This fall, Fordham University has implemented the new swipe system across each of its three campuses. Prior to this new swipe system, students relied on a key to enter into their residence halls.
Beginning this semester, however, it seems the days of flashing your ID to the DA on duty or security guard are officially over. With this new swipe system, students can enter a residence hall with a simple swipe of the newly designed ID cards.
All students need to do now is place their ID card on the reader, and if the light turns from red to green, then the door will open and allow them access into the dorm.
One of the first questions on every student’s mind is, “will it still be permissible to enter a residence hall that is not your own?”
The answer to this question is that students can enter a different residence hall if they are with another student that resides at that dorm. Signing in a guest remains the same, so if a student wants to sign in someone after 5 p.m., it must be manually written down at the front desk of each residence hall.
Walsh Resident Assistant Victoria Affrunti, GSB ’15, said “ [I] like the new system and that it makes everything easier for the desk assistants and security guards to be more thorough in their jobs.”
Extra security is a prominent reason why the presence of the key has begun to diminish. In the future, students will use their IDs to access the campuses. With the new ID system, only Fordham students and faculty have complete access to the buildings and campuses.
Former Conference Coordinator Assistant Faye Juabsamai, GSB ’15, worked this summer on the transition from the keys to the new IDs.
“[I] think it is a good endeavor and something to definitely be improved on in the future but is not fully effective just yet because students and faculty are still trying to understand the system,” Juabsamai said.
Once students and staff get used to the changes, it will be easier to add card swipe security to other campus locations. Even though students need time to become accustomed with the swipe system, it seems to be taking effect quite quickly.
Many members advise students to keep their IDs close and try not to lose them because that will make it difficult to enter a residence hall.
