Broken doors trouble students

by Jason Staker

Broken doors and faulty locks on some of Simpson’s apartments have students and staff concerned.

“For most people [safety and security] is the primary or only issue,” Mandy Fox, director of residence life, said. “Some people feel uneasy or unsafe when they think the doors allow more than residents in.”

Complaints about doors not locking are common according to Director of Security Chris Frerichs.

“We have had complaints about some exterior doors not shutting and/or locking properly,” Frerichs said. “This is common due to the amount of use some doors receive.”

Problems with apartment entrances go back to the beginning of this school year. Junior Ryan Steinbach said he found the doors to Weinman didn’t shut properly when he arrived in the fall.

“They did not have the building securely prepared for the students,” Steinbach said. “The back door was broken which affects everyone.”

There are many reasons why these doors don’t shut properly, according to Frerichs. He said the problem is sometimes caused by the way the door closes, the electronic locking system or the strike – the sensor pad where students swipe their key card.

Sometimes door problems are caused by the students.

“Some of the issues arise due to deliberate attempts by students to bypass the electronic access control system,” Frerichs said.

In fact, Fox said student mistreatment has caused repeated damage to Weinman’s south door.

“The problem is that instead of being fixed, the door gets yanked too often or otherwise damaged [so] the repair does not hold,” Fox said. “It became unable to be fixed in the traditional manner due to severe bowing from pulling, as well as other types of abuse.”

Yet, Weinman residents feel the problem shouldn’t be blamed solely on them.

“The residents of Weinman would not have damaged the door if it functioned properly to begin with,” Steinbach said.

Similar concerns have been raised in Hamilton House.

Junior Christie Hensel, a resident of Hamilton, said she has heard about such problems but doesn’t worry about security.

“I haven’t had any problems with it,” Hensel said. “I know somebody was concerned about the safety and whether people can get in there or not. I’m on the third floor and I don’t really worry about it at all.”

Fox said the school repaired the entrances to both facilities when the problems were reported. Repairs to Weinman’s entrance, which included an upgraded magnetic key system, cost a total of about $3,300.

Residence Life paid for the first repair to Weinman’s door, subsequent repairs will be charged to Weinman’s residents.

Fox said there is no plan to renovate all housing entrances because a complete overhaul seems unnecessary.

“We fix issues as they arise,” Fox said. “If you are aware of a door with issues, do not hesitate to contact student staff members.”