Grinnell College is installing cameras in the North Campus loggia following racist incidents at the College in 2022.
The security cameras installed in North Campus mark the first developed in residential areas on campus. Some students say they have concerns regarding the decision to install security cameras in North Campus but not other College residences.
“Why are they only installing cameras in North Campus when the racial incidents happened in East and South Campus?” said Youssef Farid `26, a resident of Kershaw Hall.
Director of Campus Safety James Shropshire wrote in an email to The S&B that security cameras are only installed in public spaces, including residential entrances, walkways and high-traffic areas. Some students say they are in favor of the security cameras given their placement in public areas.
“I do think it’s a good idea,” said Trung Le `25, a resident of Clark Hall. “[The College] say they won’t be putting cameras in private spaces so that’s fine by me.”
As part of the amnesty policy developed in 2022 alongside the installment of the cameras, security cameras are not monitored regularly, nor are they intended to prevent crime on campus. Footage recorded on a security camera is only kept for 14 days and then it is erased, unless a crime is reported, or a bias report is filed with the Bias Incident Response and Tracking Committee (BIRT).
The amnesty policy has not been updated since its implementation in 2022, wrote Ben Newhouse, associate vice president for students affairs and dean of students, in an email to The S&B.
“The amnesty policy regarding camera footage was developed in partnership with SGA leadership when cameras were first installed in 2022 along 8th and 10th Avenues,” Ben Newhouse, associate vice president for students affairs and dean of students, said in an email to The Scarlet & Black. “It has not been updated since implementation.”
These new security cameras are only one part of the College’s efforts to enhance campus safety. In email to students, JC Lopez, vice president for the division of student affairs, wrote that the College is set to install access card readers for several campus buildings and houses. This includes homes on Park Street, Harris Center loading dock, Bucksbaum loading dock, and Windsor House.
“Moving forward, additional cameras will be prioritized in areas with higher instances of theft and vandalism,” Shropshire said in an email.
Whether security cameras will be installed in other residential areas, namely South and East campus remains unknown.
Shropshire said that in an effort to keep students informed about policies pertaining to the footage recorded on security cameras, the Division of Student Affairs’ will now provide an annual update on the matter.
“This will help reinforce awareness and understanding of how the campus camera system is used to support safety and accountability,” Shropshire wrote.
Despite the administration’s rationale, students like Farid remain skeptical.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Farid said. “The incident was committed by townspeople, not students at Grinnell. So why are you installing cameras inside the walls of Grinnell, in areas that only students with P-cards can access?”
