Door alarms were installed in the main entrances of the residence halls for security purposes, but many students seemed to have mixed feelings on them according to a Feb. 20, 1996, Northern Star article.

“The reason the door alarms were installed was for security and safety in the halls,” said Chika Nnamini, then-executive director of Student Housing Services.

When the doors opened, an alarm rang and continued to ring until a staff member reset it.

Heather Barry, former freshman elementary education major, said she did not care for the alarms. 

“The door alarms are very inconvenient and it was a lot easier when they were’t locked all of the time. It would be more practical to lock them after 11 p.m.,” Barry said. 

Now, all of NIU’s residence halls are also locked. But, as Barry suggested, they lock from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.