At 10:30 p.m. the University campus is still and quiet. However, Facility Services employees and students are hard at work inside several unlocked buildings. In general, these nighttime members of the campus community would like to see security improvements.
In a late-night walk around campus Tuesday between 10 p.m. and midnight, Reveille staffers found at least nine unlocked classroom buildings.
The Agricultural Administration Building is one of those unlocked buildings, with several offices open, including the offices for the College of Agriculture coordinator of Student Services, recruitment coordinator and associate dean.
Robert Dillemuth, Facility Services assistant director of building services, said while most activity ceases in classroom buildings after 10 p.m., exterior doors are not locked down until 11:30 p.m. Faculty and staff are responsible for locking their personal offices.
Dillemuth said classrooms could be unlocked because Facility Services personnel had not yet cleaned those rooms.
Atkinson Hall and the Design Building were locked, but a card access system permitted certain people to enter the buildings. Mike Guillory, assistant director of Facility Services, said the process to install card access systems on buildings comes from colleges housed in that building.
“Factors such as the amount of students using the building at various hours usually prompts a building to look into installation of the system. Funding for card access comes from that college’s budget,” Guillory said.
While the Music and Dramatic Arts Building remains open until midnight each night, Facility Services workers said students are usually in the building practicing until the early morning hours.
Some students expressed concern over being in the area late, while others were less worried.
“Some practice rooms lock, but some don’t,” said Elena Wolfe, a music performance sophomore. “I don’t come unless I have Mace on.”
Jonathan Pretus, an English junior and member of the band Tweezer, said nighttime was the only time his band could practice. The band, like many other music students, knows of a “magic door” to enter the building.
Leslie, a Facility Services employee in the Music Building, said while she has not had any problems thus far, she would not hesitate to call campus security if she felt uncomfortable.
Paul Favaloro, Facility Services director of resources, said while his office has not had any major employee safety issues, their safety is a main concern.
“We try to work them together the best we can, and the supervisors do periodic checks,” Favaloro said.
Reveille staffers also found several lighting problems on campus. The Quad area was dark at night, with several walkways between buildings poorly lit. The Indian Mounds and Hill Memorial Library areas remained poorly lit, as did the parking lot behind Thomas Boyd Hall. Dark construction areas also were found between Coates and Nicholson Halls, as well as behind the Reilly Theatre and near the new West Campus Apartments.
Peter Davidson, Facility Services director of Energy Services, said his office has spent $250,000 in the past year on lighting upgrades, including using several shorter light poles instead of fewer tall ones.
In addition, Facility Services has a Facility Action Safety Team response system in place which responds to emergency facility problems. The LSU Police Department also reports problems such as burned-out lightbulbs when doing patrols.
Davidson also pointed out that students who feel unsafe walking in a certain area have other options.
“Usually, if there’s an area that you feel uncomfortable walking through, there are alternate routes,” Davidson said.
Favaloro said students or faculty who see problems with facilities should call 578-2327 to report problems. However, this hotline is for facility emergencies only.
“Be our eyes and ears for us,” he said. “When students see problems, they should let us know.”
Link: LSU/OFS: Building Coordinator List