The mysterious police car blocking the bus tunnel under the Ellicott Complex isn't sitting there for no reason. That lone squad car is there to protect UB students from terrorists. Due to the nation's code orange terror alert, UB has recently begun increasing security throughout campus, which is considered a "soft" target, like other universities and shopping malls.
Precautions are good; knowing that the university is not unprepared is reassuring. However, we would prefer to see students thoroughly educated about any risks they face than see incomplete safeguards put into place.
One precaution UB has taken so far is the aforementioned police vehicle guarding the Ellicott bus tunnel. The 24-hour surveillance is to prevent suspicious motorists from entering the tunnel, with the officer on call asking for the driver's business at the dorms, then conducting a thorough search on each vehicle. The problem? While there is security at the front of the tunnel, there isn't any at the exit. If a terrorist were planning to enter the tunnel, the individual would logically head for the rear entrance, where security would be at its minimum. While the bus tunnel is a one-way passage, UB cannot rely on traffic laws to deter drivers with criminal intent.
For those on foot, gaining access to the dorms is even easier - the keycard entrances to the dorms are poorly secured. While in theory a UB card is required to get into the buildings, that doesn't prevent students from propping the doors open and opening doors for those who have forgotten their cards. If students were aware of the dangers posed by allowing unknown persons into the buildings, it would (hopefully) make them think twice about propping the door next time they step outside.
Despite this, placing guards at every door at UB is useless and wasteful of both resources and students' time. It would be pointless to search every individual entering the dorms, and even random searches would be an ineffective nuisance. UB can't have the students in Ellicott feeling like they live in an airport, when it's actually their home.
If UB is in danger, then it's strange to find that the academic facilities are not a priority. UB is an open campus, where those who aren't students and faculty can freely wander in and out, and terrorists would be more likely to strike the center of learning in a university. Although people are killed by acts of terror, their goals aren't to murder as many people as possible; terrorists want to destroy targets of importance to dictate their ability to weaken the growth, security and foundation of an institution.
Even if guards were placed all over campus, it wouldn't do any good to anyone if UB doesn't inform students why they are doing this. The squad car in front of Ellicott has been there for nearly two weeks, and most students have no idea why. The least UB could do is distribute flyers to inform students of exactly where and why this increase of security is happening. The university must not parallel the U.S. government by saying we are in dire trouble, but failing to give us the details on why or how.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
