Things You Never Knew...

Dear Sir/Mdm,

I understand that from sometime last week, the card readers in the Faculty of Law were activated, requiring students to swipe their matriculation card to access certain areas, such as the Computer Cluster. It appears that the Seminar Rooms in Block B have also been locked in this way, except that only staff are allowed access to these rooms. However, I believe I am not alone in saying that this policy has caused extreme inconvenience and no small amount of consternation to the student body.

In the current implementation of the system, the professor conducting the class will 'open' the seminar room for the students some time before the lesson begins. It is the common practice of most faculty members to then return just in time for the beginning of class, leaving the students who are early for class to open the door for their arriving classmates.

There are two ways to do this. First, to leave the door closed (and locked) and for the students sitting nearer the door to get up and open the door each time a student outside wants to enter. Of course, this is assuming the student outside is able to catch the attention of someone inside. Alternatively , we can leave the door propped open either with a chair or a doorstop. This is far more convenient, except that the keypad by the door will start an incessant buzzing if the door has been open for approximately 30 seconds. The same procedure is repeated during break time, which is not so inconvenient as there are students coming and going for the duration of the 10 or 15 minute break.

The time I feel this system is totally untenable is when the lesson has already started, and for some reason or other students are late, or leave the seminar room for a short time. To require students seated near the door to keep an eye out for students wishing to enter is, I feel, asking too much of them and distracting them from paying attention. To leave the door open will lead to the unpleasant buzzing sound accompanying the lecture, which would possibly distract everyone in class.

I understand that this system is for the security of the seminar rooms, as there is some valuable equipment in them, including projectors. However the way the system works currently is a joke. What is there to prevent a determined 'thief' from lingering in the seminar room until after everyone else leaves, and then removing items as he pleases? I understand if the objective is to secure the room against outsiders and strangers, but from the student body?

We are all students at the Law School. We have an interest in seeing facilities maintained, and classes being conducted smoothly and without inturruption. Would it be too much to ask that we be granted access to the seminar rooms?

(Endnote - who knows where I should send this to? Dean? GMY? Estate Office? Or, dare I say it, R***** gasp)

Edits/Comments requested. Am I being too whiny/foreceful/long winded?