New security firm not yet announced

Despite promises to the contrary, a new residential security contractor has not yet been selected or announced. Assistant to the Deputy Vice Provost Carolynne Martin said last week that a firm would be selected by last Friday, but this week she said she still does not have an answer. And McGinn Security Services President Joseph McGinn, Sr. said he was called last Friday and told that the decision would be delayed. But Martin insists that the process "is indeed on track" and that she is "very pleased with the process and very pleased with where we are." She added that right now, the selection team assigned to choose the new firm is just doing some "fine tuning analysis." She said the team's findings -- including a list of the top five candidates which has not yet been released -- were submitted to President Judith Rodin and Provost Stanley Chodorow for approval Friday. "They have both discussed it and they have gotten back to the team," Martin said. "They are pleased and satisfied with the work that we have done." Associate Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said this week that Rodin and Chodorow insisted on being part of the process. "They wanted to make sure that they had the opportunity to review the materials and the process themselves because it is critical to them that the security for students across campus and in the residences is high priority," she said. Fourteen firms originally applied for the position, but the team recently narrowed the list to five finalists. Martin said this week the elimination process was guided by five basic areas of evaluation, each of which were rated on a one to 10 scale -- management, quality assurance, responsiveness, training and experience. She added that price was also a factor, but "secondary" to the five basic areas. "Price is not driving the selection," she said. "It is important to us of course because we are looking at cost containment guidelines, but?we are far more concerned with having a firm that can provide quality service to our students." Meanwhile, several firms -- including McGinn -- are anxiously awaiting a decision which will have a powerful effect on their futures. "We've been sitting on the edge of our seats waiting," McGinn said yesterday. "We're waiting anxiously and hopefully we'll be the successful bidder." McGinn, who said his company is "sort of on hold" because it cannot yet prepare for the fall semester, added that the University is his biggest contract. "A great majority of our business was here with the Residential Living contract and this is where we spent 90 percent of our time and our effort," he said. "If we don't get [the contract] we have to regroup and move ahead and do other things." Martin said that after the "fine tuning analysis" the team should be in a position to select and announce a firm. While she promised the firm would still be in place by the previously-announced August 15 transition date, she would not give a date as to when she would actually announce which firm was selected.