Colleges and universities are busy places. In addition to the campus grounds, there are buildings and people. Even if the campus is private, many people are still moving around and there are likely buildings with public access. Here are a few common campus security concerns for colleges & universities:

1. Safety of People on Campus

Between students, staff, and non-students, there are a lot of people moving around a college or university campus. The larger the campus, the more there is to cover and protect. Unlit walkways, lack of emergency phones, broken emergency phones, and more can all make traversing a campus riskier, especially in the dark. Workplace violence, violence among students, substance abuse, and more are all other security concerns.

As an area that attracts people, in addition to the students who attend and the staff that work there, the safety of people on campus is one of the most common security concerns for colleges & universities. They need to create an environment where staff can perform their jobs safely, students can live and attend class safely, and anyone else who enters the campus for any reason can do so safely and without causing harm to others or themselves.

2. Dorm/Residence Security

If a university campus has students in residence, then securing those dorms/residences is a security priority. Entries and exits should be monitored and access should be managed to make sure the only people entering the dorms are the people who should be there either by registration or invitation.

In addition to securing the buildings themselves, colleges and universities also need to secure individual rooms and ensure facilities are livable and safe. They also need to make sure that there are people, processes, and codes of conduct in place to promote a safe living environment.

3. Property Damage Prevention

Colleges and universities should do what they can to create an environment where personal property is safe. But, they also need to prevent property damage to their facilities and grounds. Dorms, libraries, classrooms, lecture halls, practice rooms, gyms, stadiums, etc. are all facilities that present security risks, are vulnerable to property damage, and need to be protected.

4. Theft Prevention

Burglaries make up 71% of crimes on college campuses. This makes theft prevention one of the biggest and most common security concerns for colleges & universities. Staff and students need to be able to protect their valuables and the university needs to be able to protect its assets.

Between personal property on campus and high-value equipment in buildings, security solutions to help secure areas and prevent theft are essential. Security should be more than just the bare minimum, but it is important to note that visible security measures act as a deterrent and can help reduce and prevent theft.

5. Event Security

Whether it’s a big sporting event, an art show, a play, a concert series, a lecture series, or something else, there are going to be events on any college or university campus. They could be internal private events for students or public events that anyone can attend for free or with a ticket.

Because of this, events add extra campus security concerns. Colleges & universities need to be able to layer additional security measures on top of what they have in place to meet best practices for college event security and appropriately address these additional risks that events can bring to the campus and the people on it.

These are just a few of the most common campus security concerns for colleges and universities. Although some of the security concerns may be the same, the right mix of security products and solutions will vary from campus to campus.

The right security systems integrator can help make sure your college or university has the campus security solutions it needs. Contact NEPPS at 800-736-1456 to get started on a free site assessment.