A new card system was implemented on campus to remove the possibility of faculty and staff forgetting to lock and unlock doors.

The Dean B. Ellis Library and Reng Student Union were selected to be the first buildings to try this system across the Arkansas State University campus. 

Jeff Bailey, dean of the library, said he was honored the library was one of the first buildings selected for this new system. However, he said it also makes sense because of how prominent the two buildings are. 

“We’re (the Union and the library) the buildings that are open the most hours and have the heaviest foot traffic and most students, people, coming in and out.”

Bailey added that this card system would be great for emergencies.

“If there is a campus threat, like the one the student union had years ago, then you know from UPD they could remotely trigger the automatic locking system and all the doors would lock and nobody would be able to get in.”

Todd Clark, interim chief communication officer, said the remote locking system is similar to what is in the residence halls, allowing those who have the clearance the ability to get into the building at all times and keeping those without clearance out. 

“It just makes sure that our buildings are secure and that we’ve got controlled access to them,” Clark said. 

However, issues have arisen during the process of getting the systems up and running. 

Bailey said minor issues have arisen such as doors being locked or unlocked when they shouldn’t have been over the winter break. However, he said the ID card center has been working to correct these issues, and the staff is still manually able to open a door with a key, although they cannot permanently unlock it. 

Haley Jordan, a first-year psychology major with a minor in sociology, from Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, said she had concerns about students being locked out of buildings if a lockdown were to be put in place. 

“If people are outside already and all the buildings are already automatically locked, it will cause them to be put in more danger because they won’t have anywhere to be,” Jordan said. 

Jordan said the university should hold seminars to educate students on what to do during a lockdown after this system has been implemented. 

Clark said the system can also be used for issues besides lockdowns, such as severe weather.

“If there’s a tornado warning at two in the morning, and the Union is our shelter, we can open the Union remotely to allow people to go into the Union to seek shelter,” Clark said.

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