Campus

Moody Towers receives upgrades for security

Sliding doors protected by a Cougar Card security swipe have replaced the old entrance doors at Moody Towers. | Julian Jimenez/The Daily Cougar

Opinion among residents at Moody Towers is split concerning the construction of new security measures aimed at stopping unauthorized access into the building.

Anna Weismann, the project manager for the upgrades, said the recently completed construction consists of sealed entrances and new doorways.

Previously, Moody Towers had five entrances — two for each tower and one leading into the commons. Since the upgrade, two of the tower entry points have been converted into emergency exits, two have been turned into storefronts and the main entrance is now protected by a card swipe reader.

“The full upgrade won’t be done until the end of the winter break — that will give us time to load everybody’s Cougar Card into the system,” Weismann said.

“We anticipated having this done earlier, but based on the timing it seems more feasible to have it finished over the winter break. That way, when the students come back, all the security will be in place. It’ll give us time to test it and make sure that they are properly functioning.”

Weismann said the security upgrade came to life as a joint effort aimed at improving student safety.

“It was a discussion between the UH Res life and the VP of the University that there were too many access points into Moody Towers,” she said. “We recognized that there needed to be something done.”

Weismann said there was an increase in the number of security problems that occurred during the summer semester.

She also said that the project may undergo further construction, but the changes depend on the effectiveness of the currently implemented measures.

“We do have a phase two plan in mind, but we want to see how this phase one works, whether we see a decrease in unauthorized access into the building. We’ll take it from there and see what our next steps are,” Weismann said.

According to a report from Administration and Finance Plant Operations, the security upgrades, when completed, will also feature three new security cameras.

Weismann said she hopes the security measures help assuage any student worries concerning living on campus.

“I just hope the students will feel more at ease when this upgrade is completed, and that we can see a decrease in unauthorized access — just make it a better living environment for them.”

Many students agreed with the upgrades. Alyssa Reyes, a psychology freshman living at Moody Towers, said she liked seeing more security because it put the building on par for safety with other residence halls on campus.

“I think it’s really great having to swipe in at the towers because everyone walks in whenever they please. It’s like Cougar Village, where the security is just awesome. I think it’s a really good improvement,” Reyes said.

Other students, however, see the upgrades as an inconvenience. Pre-pharmacy freshman Sinin Allahalih, another resident at the Towers, expressed some frustration with the new entrances.

“I think it’s pointless. People still come in and out. I don’t know why there is a swipe machine next to the doors if they’re automatic.”

Allahalih said she was especially frustrated with the storefront windows that have sealed off some of the entrances.

“This made me really mad,” Allahalih said as she pointed to the now closed North Tower entrance.

“Everyone I know was disappointed with this.”

Still, other residents have simply accepted the changes and moved on.

“I don’t really think it makes a big difference,” said Alexander Dean, a supply chain management freshman.

“I pretty much feel the same way that I did before.”

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5 Comments

  • THis is an increble waste of our money, we already are forced to swipe in at the tower entrences, the only people that enter the building that are not going to swipe in are those students trying to get to moody. You are asking all the students of the university to walk all the way around yet another building, I was already mad when I have to walk an extra ten minutes in the winters or in the rain around cougar village when the quads are closed.

  • I'm all for extra security measures, and I'm sure a lot of residents within the actual living quarters are too. Security measures aren't supposed to meet satisfaction for the convenience of pedestrians walking through campus. They are to meet safety standards set by, and expected by, the residents of the building itself.

  • Safety trumps inconvenience. That's the way it is…..and the way it should be. Just look at the TSA. Do you think the agency and its 60,000-plus front-line employees care a twit about how we "feel" about the safety measures we have to put up with at airports? And that's just one example……
    So yeah, the new safety installations at Moody will result in some inconvenience; but if they lessen or prevent criminal activities–as they're intended to–then I'm all for them.

  • These security measures for Moody are just inane. Moody Towers requires you to swipe in before you're even allowed to enter the towers, and there isn't a way around that as far as I know. So is it really an issue if students/residents are roaming through a limited area that is the Moody commons? I don't think so. Just inconvenient for us non-Moody residents going to Moody cafeteria through the Moody commons. It's just seems so redundant and dumb.

    Cougar Village nor Quads isn't safe; you just have to walk behind a person that swipes in, maybe pretend you're a resident or whatever, and get in because nobody wants to seem rude for closing the door on the person behind you. Person who thinks CV security is "awesome" hasn't check crime log reports that much.

    • For once someone gets it right. Security can almost always be bypassed with a bit of social engineering. Just say you forgot your card and no one will know.

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