Most students who commute to and from campus are familiar with the new additions added to the front entrance guard shack – the electronic arms.
The new motion sensored electronic arms have been placed on both sides of the guard shack to regulate the traffic going and coming onto campus. It was also installed for security purposes, to protect students from any person who does not have a good reason to be on campus or for those who wish to create chaos on campus.
Members of The Hornet Tribune staff spoke to a handful of students about their feelings regarding the installment of the electronic arms and whether or not they felt it was necessary.
Junior April Walker believes that it makes the campus safer.
“It just makes sure it’s the right people coming on campus.” She also believes that there should be a person at the gate at all times, despite it being motion sensored, “So no random person can just come on campus.”
Junior Thellus Griglen also agreed, saying, “It gives ASUPD a sense of direction. So they can let who they want in and if you don’t have a decal, they can tell you to turn around and go back. I think it was a good touch to the university.”
Other students, such as freshman Aaron McNeil, believe that despite its good intentions, the gate ultimately slows traffic.
McNeil doesn’t believe that the gate helps security in the long run, as there are other ways to get on campus than to pass by the gate.
“Besides that, I thought it would be a good investment at first,” he said. “I’ve noticed that it’s motion censored. It lifts if you get too close, it’s not so much controlled by the people in the shack, so it’s not really doing anything to stop traffic if you can just drive through whether they stop you or not.”
With all these opinions held by the students of ASU, there seems to be a consensus that the gate could prove to be a wise investment in the future, if handled properly. Despite these good feelings of optimism, there also seems to be an agreed upon feeling of doubt that it will ultimately help security.