Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts has just seen a major upgrade in security after increasing the amount of cameras on their campus twentyfold. A total of 650 high-resolution IP cameras have been installed across the 235 acre campus- a $1.4 million project. With about 2,200 students living on campus, the question of whether this security upgrade will threaten students' privacy or guarantee their safety is a good one.
Director of Communications, Pam Droney, told "Campus Technology" that the school is being "very dilligent in trying to make sure privacies are respected and that we're not intruding on people." It's hard to believe Droney's words without proof that the security team isn't abusing the cameras. Droney also added that "the installation has had a positive effect, not only in decreasing incidents but also increasing our overall sense of security throughout the entire campus.” But are these cameras encouraging students to have better behavior or are they striking fear in their students since they now can be held accountable for everything the surveillance system catches? Are we teaching students accountability through fear?
One of the A+ Technology Sales Engineers behind the project told PRweb that "SentryVMS (the surveillance system) was the ideal choice for Endicott’s extensive needs, as every inch of their campus now has coverage." With every inch of their campus being covered, it is safe to say that every student will now be held accountable for any action until they graduate. Should student feel that all eyes are on them every second of the day? It feels like an invasion of privacy if you ask me.
Does the need for these cameras fit the $1.4 million bill that the school footed? Is there even any crime really happening at the beautiful school tucked away in Beverly? According to Endicott's Annual Security report, the highest arrests and referrals at the college are liquor law violations- 1,107 between 2012 and 2014 at their Beverly campus to be exact. Drug law violations follow with 93 judicial referrals during the same years. With little evidence on frequent major crimes that put the campus community at a true risk, the cameras seem to be a way for campus security to monitor and decrease the amount of incidents involving substances like alcohol and drugs on their campus. Did the campus really spend $1.4 million dollars to watch college-aged students ruin their livers? Give me a break.
Samantha Fossa '18 believes that the installment of the new security cameras at Endicott College might be a bit unnecessary. When asked if her safety has ever felt compromised while on campus she answered, "I actually feel really safe there. All of the entrances have card access to prevent people from gaining access to campus buildings. We also have blue lights throughout the campus in case of an emergency." She does, however, understand why campus police decided to make the upgrade, especially in light of some of the more recent events such as a jeep rolling over and the car accident where 20-year-old Craig Sampson was killed. Fossa added "I really just think they are doing everything they can to keep us safe."
It is comforting to hear the actions college campuses like Endicott are taking to protect their students but I wonder where the line is drawn between keeping students secure and allowing them their own privacy. Although officials say that students' privacy is maintained by the placement of cameras and the limitations placed on who may view these tapes, it is still a slippery slope. Who is to say that these cameras won't be hacked one day and the school's entire security system blows up in their faces by exploiting the same students they swore to protect? If Hillary Clinton's emails can get hacked, I am almost positive that Endicott College's surveillance system can be too. It will be interesting to see if this security upgrade starts a trend throughout the United States.
