Hillsdale College recently upgraded portions of its security camera system to replace aging equipment and add new cameras required due to college expansion.
Jeffery Rogers, associate director of security and associate dean of men, said that none of the cameras are covert or hidden.
“There’s nothing tantalizing about [this upgrade],” Rogers said. “We don’t go in and have cameras in any rooms or anything like that. These are all in general areas.”
“We’ve had cameras on campus for 10 years and as they age and go out of service, they are replaced,” Whorley said.
The college installed six new cameras and replaced eight cameras that cost a total of $33,400, according to Energy Education Specialist Timothy Wells. An additional $16,000 was spent on a new video control system.
According to Whorley, the cameras help to cut costs in the long run by reducing the need for additional employees. He also emphasized that cameras are placed in strategic locations designed to keep students, faculty, and staff safe. They also help secure property, Whorley said.
According to the administration, this upgrade has been designed to introduce new equipment that prepares the campus for a more comprehensive security infrastructure.
Rich Péwé, Hillsdale’s chief administrative officer, said the system is designed to integrate various security devices like card readers and cameras together to create a more comprehensive system.
He said the new Margot V. Biermann Athletic Center has served a test building.
“We put [the Biermann system] in place the way we want to do the rest of campus. It’s an investment into the future,” Péwé said.
Hillsdale College’s Director of Campus Security and Emergency Management William Whorley echoed Péwé’s comments about the benefits of tightly knitting security components together. Whorley highlighted a hypothetical scenario in which such a system would be beneficial.
“Imagine a door is propped or opened outside normal hours. [An integrated system] could alert security while triggering a camera to zoom in,” Whorley said.
Both Whorley and Péwé were quick to note that this type of implementation is further down the road and was not the sole purpose of the upgrade.
Whorley called attention to the steps the Security Department takes to protect student privacy. “All student employees sign non-disclosure agreements,” Whorley said. “A violation is grounds for dismissal, and will also result in a referral to the dean’s office.”
Student Dispatcher Grace Fiske, who is beginning her fourth year as a college security employee, also emphasized the importance of respecting privacy.
“We’re not here giving people information,” Fiske said. “In fact, when I see anything on camera, I cannot tell anybody. I’ve signed a confidentiality agreement. If we’re caught divulging information, we’re fired.”
Fiske said, as a dispatcher, she is responsible for keeping an eye on the cameras, but is not allowed to control the cameras at all. She said she feels comfortable with the cameras on campus.
“There are probably fewer cameras on campus than there are in most average public places,” Fiske said.
Whorley said there are about 25 cameras on campus, and said they are only one part of providing a secure campus.
“Crime in general is down on campus,” Whorley said. “That is a testament to good operations and good people, but it all falls back on the shoulders of the students, staff and faculty who stay alert and report potential problems.”