To: President Sally Kornbluth
From: Concerned Students of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Subject: Request to Lock Doors to Academic and Community Buildings to Limit Public Access and Improve Safety

 
Dear President Kornbluth,

We write with deep respect for MIT’s mission, values, and commitment to openness, innovation, and community engagement. At the same time, we ask that the Institute urgently reassess current campus access policies -- specifically, the public accessibility of academic and community buildings -- and take steps to maintain the temporary locked door policy and limit public access to our campus. We deeply appreciate the efforts already put in place in the short term, and we ask that the longer term be evaluated with the same concern. 

Recent events at Brown University have underscored a reality many students now feel acutely. The status quo no longer guarantees our safety. Our campus is uniquely open by design, but openness without adequate safeguards leaves students vulnerable in spaces where we study, work, rehearse, collaborate, and build community. We feel that the current state of our campus leaves us terrifyingly exposed to a devastating situation that has a real possibility of occurring. Obviously, this request does not eliminate the risk of an internal attack, and campus must still accommodate tours and other functional exposure to the public, but any preventative measures enacted now means potential lives saved in a situation like that at Brown. The need for a temporary fix underscores the need for more long-term measures, as this is not a temporary threat.

MIT is a living, breathing institution only because its students are living and breathing. Our ability to learn, to research, and to contribute meaningfully to the Institute depends on us feeling safe within its walls. Academic buildings and community centers are not merely facilities; they are extensions of our homes during the academic year. Unrestricted public access to these spaces creates unnecessary exposure to risk and anxiety that directly undermines student well-being and academic focus.

We recognize and value MIT’s tradition of welcoming the broader public. However, we believe that measured access controls, such as card access for academic buildings and community buildings, are both reasonable and consistent with practices at many peer institutions. Such measures would not eliminate MIT’s role as a global inspiration and community leader. Rather, they would reflect a thoughtful balance between accessibility and safety in a changed security landscape.

We respectfully request that the Institute:

• Implement continued locked access to academic buildings and student centers, with MIT ID card entry for students, faculty, and staff during operating hours.
• Conduct and transparently share a campus-wide safety and access review that incorporates student input.
• Communicate clearly with the community about any changes, their rationale, and how they will be enforced.

This petition is not a call for fear-driven policy, but for proactive stewardship of the community you lead. We trust that MIT can adapt its policies to meet present realities while honoring its core values. Our safety is not at odds with MIT’s mission; it is foundational to it.

Thank you for your time, leadership, and consideration of this urgent matter.

Respectfully,

Concerned Students of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology