Press "Enter" to skip to content

Alarmed Doors in Brookville Hall

By Michael Otero
Sports Editor

Brookville Hall’s side doors, which were previously unalarmed and have been an issue in the past, are now alarmed. This is the latest precautionary step taken by LIU Post administration in order to ensure a safer campus.

In the beginning of the semester, an online course about sexual abuse and sexual harassment was issued to all students in an effort to increase awareness on the topics. The top priority and number one reason behind alarming the doors is to ensure safety. This is obvious protocol, but not one being taken lightly by Michael Berthel, Director of Campus Life.

“Safety is our main goal in the residence halls. These alarms allow us to secure the side doors so that they cannot be left propped open or used as an entrance for non- residents to enter the building,” Berthel explained.

While Brookville is the only residence hall that is currently equipped with the side-door alarm system, Berthel says that other residence halls may have them installed in the near future as well. “We will continue to evaluate the need for additional alarms, and install them in residence halls when we feel that it is in the best interest of the building and community.” The alarms are equipped with cameras similar to those that are in Hillwood, the library, and  all around campus. This initiative, while new on LIU grounds, is not unusual, as plenty of other universities have taken similar steps in order to maintain a safer environment for students living on campus.

Berthel also addressed how he thinks the new system might affect students. “We hope that students understand how this helps create a safer community for them. The health and safety of LIU students, faculty, and staff remains our top priority.”

However, some students do not agree. “I don’t think the system is a good idea because I feel that the school can spend money on other things to make the school more modern,” said C.J. Sears, a sophomore Broadcasting major. “Students are still going to use the side door regardless.”

Fellow sophomore Nicholas Laspina, a Physical Education major, agreed. “The alarms will be an inconvenience for a while until people are used to them being there. I think the initiative is good in theory, but will not be effective in stopping people from going back and forth.”

Doors can be alarmed and locked, but safety comes down to proper judgement and decision-making.

For a related Opinion piece on the new alarm system, click here.

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *