By Charlotte Becker
Elm Staff Writer
After spring break, students living in Western Shore found surveillance cameras installed observing the staircases, entrances, and exits of the buildings, which raised concerns for some students about their privacy and the necessity of the cameras.
According to Vice President of Student Affairs Sarah Feyerherm, Washington College received a grant from the state of Maryland offering money for updates to campus safety. Administered through the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the grant of $555 thousand enabled the College to purchase and install about 100 new surveillance cameras, including 360-degree cameras across campus, as well as updated key card access to the dorms.
Feyerherm and Director of Public Safety Ryan Colman identified two major goals that they wanted to accomplish with the grant, including erasing blind spots where they have activity on campus.
Feyerherm emphasized the importance of installing cameras in the Western Shore hallways because, in contrast to other dorms, the doors directly enter into the students’ living space.
Feyerherm is aware of students’ concerns but is uncertain if Public Safety has already checked the cameras’ angles. However, she assured that there is no intention to observe what people are doing in their living spaces.
Public Safety Captain Burton Brown said that as the cameras are “being put in place, Public Safety stays in contact with the installers and makes sure the cameras are not pointing in any of the living areas.” The camera should be showing only the exits and entrances.
Senior Zach Osucha was caught off guard when he saw the security cameras, although he had already noticed preparatory installment steps last semester without any note from the College itself.
“The second we got back from spring break we noticed that there were cameras up now, just pointing to the stairwell. Two or three weeks later, they sent out the email informing us that they are putting in security cameras, but they had already been up for some time before,” Osucha said.
According to Feyerherm, Public Safety does not monitor the cameras at all times, but they are able to review the footage from the last 30 days if safety issues require it.
“It is a little unnerving that we did not have a direct warning. I feel like being in ‘Big Brother,’ like someone is always watching me, either I am entering or leaving,” Osucha said.
While Feyerherm said that WC was very fortunate to get this grant because it helped to make campus safer, senior Katie Opielski considers the additional cameras unnecessary.
“Chestertown is already a very safe place, and I have had no issues with safety my entire four years here. I think the money could have been used to do something else for the campus community,” Opielski said.
Feyerherm acknowledged that there was a low chance for the College to get the grant because Kent County is considered a secure living environment.
“There is nothing we have a particular concern about. We feel it is very important to make our campus a hard target to people who might steal and destroy something,” Feyerherm said.
Other students, such as senior Lucy Morris, support the attempt to make the campus safer.
“Personally, it makes me feel safe,” Morris said. “I notice that some people I talk to perceive it as a violation of privacy, but given it is not inside of our dorms, it feels safe to me. They are not actually watching me, so it adds a sense of security. You will never know what will happen.”
Opielski suggested a poll about the possible installation of the cameras as it is somewhat an invasion of privacy.
Osucha pointed out that, from his perspective, many students feel that they are being watched.
“I know not many people enjoy it. I mean it is safe, but just the knowledge that they are filming at all times is unnerving to me,” Osucha said.
While students are aware that the cameras provide more safety for the blind spots on campus, they feel uncertain due to the lack of information of what the cameras actually observe. The installation of these cameras raises a broader moral question about the tolerable level of surveillance on campus and the potential interference with the students’ rights to privacy.
Photo by Selena Francese.
Photo Caption: Feyerherm announced the MHEC grant in an email on Jan. 28.