
An ideal system Michener stated, would place cameras in the open and outside where people are going to see then and know that they are being watched.
"The big black round camera located in the entrance to Campbell Library is a perfect example to the system we want to have," he said.
"The call boxes are situated perfectly to cover the entire campus," said Michener, referring to the 55 pole-shaped yellow emergency call boxes on campus.
Having an outdoor system would be beneficial due to the fact that most serious crimes occur outside, stated Michener. Both Schohl and Newell believe that common areas are a definite place for cameras.
"Cameras should mainly be in places were people are the majority of the time," said Schohl. Schohl said that the outside of residents' halls, such as cameras overlooking the courtyard and entrances of buildings, should be under surveillance.
"I have no fundamental problem with cameras being placed in parking lots or the parking garage and entrances of buildings to deter theft," stated Newell.
If Rowan were to ever get a campus wide surveillance system, the first place Michener would put cameras in is the parking lots.
"On the majority of campuses, this is where the majority of crimes take place," said Michener. "This fact doesn't apply to Rowan, but is still the best place to start."
The system would then be implemented over "hotspots" of crime and isolated parts of the campus, Michener said.
Placing cameras inside each building is an issue that each college would have to address for themselves, by having to purchase their own indoor system; and possibly by cutting funding to their programs, Michener added. About three years ago, Bunce Hall looked to install a camera system due to a series of thefts, but it cost too much to implement.
Since individual buildings have the choice to add a camera system and would be footing their own bill for cameras, finding funding for an outdoor system would be difficult.
"It would cost $1.2 million for an outdoor campus-wide surveillance system," said Michener. "This price comes from quotes we got three years ago from two companies."
All of the new buildings - Education Hall and those that will soon occupy the South Jersey Technology Park will all be set up for one day being part of a campus-wide surveillance system. Older buildings will have to be retro-fitted and this will also increase the costs, Michener said. Students wonder where the funds for cameras would come from. "Having cameras is a good idea, but where would the cost for them come from … our tuition?" said Hankins.
Seeing and knowing that there are surveillance cameras across the campus may bring a feeling of security and reassurance, but the issue of privacy is also accompanied by 24 hour observation.
"There is a fear of being monitored and having to be careful what you say and do," said Newell. Cameras would not be tolerated in offices or places where faculty meets for union meetings, Newell added.
Schohl said that cameras definitely do not have a place inside the residence halls. Michener agrees, but realizes that a possible invasion of privacy could occur with cameras being placed on top of emergency call boxes. Michener looks to Wagner College's surveillance system as a model to reduce this invasion.
"Wagner has cameras placed on top of their emergency poles, but as the cameras pass by dorm windows, they are blacked out," said Michener. "We want to be sensitive to what we are filming."
Despite the current assaults and robberies, Rowan's crime is down 23 percent in two years.
"Crime rates always drop when surveillance cameras are installed," said Michener. The University of Pennsylvania saw an initial crime drop of 27 percent within a year of having surveillance cameras, he added.
Rowan's lack of a unified camera system has not hurt it yet and may not be in the cards just yet, but Michener believes "that one day down the road we will have a surveillance system; it's only a matter of time."
