In a recent report published by "The Conversation," university students are at an increased risk of becoming victims of a crime in comparison to the general public. The report states that 19% of students were victims of a crime, as opposed to 16% of adults in the general public.
Are campus-wide security and safety systems upgrading at the same rate enough to cater to the safety needs around the campus and make students feel safe and secure?
This article will analyze the importance of student safety and security, explore how smart campus security solutions can help prioritize student safety, and discuss some possible campus-wide safety implementation strategies.
The importance of student safety
Academic institutions must establish a secure and safe atmosphere for their students, especially in the current unpredictable era plagued by rising criminal activities.
Such an environment fosters trust between the learners and the educators, resulting in improved academic outcomes. A safe environment also increases retention rates since students feel more secure when they know their basic rights are being respected.
Let's have a closer look at some of the most effective smart campus security solutions that can help campuses boost student safety.
Mobile access credentials
When it comes to classroom locks and access control systems, there is no hiding that there are well-documented security vulnerabilities in the card keys and badging technology along with physical keys. Switching to mobile access credentials increases the security of the campus by allowing students to access their dorms using their smartphones. Let's see why.
- With mobile credentials, students are only sometimes required to take their physical keys with them.
- Mobile phones are the most secure device a person carries. They come with facial IDs and fingerprints and can't be cloned.
- It is easier to manage permissions remotely through mobile credentials. Administrators can grant or revoke access to specific individuals without having to distribute physical keys.
AI-informed cameras for advanced threat detection
The emergence of artificial intelligence is transforming the security industry. AI-informed cameras use artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze videos and detect potential threats and activities.
Here are some advantages of using these devices as part of a campus security strategy.
- Identify weapons or restricted objects - AI cameras can recognize weapons, forbidden objects, abandoned packages, or vehicles. When the cameras recognize any of these items, it rings a bell and sends a notification to the security personnel so that they can respond to the threat or activity.
- Behavior analyzing: These cameras also analyze human behavior patterns and detect abnormal activities like fighting, trespassing, loitering, and bullying, before triggering alerts to the security personnel, who can intervene before any serious damage is done.
When choosing the type of cameras, security strategists should consider their campus's specific characteristics. For example, if places on campus have low lighting, they should invest in night vision cameras to get better coverage.
Certain cameras also come with additional features. Explosion proof IP cameras can be used in areas with a risk of fire, while high-definition cameras can be used to capture more intricate details such as license plates or facial features.
Emergency notification systems
Having adequate notification systems in place is crucial for the security of college and university campuses. These systems use different tools to promptly inform faculty, staff, and students of any potential danger.
These may include text messaging, emails, phone calls, and social media.
These advanced notification systems can also guide how to react to emergencies. In urgent situations, notifications can be issued campus-wide, allowing all students to be informed and take appropriate action.
Visitor management solutions
Visitor management solutions are also an important part of the campus security system. These solutions allow campuses to register and track visitors, ensuring that only those people with an authorized purpose enter the premises.
Visitor management solutions typically involve using a web-based application that allows administrators to create visitor profiles and access policies, register visitors, and track their movements while on campus. This helps to ensure that unauthorized persons are not granted access to the facility.
Visitor management solutions can also be used to facilitate contactless entry into the premises. This is done by issuing digital visitor badges scanned as the person enters the premises. The data is held securely within the system, making this process more secure compared to conventional paper-based visitor cards.
The visitor management solutions not only strengthen security measures on campus but also simplify the check-in and check-out procedures, reducing the workload of security personnel.
Improved cybersecurity
Utilizing smart cybersecurity measures aids in enhancing campus security and adds another layer of protection to the campus network.
Conventional security measures cannot fully safeguard against cyber threats that can emerge from various sources. Smart cybersecurity utilizes advanced technologies, like artificial intelligence and machine learning, to perceive and rapidly respond to threats.
Campuses can identify cyber threats instantly and decrease potential harm through these solutions.
They can also truncate the time necessary for security staff to identify and react to incidents. Moreover, smart cybersecurity solutions prohibit unauthorized websites, obstruct malicious files from penetrating the network, and recognize suspicious activities within the network.
The network user activity can be supervised to detect any prohibited access.
