Over winter break, Scripps College updated on-campus door readers to enable swipe access, prompting student discussion about convenience and security. Under the former system, students accessed residence halls by scanning their student ID card and entering a personalized four-digit PIN.
The change was announced to students via email by Residential Life on Jan. 7.
“The previous PIN feature was removed after repeated keypad failures caused delays and access issues for students,” Residential Life wrote in the email.
Students were advised not to enter PINs, as doing so would result in their access being denied.
The Residential Life and Information Technology offices were informed of the change in advance, according to Scripps senior communications manager Emily Peters in an email to TSL. Both offices recently updated access control across campus and are preparing for future enhancements across the Claremont Colleges.
While the information was distributed via email, some students said they first learned about the change when they returned to campus.
Isabelle Carlsen SC ’29, a Schow Hall resident, said she noticed the update when she tried to enter the building through a back door commonly used by students unloading their belongings.
“I tapped my card and then tried to put the PIN in and it just wasn’t working,” Carlsen said. “I didn’t know that it was changed.”
Carlsen said she never saw the initial email, as it was easy to overlook.
“When you first read it, the front looks very similar to what they sent us at the beginning of last semester,” she said. “So I just automatically assumed it was going to be the same information.”
Katherine Schwitzgebel SC ’29 described a similar experience returning to campus after winter break. She thought she was locked out when the door did not open after she entered her PIN.
“I really liked the PIN access because it gave us a sense of security,” Schwitzgebel said. “Even if you got someone’s ID, you wouldn’t know their PIN to get in.”
Carlsen said that while she generally feels safe living on campus, the removal of PIN access has made her feel vulnerable, especially if an ID is lost outside and anyone could use it to enter residence halls.
On the contrary, other students said they do not feel the change significantly compromises safety. Annabelle Wonder SC ’29, a resident of Rout Hall, said she views the change as an improvement.
“I think the lack of PINs makes entering the dorm more efficient, so I don’t take issue with it,” she said.
But she acknowledged that the PIN system may put some students at risk.
“CMC dorms don’t use PINs and they had some break-ins,” she said, “so I could see it posing a security threat.”
To address safety concerns, school officials advise students to report lost IDs to Campus Safety. If they lose their IDs, they recommend contacting the Office of Facilities to temporarily disable card access.
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