Sophisticated Entrance - Access system deployed to stop tailgating at university student life center

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Sophisticated Entrance

Access system deployed to stop tailgating at university student life center

While many students choose Utah Valley University for its ideal location, others come for access to a dynamic economy, employment and career opportunities. Located near the Wasatch Mountains and known for its high moral climate, the campus is recognized as one of the safest colleges in the country. Within a 20 mile campus area, students enjoy winter sports, hiking, mountain biking and water recreation.

The university has an enrollment of more than 33,000 students, making it the largest university in Utah. UVU began as a vocational school during World War II, and in the seven decades since has evolved into a technical school, community college, state college and a comprehensive regional teaching university. UVU offers programs ranging from career training to high-demand masters degrees, with emphasis on undergraduate education.

University Ramps Up Amenities

The university has been experiencing explosive growth in recent years, and to accommodate the increasing number of students new buildings and facilities have been constructed. In April 2014, UVU completed construction on a brand new 193,000 square-foot Student Life and Wellness Center (SLWC). Because the center was so new and modern, planners sought to enlist the most advanced technologies to make it as safe and secure as possible.

The completed building houses basketball courts, an indoor track, fitness and dance rooms, workout areas with state-of-the-art equipment, a climbing wall, a bowling alley, a gaming center and study rooms. In addition, the SLWC provides services such as massage therapy, and a reflection room that offers a relaxing space for meditation to help students manage their stress. The center also houses Student Life offices, UVU’s Student Association, and the student newspaper, the UVU Review.

DaSheek Akwenye, associate director of the Student Life & Wellness Center, said that Swinglane 900 optical turnstiles constructed by Boon Edam were specified as entrance access control during the design and construction phase of the four-floor, $40 million building. All students must enter the facility through a single, main entrance and then choose one of the three staggered optical turnstiles. Students can use either their university ID or their handprint to scan in and enter the facility. ADA compliance is ensured as each turnstile lane uses a wide configuration, with two swinging gates, and is monitored by staff.

Secure Facility While Maintaining Ease of Use

“If students forget their ID, it takes just seconds to register their handprint for use with the integrated biometric readers,” Akwenye said. “It’s very convenient.”

The swinging gates operate both ways for entering users, as well as those exiting the facility.

“The gates and the access control system operate together in such a way that it takes only about six seconds to enter through the gates and, importantly, only one person can enter during that period,” Akwenye said. “Our entrances do not allow for sneaking in before or after, and that means we have excellent control to prevent tailgating into the center.”

User traffic into the student center runs from 1,200 to 1,500 students, staff and facility members each day. The center is open Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The reception desk always has staff on hand as an initial point of contact for registration, to answer any questions, and to take care of any issues that might arise in ensuring smooth entrance into the center while preventing unauthorized entry.

Making for a Smooth Transition

Entry solution providers must understand an end user organization’s “culture,” and must be able to communicate the best way for the organization to adapt to a new security entrance. To do this, it helps to explore certain questions such as students’ exposure to security entrances, achieving buy-in from students and communicating upcoming changes.

After installation, a senior executive from the entrance manufacturer visited the to educate staff on the use of the turnstiles and to help users get acclimated to the brand-new entrance scheme. This is an essential step, because new entrance protocols and equipment are not always 100 percent intuitive and require a small investment of time and attention that will pay off in the long run.

“It took a short while to get used to the entrances and the procedures, but once our users got the hang of it, things have gone very smoothly,” Akwenye said.

Matching the Building Aesthetics and Feel

“Students like the high-tech feel of the entrances,” Akwenye said. “These turnstiles bring a very nice, vibrant feel to our entrance lobby. They have an attractive design.”

Freshman and new students receive orientation to the building and the entrance protocols during an orientation tour. At that time, each student registers to use the facility, including the biometric registration of their hand prints.

The whole process takes less than two minutes and, afterward, the student is ready to use the facility either with their ID or through a biometric scan of their hand—convenient and fast.

When someone enters the facility, registration staff get a visual record and confirmation of who has entered, to ensure that person belongs to the ID used.

“It’s been really smooth, and even if we have a large group, like a basketball team, then we have manual controls, and we can open the gates and shut them automatically,” Akwenye said. “We’ve never had any long lines or backlog, because if needed we can open the turnstiles manually, using the BoonTouch control panel at the desk. This feature is also critical in case of emergencies other than a fire, in which case the gates automatically open.”

This article originally appeared in the January 2016 issue of Security Today.

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