Hi! I’m Mallory and I’m a student at Cleveland State University. 

Within the last month, there have been three bomb threats both on and around campus and all the buildings involved were evacuated. Thankfully, they were false alarms and nobody was hurt. There have also been shootings at schools close to campus and even a couple on campus close to the dorms. With this is mind, only one of the main classroom buildings on campus has some sort of key card security system to ensure only faculty and students can enter the building. Otherwise, anyone can enter any building on campus and even get to other buildings through the “innerlink” that connects almost every building on campus together.

Many students including myself have begun expressing concern for our safety and often no longer feel safe or secure when coming to class. I think that every main class room building as well as the student center and rec center (members should still get an ID to enter as well) should require an ID security system to ensure only the student and faculty can enter. This will help to improve our safety and greatly decrease the risk of school shootings as well as possible planted bombs even if it is just a “prank.”

A general key card security system costs about $1,500-$2,500 per door. With roughly 25 buildings that should require these systems, that’s a total cost of about $60,000. In addition to these systems, the university should start thinking about connecting Julka Hall to the Innerlink. This is one of the furthest buildings on campus and connecting this one would not only help when the weather is bad, but would also improve student safety by not having to walk there exposed especially along Chester due to its close proximity to the free way. 

This petition is just a start to get the conversation rolling about keeping our campus safe! If you think this would be a good idea and beneficial in the long run, please consider signing to keep not only yourself safe, but your fellow peers and faculty members.

Thank you!