DalTech clamps down on theft

Heist two years ago prompted security upgrade

Dalhousie's School of Engineering Photo: Dalhousie University

Many DalTech architecture students have had their hard work stolen over the past few years. The thefts have not been plagiarism – computers and bookbags, as well as purses, wallets and books have been taken.

The university has responded by installing a high-tech security system at the Ralph M. Medjuck Building on Spring Garden Road, which houses DalTech’s School of Architecture.

Many architecture students work in labs and studios long after business hours, making scale drawings and building models. Some spend so much time at school outside of class they wonder why they bother paying rent, says Lisa Sutoria, a first-year masters student.

“I am here at the studio, always at the studio,” says Katie MacLeod, another first-year masters student. Students need access to buildings after staff have left and locked the doors.

The security system accommodates students who need more time in the building and secures the school’s expensive equipment.

“Just a few years ago there was no security system,” says Mark Slaney of Dalhousie’s Facilities Management. He’s in charge of updating and maintaining the electronic system that lets people in and out of buildings at Dalhousie.

Students need two things to get into the architecture building after hours – a magnetic key tag and a personal identification number. These disable the magnetically locked doors.

But there are many keys in circulation and many students keep their personal identification numbers on a sticker attached to their key tag. The loss of one of the tags would provide easy access to anyone. Slaney says that, when someone loses a magnetic key, it can be disabled without interfering with the rest of the system.

DalTech has also installed a PC Tab system that locks laptops and other electronics to teaching tables if a professor wants to use them in a classroom for PowerPoint presentations or other demonstrations.

Two years ago the School of Architecture lost seven computers in a single heist, prompting the ongoing security improvements, says Patrick Kelly, the school’s director of computer services.

“There’s always a risk, as there is on every campus,” he says, advising students to use a lock if they need to leave their laptops at a workstation and to use common sense when letting people into buildings.

The security upgrades are working, but they’re not perfect. In the last week of September, there were reports of break-ins to secure areas of campus, says Slaney. One university staff employee believes there’s a problem in having seven different security systems on campus that are working 24 hours a day, but not always working with one another.

Martha Barnstead, secretary to the dean of architecture, is upset about the robberies. She notes that students, staff and faculty “are like a family.” She says when things are stolen, everyone in the building sympathizes with the victims.

Police are notified whenever a criminal act takes place on campus, says Charles Crosby, a spokesperson for Dalhousie security services. Students and staff should report any stolen property to security and they will forward the information to Halifax Regional Police for investigation.

Students feel safer with the new security measures, Barnstead says, but they still need to pay attention to keeping safe.

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