St. John's News

The additional security cameras are in place and functioning. New ID-card readers are too. Both have been installed in St. Albert Hall to provide enhanced security for faculty and students who wish to work in the science building’s laboratories during the evening and early morning hours.

While St. Albert Hall’s laboratories have always been accessible 24-hours a day, some students in the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions and St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences have indicated they had safety concerns about working in the labs during the “off hours.”

According to Executive Director of Public Safety Denise Vencak, students’ request for a safer environment in the science building after normal working hours required an upgrade to already existing security systems. She and Vice President of Public Safety Thomas Lawrence determined they should introduce the University’s swipe-card technology to St. Albert, ensuring that only those authorized to enter the building after hours will be able to do so and can do so safely.

Now, three exterior doors have been designated as after-hour entrances to St. Albert and 18 additional internal and external security cameras are in place. In addition, 60 ID-card readers have been installed to permit or deny entrance to those three entrances and to student and faculty research labs.

Biological Sciences Department Chair Jay Zimmerman says that many of his graduate students work late at night in their laboratories.

“They’re reassured that the building is now secured after normal working hours.  Some, who have before this been reluctant to work late, are now willing to do so.  As an administrator, I am reassured that the many hazardous materials stored in laboratories are now secured from theft and malicious mischief.”

Executive Director Vencak points out that “this [card swiping and security cameras] is the wave of the future. A lot of colleges and universities are doing it. At St. John’s, the safety of our students is our highest priority and this technology helps us to protect them.”