Hunterites: Don’t Leave for Campus Without It
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Simmering behind the scenes of the first day of class: Campus security turnstiles. The following comments are taken from Hunter-L, the campus listsev for students and faculty and some staff. Administrators don’t publish but it’s safe to say that “they” monitor what’s being posted. Alumni – exact count not available – are members of the listserv though only a few publish. A number, it is believed this writer, are journalists.
Now, the turnstiles will make it difficult for cults to try to recruit on campus. But this must be pointed out. Students in this editor’s classes many moons ago complained about aggressive solicitation. They said proselytizing “cults” came at them as they walked the hallways of Hunter. It must be said that this editor/instructor has yet to be approached by students complaining in recent years about this kind of stalking. It will also be difficult for invasions from outsiders, like the attack in recent memory by students from other campuses, who regarded themselves as radicals, and engaged in a mini-rampage destroying property and assaulting a few individuals.
It is true that it will be difficult for homeless people to sleep overnight in the building and to use the bathroom facilities and munch on free food from the various culinary activities that occur on campus. Of course, this writer questions the concern raised on Hunter-L about the plight of the homeless. If there was sincere concern, one would expect that those Hunterites lamenting this situation would do something more than merely gripe on Hunter-L. Nevertheless, there was a period when homeless students were bivouacking on campus, and there were efforts by the College to try to help them.
It will also be difficult for stalkers to get access to campus to run down their prey.
Helping to process the new "security IDs" of those stopped at the gates for various reasons.
Nevertheless
As a long-time member of the Math Department, I, on the other hand, am quite pleased with the new system. It’s only been 30 hours since the procedures were implemented, and so there may be some gliches as the community begins to realize that this has, in fact, happened. But, give it a few days, and like everything else, it will become a way of life for us – just as it already is for all of the other campuses of Hunter and the majority of the colleges and businesses. Thank you Campus Safety.
Barbara Barone
Dear Colleagues,
I understand people’s concerns about the new security arrangements and about
the problems it will cause for students, faculty, staff, and guests. But
these problems are insignificant compared with the ones that have occurred
because anyone can enter the college whenever he or she wants to regardless
of his or her purpose. Until this week, this school has never been a safe
place to be. As I wrote on this listserv last year, during my 35 years at
Hunter, I’ve been the victim of several different criminal activities (and
I’ve been told about many more by colleagues whom I trust). And I’ve had to
endure situations that are not criminal but are, nonetheless, very
disturbing (e.g., finding homeless people sleeping in the bathrooms after my
Saturday classes, having strangers knock on my door at 11 pm when I’m in my
office after my evening classes and know that no one else is on the floor at
that time).
I’m not a paranoid person, but every time I’ve entered the College through the subway, I’ve always wondered about who else was doing the same thing. And why anyone who feels like entering can. Why does everyone in the city have the right to walk into our school and go wherever he or she wants to do (particularly when there’s substantive evidence that this “right” has caused harm to the people who work and study here)?
I came here because I believed in Open Admissions, but I’ve never believed that the College should be “physically open.” The problems caused by the “intrusion” of a new security system pale beside the problems caused by “intruders” who cause problems that threaten our safety and peace of mind.
I’m delighted with the new system and I’m very willing to be patient until the problems it may cause get resolved. Our safety is the most important priority.
Karen Greenberg
Department of English
Dear Karen, et. al.
Your situation, indeed, has been unfortunate. The causal relationship between turnstiles and safety has yet to be determined.
Alas, it strikes me as the least imaginative, most costly, and most intrusive means of increasing Hunter security—also something based on virtually no research and no carefully designed sampling of the desires of the Hunter community for it.
Sure, others do it. But when has that been a good justification for anything??
These are old arguments. There was significant resistance from many at Hunter to the installation of these turnstiles. It was ignored by the Hunter administration, so here they are.
Now, if any criminal acts on campus occur, should we take the turnstiles down? At this point, I hope everything works out to everyone’s satisfaction.
We’ll see.
All the greeters and ambassadors of good were smiling August 26 and, of course, some visitors were basking in the cheer.
Welcome to the new semester!!
Best regards,
John Wallach
Political Science
As a long-time member of the History Department, I am disturbed by problems ensuing from the installation of turnstiles. While I have always opposed this intrusion on the campus and our relations with the rest of the community, this has been magnified by experience over the past days.
For example, hourly employees of the History Department who worked in the Spring and will be working in the Fall have had problems getting into the building, disrupting preparations for the soon-approaching semester.
When I gave the final exam today for my Summer session II U.S. History survey, no less than four students complained that they had had problems entering the building. All four were late for this reason. (Two are from other institutions but duly enrolled in the course, another is a new transfer to Hunter, and the fourth has been enrolled here for some time but had some kind of problem with his ID.)
Over the years I have had quite a few auditors in my classes, many of whom are senior citizens. Frequently they come to our department to look over course offerings and schedules. Now, presumably, they too will be asked to negotiate the unnecessary and offensive hurdles this new system places in their way.
Sincerely,
Sandor John
History Dept.
The following is possibly the most insipid.
Good morning everyone,
Im glad this discussion is happening, although perhaps a little too late….
As a young single mother of color, I do not feel any safer with the installation of turnstiles. Although I already graduated from Hunter, I continue to visit friends, professors and the library. If any thing, I feel very unwelcomed now, having to show my credentials, documentations, or any proof that I am worthy to enter a university setting.
I am actually a bit insulted that people find disturbing to find a homeless man in the bathroom. really? I can see that people who grow up with privilege find this sight uncomfortable, but threatening? The homeless people I have seen can barely walk, and if anything we should be concerned and perhaps direct them to the very scarce and limited public services available.
I currently work as an youth organizer in the Bronx. One of the major issues we deal with is the actual presence of police and metal detectors/scanners in the schools. Students are now monitored as criminals and are made very late for class. This was the case when they were first installed and is still the case now. Sometimes students are late 2 hours due to the very long lines in order to pass thru security. The NYCLU released a study that details the detrimental effects of having zero tolerance policies, total mayoral control over school governance which opened the door for NYPD to be in schools and other security measures in public schools.
Report: Safety with Dignity: Alternatives to the Over-Policing of Schools (2009)
http://www.nyclu.org/content/safety-with-dignity-alternatives-over-policing-of-schools-2009
Report: Criminalizing the Classroom (2007) http://www.nyclu.org/publications/report-criminalizing-classroom-2007
Turnstiles and police have never made me feel safe or protected. Quite on the contrary, I have mostly been harassed and many people I love and care for have been the subject of police brutality and abuse.
The arguments in favor of turnstiles also ignore the fact that a lot of the violence and “criminal” activity that occurs at Hunter and most campuses is internal, caused by students themselves. Women get raped in bathrooms, homophobic slurs get tagged on the doors/walls of LGBTQ, Palestinians have been spit on/cursed during tabling/open events (I have been witness!) and these are among many other incidents that dont make it to the reports.
But all of these actions not isolated, it is part of a systemic violence and we wont resolve it by making our homes, schools and work places into prisons. I believe this problems signal the breakdown of community. I believe we should search for creative solutions that restore our relationships with each other so that we rebuild a strong community where accountability and respect are the basis for resolving occurring or potential problems/conflicts.
Against a police state,
Luz