The residence halls on campus can house more than 6,500 people according to NIU’s Web site. That is a huge amount of individuals to watch over and protect.

A story in the Wednesday issue of the Northern Star about the accessibility of residence halls for non-residents, focused on late-night hours. This story revealed some facts that may be frightening for parents and perspective students but may be seen as common place for current residents.

After 11 p.m., security in the residence halls is supposed to be tightened up and there are procedures in place to try to guarantee the security of residence.

“Residence Hall Night Operations Staff … is required to assist with the guest registration process from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. … Students living in the residence halls also are required to register guests at the main desk and escort them at all times,” said Michael Stang, director of residential operations for Housing and Dining Services.

It’s a good plan to regulate who’s coming in with whom and where they are going to go, but what about the people who just aren’t supposed to be there at all after the doors have locked?

The aforementioned story pointed out that at the present time it isn’t too hard to penetrate the fortresses known as “res halls.”

Stang points out in his statements to the Star, “Beginning next semester, changes will be made in residence hall security procedures … A student staff member will be stationed at the doors from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. to assist residents with the registration process.”

This means there will be someone at the doors again, a change that is long overdue in its implementation. One of the editorial board members at the Star is a former community adviser and was alarmed this security measure was ever taken away. It was dropped for the fall semester of 2004 due to budget cuts and has since only been used during Homecoming weekend.

The Northern Star explored the situation of weak security in its report Wednesday and hopefully its findings didn’t shock anyone. No one sitting by the doors with the security of residents as their only concern means there is an obvious hole in the system.

If the plan is to bring back door security, Stang and the other Housing and Dining administrators should be commended. But why was security ever something that administrators felt they could take from?

The safety and security of the students should be at the forefront of concerns in the residence halls at all times.

Four reporters from the Northern Star should have never been able to simply walk into the residence halls and patrol floors they had no right to be on.

With changes being made, hopefully security in the residence halls will be something NIU can be proud of, rather than something of a black-eye exploited by four nosey reporters.

Agree? Disagree? Contact us at www.northernstar.info