Spring break lock replacement is the second step in mass rekeying
Over spring break, locks in every residence hall and campus building were replaced. This was the second step in replacing the locks after the master key was misplaced in August 2011. (Kayla Wong | The Beacon)
By Sarah Hansell, Staff Writer -- hansell14@up.edu
Over spring break, all the locks in the majority of the residence halls were replaced.
The mass rekeying was the second step in replacing the locks after the master key was misplaced in August 2011.
Physical Plant has not replaced locks in Kenna Hall, which will be rekeyed during its renovation over the summer, or Corrado Hall, which is still in the process of being rekeyed.
Tyson and Haggerty Halls do not need to be rekeyed because these halls use swipe cards rather than keys.
"The University had a very short period of time in which to change every dorm room key," Director of Physical Plant André Hutchinson said. "When they did it the first time they knew it would be a two-phase operation."
When the master key was misplaced, the locks in every residence hall, academic and administrative building and off-campus University rental house had to be replaced.
However, the locks were only temporarily replaced, since Physical Plant did not have enough time to update the keys to as high a standard of security as before.
"There was nothing unsafe about them at all," Hutchinson said. "We just got something that's better."
The replacement of the locks on the rest of the University's buildings is an ongoing project and will continue into the summer, according to Hutchinson. The University and Physical Plant made the residence halls more of a priority.
"It's always good for the University to have our safety in its best interests," sophomore Sam Schelfhout said.
However, some students think it took too long to replace the locks.
"I feel that it should have happened a long time ago," sophomore Clint Malson said. "They knew they lost the master key, and that should have been one of their top priorities."
Tom Clayton, the campus locksmith, has been coordinating this rekeying since the beginning of the school year and has been working with Physical Plant and Public Safety in an effort to ensure the entire operation went smoothly, with minimal disruption to students.
"I thought it went very, very fast," Shipstad Hall Director Fr. Joe Moyer said. "It took Tom and his crew two hours."
Because different residence halls were rekeyed on different days, some keys were available sooner than others. Mehling, for example, gave out most of their keys before students left for spring break.
For most residence halls, the keys were available at the front desk or from their Resident Assistant on duty after students got back from spring break.
"It was super annoying to be the person to be handing out all these keys," sophomore and Shipstad Hall Receptionist Chase Calvi said. "(But) I also kind of understand the importance of why the new keys were needed."
However, at the times when the hall desks were closed and the RAs were off duty, Public Safety let students into their rooms.
"We'd like it to be seamless anytime that (something like this) happens," Assistant Director of Public Safety Gerald Gregg said. "For whatever reason, if that doesn't happen, Public Safety is here to help. We'll let you in."
According to Moyer, since the Shipstad front desk was staffed every day, and he stayed on campus for spring break, only about four students needed to be let in by Public Safety.
