Student Privacy Versus Student Safety

Though some proponents view dorm patrols as a means of building strong communities, many students are unlikely ever to view it that way. Given that many incoming college students are expecting to enjoy their newfound personal freedom on campus, most students do not welcome the fact that police officers wander periodically through their dorms. Indeed, in the eyes of many students, security personnel are essentially surrogate parents, authority figures who constantly monitor their behavior and punish them when necessary. Nevertheless, several colleges remain committed to providing students with a secure learning environment, even if they must upset some segments of the student body in the process.

Analysts say that it is unclear whether dorm patrol policies at UMass Amherst and other schools will be able to withstand legal challenges similar to those experienced by WSU in 2006. But, supporters say, even if police officers' presence in residence halls is ruled unconstitutional at other colleges, campus safety advocates should not be overly concerned: Police will always be legally justified in responding to specific complaints. "The sky is not falling," Esser says. If dorm patrols are deemed illegal at the state or federal level, he says, "there's nothing to prevent people from reporting crimes and asking the police to respond."

In recent months, at least one college has shown a willingness to compromise with students over police presence on campus. In November 2006, WSU administrators officially changed the school's housing policy after groups representing the student body expressed support for the modifications.

The new policy upholds the court's May 2006 assertion that dorm hallways are essentially private areas. Under it, officers will be allowed to conduct patrols in common areas of dorms, but will be prohibited from casually collecting incriminating evidence against students on those visits. In order to collect such evidence or enter students' private rooms, an officer must first have a valid warrant, following the same procedure as policemen who work outside of college campuses.

As schools attempt to straddle the thin line separating campus security and student privacy, legal analysts predict that compromises modeled after the one recently struck at WSU may eventually become commonplace at other schools around the U.S. By getting students' input over what is fair and unfair, they say, college administrators can ensure that the security policies they implement are both respected by dorm residents and effective in curbing criminal behavior.

Sources
"UMass Adding 325 Video Security Cameras on Campus." CBS4 Boston, July 20, 2006, cbs4boston.com.

Vaznis, James. "Police Walk the Dorm Beat." Boston Globe, December 12, 2006, www.boston.com.

Vestal, Shawn. "WSU Police Won't Patrol Dorms." SpokesmanReview.com, August 7, 2006, www.spokesmanreview.com.

"WSU Regents OK Routine Police Patrols of Dorms." Seattle Post-Intelligencer, November 21, 2006, seattlepi.nwsource.com.