Over the past few years, York University has been implementing an integrated strategy to gradually introduce building access control to all academic, administrative and residence buildings at the Keele campus. The strategy is an important component of the University’s efforts to improve campus safety, which is made more relevant as the completion of the two new subway stations on campus approaches. To date, the University has installed building perimeter access control to approximately 60 per cent of all academic and administrative buildings, and to all residences at the Keele and Glendon campuses. The next group of buildings to be covered under the access control system will include the academic and residential buildings of Founders, McLaughlin, Vanier and Winters Colleges.
“The implementation of the access control system is part of a planned and phased approach to further the University’s ongoing commitment to enhance campus safety," aid Gary Brewer, vice-president finance and administration. "It is intended to grant access to community members who have reason to be in a building or complex."
Starting Feb. 1, all residents and other community members requiring access to those buildings outside of normal business hours will need a YU-card that is programmed for access control. Access control will be activated from 11pm to 6am, seven days per week. Students residing in these buildings will have 24-7 access to the complex. A new YU-card with technology to integrate access control is now available through the YU-card office at 200 William Small Centre. There is no cost to obtain the new, updated YU-card, which is required for access activation. Staff and faculty working in these buildings and requiring access between 11pm and 6am will need to activate their new YU-cards through their department or unit administrators.
York University joins a growing number of Canadian universities that have access control systems in place.