When Charles Commons opened its doors on Sept. 3, it was touted by administrators as the new locus of student life -- replete with practice rooms, social spaces and a dining hall that would be open late at night. Having lived across the street from the construction site for the past year, I was eager to see what it had to offer. On opening day, I walked through the open entrance and was treated to a guided tour from none other than Dean of Student Life Paula Burger herself. By the time I left, there was little doubt in my mind that the investment the University had made was worth it.
But a funny thing happened the second time I visited the building. I walked up to the front door and was surprised to find myself locked out. Because it was after 5 p.m., I had to wait and "tailgate" a resident who opened the door with his magnetic access card -- a practice that the University actively discourages.
Though this was merely a minor inconvenience, it's symbolic of the University's backwards thinking about creating a better sense of community. My tuition dollars and those of other upperclassmen paid for the amenities in Charles Commons, yet once dinner time rolls around, many of us aren't even granted access to the building. This doesn't exactly send a welcoming message.
Two of the University's major initiatives -- improving student unity and increasing security measures -- have come into conflict. The administration seeks to break down the invisible wall between underclassmen who are required to live in dorms and the majority of upperclassmen who live off campus. At the same time, the University has made it difficult, if not impossible, for upperclassmen to enter many buildings on campus.
Today, anyone who lives in campus housing enters their building by using a magnetic access card. These cards are not available to almost all upperclassmen. Upperclassmen who want to visit friends in a dorm have to be "signed in," a cumbersome and inconvenient process for both host and visitor.
Other resources on campus, such as the library and HAC lab require students to swipe their J-card to enter.
We now have these two parallel systems: J-card access, which is all-inclusive, and magnetic card access, which excludes the half of the student body that doesn't live in a dorm.
The University needs to stop inconveniencing upperclassmen and discouraging socializing between classes. The best way to do this is to install at least one J-card reader at each security checkpoint, allowing upperclassmen to easily pass through. A J-card reader is vital for the entrance to Charles Commons, especially if the University expects the new "Third at 33rd" dining hall to function as a late-night hangout for students from all classes.
We can all agree that good security at an urban university like Hopkins is crucial as much for our peace of mind as for our actual safety. However, we can't allow the University's effort to protect our community to also divide it in two.
--Joshua Robinson is a senior International Studies major from Potomac, Md.
