Acting VPUL puts McGinn on firing line

Will decide fate by April 18 University administrators gave McGinn Security Services formal notice last Friday that they are considering the termination of the University's contract with the security firm because of "numerous lapses in security," acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said yesterday. Last week, The Daily Pennsylvanian reported that five McGinn guards were found asleep on the job during a two-hour period during "the graveyard shift" Wednesday morning. In the letter, signed by McCoullum and Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone, the University calls for "immediate changes" due to the "numerous lapses in security in a number of the residence halls." "The University is contemplating termination of the agreement because it is not satisfied with McGinn's services," the letter states. Notification of possible termination is required by the contract at least 30 days before termination can occur. From now until April 18, University and McGinn officials must conduct "good faith" discussions in an attempt to avoid this action. Last week, McCoullum said she would decide what steps to take regarding McGinn by this Wednesday, but her decision came days before it was expected. "I feel it is absolutely one of the right steps to take," she said. "That is why I made the decision to move as rapidly as possible." Simeone said last night that despite similar reports of McGinn guards being spotted asleep on the job last year, this is the first time the University has considered termination of the agreement. "It is the first time we have initiated a formal review with McGinn," Simeone said. McCoullum said, though, that no decision has yet been made concerning the fate of the University's agreement with McGinn Security Services. She said she feared McGinn guards "would lose incentive" if they thought they would no longer be working for the University after this year. "I don't want anyone doing anything to jeopardize the students' safety," McCoullum said. If the University does in fact decide to terminate the contract with McGinn, McCoullum said there will need to be an alternative system put in place to provide the security services that McGinn provides presently. At this point, Simeone said, no alternatives have been discussed yet. On Friday, Simeone issued a list of eight steps that have been acted upon in order to improve security in the residences. Among these steps, formulated by Simeone, University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich and Deputy Vice Provost George Koval, are having increased spot checks of the guards by University Police officers, Residential Living officials and McGinn supervisors. Residential Living will also buy radios for every security station so that guards can call in or be called periodically to confirm that they are awake. "In the short term we are doing everything we can think of to ensure that guards are alert and doing their jobs properly," Simeone said. Both Simeone and McCoullum said they are also thinking about long-term ways to improve residential security. McCoullum said the installation of additional technology will be required to increase security. Raising the heights of security gates, adding a card reader to the outside of dormitories so that students would have to swipe their PENNCards twice in order to gain access to a building, and instituting automatic lockdowns of all front doors instead of having people manually lock these residence doors are all being considered, McCoullum said. She said she also hopes to implement a complete revision of front-end residential security procedures after consultation with internal and external security experts. And despite the fact that many of these changes may be seen as inconveniences, McCoullum said she would still like to see these changes done by the fall of this year. "Safety has to be the priority," McCoullum said.