Student Dormitory Keys Found to Access Sensitive Belfer Areas

Commentator Probe Uncovers Existence of Master Keys that Pose "Serious" Threat to Security

In recent weeks, The Commentator has learned that several students’ dormitory keys effectively serve as pass keys which afford them access to various rooms in Belfer Hall including professors’ offices, computer centers, and laboratories containing hazardous materials. According to campus security officials, this finding poses a significant security concern. Don Sommers, Director of Security, has even considered restricting student access to Belfer Hall entirely during the night - a measure that would inhibit study during reading week and finals.

Certain students, who spoke on condition of anonymity, informed The Commentator of how they came to the realization that their dormitory closet keys open a great deal more than just their dormitory closets.

According to one of the students, a Yeshiva College professor recounted to his class how he had once, absent-mindedly, successfully used his house key to open his University office door. The professor proceeded to inform the class that he has since discarded his office key and has been using the house key for both his home and his office.

Several students in that class, curious to see if other keys could be used to gain access to Belfer Hall rooms, tried using their dormitory room and closet keys to open the classroom door. They soon discovered that certain students’ closet keys not only could open the classroom door, but could also be used to gain entry to rooms throughout Belfer Hall.

One student was motivated to explore the extent to which his key provided access in order to evaluate campus security. Initially motivated by sheer curiosity, he became interested in the risks posed to student and faculty safety.

"I was absolutely astounded that students would have the ability to open rooms all over Belfer Hall," the student asserted. "Remember, we’re not just talking about professor offices and storage closets; we’re also talking about laboratories and stairwells which contain toxic materials."

The ability to open stairwell doors with the pass keys would enable a potential burglar or vandal to reach many of Belfer Hall's floors after they are closed for the evening.

Yet, the "interchangeability" of various campus keys is by no means a new phenomenon. For years, many YU students have complained that certain closet and drawer keys can be used to open closets and drawers in other dormitory rooms. Furthermore, according to one of our sources, a certain senior professor remarked that the use of "outside" keys in Belfer Hall is "by no means a new discovery."

However, the Department of Safety and Security and the Department of Facilities Management vehemently claim that it certainly is a new discovery. Mr. Sommers, when informed by The Commentator of these recent findings, reacted with astonishment and subsequently told his men to "get on this immediately."

Mr. Sommers emphasized that the Department of Facilities Management, not the Department of Safety and Security, is responsible for assigning keys to students and is fully accountable for matters concerning campus locks and keys. Repeated efforts to interview Facilities Management officials were denied.

Given the severity of the situation, Sommers emphasized that the Department of Safety and Security is doing all it can and expressed a commitment to quickly rectifying the situation. He emphasized that "due to the fact that laboratories containing hazardous materials are involved, this is a very dangerous situation and a serious security issue. The last thing we want to see is students getting hurt."

According to Sommers, it is likely that a few master keys were given out by mistake to these students. Had it not been for their professor’s anecdote, though, the students most probably would never have found out the "scope" of their keys usage.

The Commentator has also learned that a Macintosh laptop computer was stolen this week from the Belfer Hall office of Dr. Wayne F.K. Schnatter, Assistant Professor of Chemistry. When asked if this theft could possibly be related to the fact that dormitory closet keys have been working in Belfer Hall, Sommers replied, "there might very well be a connection. However, we won’t know until we get to the bottom of this."

Meanwhile, until he does get to the bottom of this issue, Sommers has threatened to heighten Belfer Hall security measures. Options he is considering include completely shutting down the building at night. This prospect alarmed many of the students interviewed as they had intended to use the Belfer Hall academic computing centers to complete course work during reading week and finals.

One thing is for certain, though: The Department of Facilities Management will be under pressure to more carefully monitor the distribution of keys to students early next semester.