U. considers biometric readers for dorm security

This year unique physical characteristics might be used for more than just attracting attention -- they could be an access ticket to the University Quadrangle and eventually all Residential Living locations. The University is in the market for futuristic identification technology including hand prints, iris scans, and fingerprint recognition. Officials are currently investigating and in a preliminary design phase to add a higher degree of security technology for many access control areas on campus. The proposal is in collaboration with the company that is handling all security issues for the Olympic Village during the 1996 Summer Olympics, but their name cannot be released at this time. Security Director Chris Algard said the multi-million dollar proposal will make improvements in the police department and campus security. Improvements will include new buildings, lights, cameras, and alarms. But the most unique aspect of the discussions concerns implementing new ways of combining personal verification with electronic verification in residential dorms. Such devices would be biometric. "These are the technologies we're looking at positively to uplift or upgrade dorm security," Algard said. "The new systems are the wave of the future. Penn can either catch on now or later." The technology is meant to improve access control by being more effective and efficient. Biometric readers verify the person's identification and controls tailgating at an entrance. Algard is considering the portal system where a student would use card identification to pass through an initial gate. Once inside the chamber, a biometric device would be used to positively identify the person and a second door would open. Penn would be the first university to use the biometric portal system. The entire process takes approximately eight seconds. New York University currently uses hand geometry, but does not have the chamber system yet. Portals are currently being used at NASA, General Motors, and several residences located in urban cities. Hand geometry is the system that is most likely to be used at Penn because Algard feels it would be the most culturally accepted option. "All biometric identification has great promise for the future," George Schneider a senior consulting engineer for NCR Corporation said in a press release. "It will have widespread use within the next few years." Algard said his next step is to work closely with the Faculty Advisory Council, the Residential Advisory Board, and the Vice Provost for University Life to gauge what students and faculty want out of the new system. He stressed that he is looking for feedback. "Since security is a top priority at Penn, any improvement is important," said RAB Vice Chairperson and Undergraduate Assembly member College junior Josh Rockoff. "It is awesome that the technology we see on Mission Impossible could come to our campus so quickly." Rockoff said the new system would secure the residence halls from unwanted visitors, providing a "truly safe" environment. If the proposal continues as planned, Algard hopes to test some of the new technology as early as this fall. Possible prototypes include the Quadrangle, Kings' Court, and the Class of '25. There are no definite plans yet, but the management of the company that produced the Olympic system is currently working with University officials to design options. "At first I wanted to tackle the Quad first since it will be the greatest challenge," Algard said. "But the 4,000 transactions a day may be too much. I think the Class of '25 will most likely be our trial." With the new system, guards will patrol assigned areas instead of remaining in one place. Algard predicts that the force might eventually shrink to half its present size, but will involve higher quality guards. He said it will no longer be possible for guards to sleep or slack during their shifts. Visitors will be permitted into residence halls until a scheduled time and guards will be patrolling to assist visitors who need assistance. During peak hours, for example lunchtime, Algard said their is a chance that the portal system will not be used. Security guards might use observation control during extremely busy hours. "Our single largest security risk is giving out keys to people who are locked out of rooms," Algard explained. "Under any new system, guards will physically unlock doors instead of handing out keys." Another possibility is to take advantage of the new computer chip that is going to be implanted in PennCards this year to have less guards doing a more effective job, explained Algard. "We are just putting the technology on the table," Algard said. "We all have to decide together what is best for the University community."