By MATTHEW EPSTEIN
News Editor
 

To most students, nighttime at Bates means walking across an increasingly cold campus comforted with the sight of blue lights at security phones every few hundred feet.

The question is, however, are there enough of the little red phones that automatically ring at security to ensure the safety of students at Bates College?

According to Ron Lessard, Assistant Director of Security and Campus Safety, Bates has more than 100 security phones, at every dorm and house, and in or around most buildings and in all elevators.

Most of the phones have been added since 1991, when the college began putting phones in individual dorm rooms.

Comparatively, Colby has only 10 phones outside, and makes greater use of signs that instruct students where and how to dial for help in an emergency.

Bowdoin has approximately 70 direct dial phones to security.

Some students at Bates, however, say that beating out our rivals in this category is not enough.

"I think that... there are places where they need to be," said Simon Delekta, a member of the Representative Assembly who established the Ad-Hoc Committee to Review Security Call Boxes.

Added Jay Surdukowski, another committee member, "under the Library is like a dark alleyway."

Over the next week the committee will be making a survey of all of the phones on campus. Members felt that there are currently several areas that need a phone but lack one.

Surdukowski pointed out that the area around the ATM in Chase Hall is very isolated at night, with the nearest phones in the Den and at the Concierge both being well out of sight and hearing range.

After its survey, the committee will be making a report at this week's RA meeting, on Monday, November 16, at 7 PM in Skelton Lounge.

The basic plan for security phones is that they were to be placed so that one could be anywhere on campus and see a blue light; however, Lessard acknowledged that this is not quite the case.

"I think we could use some more [phones]. You've got areas on Campus Avenue... the Health Center doesn't have a phone... Admissions doesn't have a phone."

Students who feel that a phone or light is needed on campus can submit their concerns to the Security Office. At regular meetings the department considers such proposals. In some places, adding a phone can be a simple matter.

In recent years, many students have also asked the Security Office to look into lighting issues. A series of bicycle thefts, especially at Page Hall, have led to concerns that the areas around the racks are inadequately lit.

"Lighting and sound... if there's plenty of light, [thieves] can be seen," said Lessard, explaining why it is important for the bike racks to be in visible areas.

Although it is generally very expensive to add a light to the campus, security phones can be a relatively simple matter. The phones themselves are "about $5," according to Lessard. The difficulty and expense of putting one in comes from the necessary power and telephone lines that need to be in place.

If there is no telephone line and electrical power in a given space for the little blue light, then it may simply be infeasable to place a phone there.

Lessard emphasized that "where safety is concerned the college has made it a point to be safety conscious.... There's a lot of factors that go into it [spending for security]."

Next week, on Thursday, November 19, there will be the annual security walk, where students will take a nighttime tour of campus with the department and are welcome to make suggestions.