BLOGCampus security and access control

How to continually evolve your systems for student safety

Image of diverse students smiling and walking together on university campus, highlighting campus safety and security.Image of diverse students smiling and walking together on university campus, highlighting campus safety and security.

Ensuring campus safety is paramount, with student well-being at the forefront. Educational institutions house vast assets and sensitive information, making security crucial. Criminal threats evolve, necessitating continual security reviews. By embracing technology like access control systems, campuses can stay ahead, fostering a safe and conducive learning environment.

Why should you be continually reviewing and improving upon your current campus security systems?

Student safety is a number one priority on campus.

Educational facilities often have thousands of keys – and one large master set – for offices, canteens, halls of residence, state-of-the-art equipment, lecture rooms, labs, sports facilities, and more. Letting this master set fall into the wrong hands could be disastrous.

But, most importantly, safety in universities is about protecting the people who use them. Theft, violence, and sexual assault are huge concerns for many students, who should be free to complete their education without fear of becoming a victim of crime.

A host of sensitive information, like debit card and bank account details, student grades, and personal data like race, religion, and health, can also be found on campuses and should be protected at all times.

With all of these concerns to address, no security team can afford to rest on its laurels when it comes to safety. Threats are constantly becoming smarter as technology advances. That's why you must continually review and improve your current campus security systems.

Universities also want to be accessible, welcoming, and open, a place where knowledge and cultures are shared. A balance needs to be struck between this and protecting students, employees, visitors, and assets.

Updating your system with the latest tools can give you the flexibility to continually achieve both those goals as the demands on universities change over time.

For more campus safety tips, keep reading:

How can access control help with campus security?

1. Provides access to authorized users

Of course, one of the main ways that access control can help with campus security is by only allowing authorized persons to use a university’s assets.

You can also restrict times of access by only enabling students and staff members to use keys and equipment at times of the day when you want them to.

2. Produces an audit trail

A good access control system keeps a record of who used which keys and when, and allows you to view that data instantly. This makes it easier to find lost keys or to alert the authorities more quickly in the case of theft or other intrusions.

3. Increases accountability

Students and employees will take better care of equipment and keys when they are held totally accountable for them.

Detailed audit trails provided by access control systems mean you know exactly who had an item last. Knowing the spotlight will be on them, users are more likely to be on their best behavior.

4. Boosts efficiency

Automating access control rights based on roles, departments or campus policies can help cut down on workload and reduce human error.

That means your security department can better focus its efforts on problem-solving or working with the authorities to further drive safety on campus. Privileges can easily be updated if policies change.

5. Encourages compliance

A user-friendly asset control system, for instance, one that can be comfortably accessed from a PC, tablet, or smartphone, can make life easier for individuals and departments, thus fostering a more positive attitude towards campus safety culture. This is vital if you have staff with varying levels of technical expertise, although comprehensive training and support should also always be provided.

The role of access control in student safety 

University campuses can be magnets for criminal activity. They typically have huge numbers of students, with many being particularly vulnerable. 

Campuses often boast expensive state-of-the-art equipment and may be home to cutting-edge research that competitors desperately want to get their hands on. Fortunately, Traka can help bolster campus safety with its range of powerful tools.

Our electronic key cabinets could be life-saving during emergencies. They can be spread around campus, enabling authorized staff and emergency services to access the keys 24/7 when and where they need them, not from a central office. This gives them quicker access to buildings during emergencies, saving valuable time.

Spreading out the cabinets could also reduce an intruder’s success rate. Otherwise, an attacker would only need to obtain one large master set to have free reign of the area.

The cabinets can only be accessed by authorized users via PIN code, card reader, or biometrics, helping to keep out anyone with malicious motives. 

Likewise, our Traka lockers can help deter thieves or intruders by helping to manage access to expensive hand-held devices like laptops and tablets that are crucial for student learning. It's important to reduce the risk of theft as much as possible as it can easily spill over into violence.

Stay top of the class with regular security reviews

Technology is helping to transform educational facilities across the country.

It allows them to enhance how they conduct research and deliver lessons. But that also makes them a greater target for criminals, who themselves make use of the latest digital tools to carry out nefarious acts.

Campuses, however, can fight tech with tech. Regularly reviewing security protocols and equipping themselves with the latest smart gadgets can help them outwit even the most sophisticated attackers.

It's also important for employees and students to keep abreast of campus safety measures, and take them seriously. They're more likely to do that if they're easy and convenient to follow. Reviewing where your systems can be automated can make life easier for everyone, and drive compliance and efficiency.

Access control systems can help you achieve this. They can also help boost accountability among staff members and students and limit damage by providing audit trails, allowing you to react quicker during thefts or other attacks.

In conclusion, continually reviewing and enhancing campus security systems is imperative for safeguarding students, faculty, and assets. With the rise in criminal activity and the increasing vulnerability of educational institutions, prioritizing safety measures is paramount. Universities can bolster security protocols and streamline operations by embracing technology such as access control systems and electronic key cabinets.

  • Education
Campus safety
Transform your campus access control

Traka's intelligent management solutions for keys and equipment enable campuses to stay ahead of evolving threats and maintain a safe learning environment. Moreover, fostering a culture of accountability and compliance among stakeholders reinforces the effectiveness of security measures and enhances overall campus safety.