Decision on McGinn expected soon

Acting Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said she will decide whether or not the University will terminate its contract with McGinn Security Services either Monday or Tuesday. Last month The Daily Pennsylvanian reported that five McGinn guards were found asleep on the job in one night during a two-hour period on the "graveyard shift." As a result, McCoullum and Residential Living Director Gigi Simeone notified McGinn on March 18 that the University was considering termination of its agreement with the firm. The contract, which is not set to expire until 1998, requires that the University notify McGinn of possible termination at least 30 days before the actual termination is set to occur. And on Monday, the 30 days will be up. Officials from the Offices of the VPUL, Residential Living, Purchasing and Public Safety have been meeting with Joseph McGinn Sr. and Joseph McGinn Jr., president and vice president of the security guard company, over the past month to discuss the contractual obligations between the firm and the University. The firm provides security guards for all of the University's dormitories. The guards work in two shifts, covering from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. McCoullum said she hopes to have a recommendation today from the committee of University officials that have been meeting with McGinn's president and vice president. The committee's report may not be available until Monday morning, though, she said yesterday. If that is the case, the decision could be put off until Tuesday. McGinn Sr. would not comment on any specifics about the meetings between he and the University yesterday, saying he will not say anything until the 30-day negotiation period ends Monday. Director of Purchasing Robert Michel, the spokesperson for the committee, could not be reached for comment yesterday. However, Michel did say last month, after the University's first meeting with McGinn, that the University was looking at other security firms as possible alternatives to McGinn. One such firm may be SpectaGuard, a firm with whom the University is currently doing business. Larry Rubin, spokesperson for SpectaGuard, said that the firm already provides guards for the Dental School and athletic and social events at the University. "We are in contact on a regular basis with the University," he said. Rubin added that the University and SpectaGuard have not specifically discussed the possibility of the firm providing guard services for University residences. But he did indicate that the firm would like to be considered if the agreement with McGinn is terminated. "We would certainly pursue any discussions with the University if that did come up," Rubin said. "SpectaGuard certainly has a good working relationship with the administration." A representative from Burns International, another local security firm, said the University has not been in contact with them at all, and officials from Wells Fargo Guard Services would not return calls regarding the issue.

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