Housing took steps to improve safety in residence hall rooms this past week.
On Sept. 30, students of Residence Hall One and the University Student Center received a safety notification email from Heather Klisanin, the assistant director of housing.
The email addressed a past history of thefts occurring in the halls. As part of an ongoing safety initiative, housing made rounds to adjust the door handles of each dorm room.
“It has been proven that the doors can be opened with this ‘coat hanger’ method,” said Klisanin. “The change will ensure that is no longer possible.” It is stressed that all residents keep their dorm rooms locked.
“I was not aware of any issues concerning the door knobs and it was a complete surprise to me,” said Emily Rogers, a RHO resident. “I don’t feel any more secure, but I am indifferent because I feel very secure where I live.”
Another student who also was not aware of the theft situation shared that she usually keeps her door locked anyway.
“My understanding was that there was a spike in thievery and lock picking, thus housing decided to [adjust the locks] to make it harder to pick,” said Rachel Clemson, a USC resident. “I think the [change] will be effective.”
Klisanin stated that in previous instances there were no trends of the items being taken. “Some residents had lost electronic items, others money and clothing or accessories.”
Klisanin offered a precaution for residential students to keep track of their belongings.
“I would encourage them to write down all serial numbers and track their electronics,” said Klisanin. “If someone does steal something and tries to sell it, then it can be tracked.”
The email also encouraged students to lock their doors.
