Res. hall cameras discussed by RHA

By Jess Camp

Published Dec. 5, 2006

Director of Residential Life Frankie Minor discussed the idea of having video cameras installed in residence halls as a way to prevent vandalism and other crime during the Residence Hall Association meeting Monday.

"The cameras would be placed to monitor entrances and other public areas for security reasons to help prevent crime," Minor said.

Some of the organization's members were disturbed by this proposal. They brought up concerns of how this idea sounded like Big Brother out of George Orwell's novel "1984."

"It's not to spy on people," Minor said. "It would be in main, public areas. We wouldn't be sneaking up on the residents. They would know that the cameras were there."

Currently, if an area of a residence hall is vandalized and the culprit is unidentified, a common bill is issued and everyone in the hall has to pay a portion of the cost to replace the damage. If these cameras are installed, then the destructive person would most likely get caught and would have to deal with his mistakes, Minor said.

The Residential Life department is contemplating putting the cameras in College Avenue Hall because it is the ideal size and is a newer facility. The price for these digital, motion sensitive cameras is between $13,000 and $15,000, Minor said.

"Students have been supportive," Minor said. "If you're not breaking the rules, then you have nothing to worry about."

The University of Arkansas has already installed cameras in their residence halls, Minor said.

RHA also passed a resolution in support of renaming the General Classroom Building after Arvarh E. Strickland. Strickland was MU's first full-time black faculty member. The same resolution also called for College Avenue Hall to be renamed as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hall. With the resolution's passage, RHA announced its support of this issue.

"Since Strickland was a professor and it's an academic building, then it is fitting that this building be named after him," said Jonathan Mays, Missouri Students Association Senate Operations Committee chairman.

Mays said if RHA, MSA and the Legion of Black Collegians draft a bill to recommend renaming GCB, it would be the first joint resolution between the three groups.

Also during the meeting, RHA President Justin Ginter also asked members to write letters to Chancellor Brady Deaton telling him why they support placing condoms in residence halls. Ginter said organizations around campus are asking their members to write similar letters and they will be presented to Deaton at the same time. RHA has previously supported the initiative to put condoms in residence halls' bathrooms and common areas.