As a security measure, the university plans to replace the brass-key locks on academic buildings with electronic locks, said the director of the Facilities, Planning and Management office during the Faculty Senate meeting on Tuesday.

Gary Reed, the director of the Facilities, Planning and Management office, said his office installed three electronic keypad locks in the chemistry department and their goal is to replace the brass key locks at campus buildings with magnetic swipe locks, which will be phased into the University Master Plan.

“For the time being, we couldn’t get the mag-swipe key sets quickly enough so we opted to buy the keypad option, which can be easily retrofitted into a swipe once they are available,” Reed said. “We did this for expediency so we could get security trumped up immediately.”

Reed said he estimated that changing the locks could cost about $500,000 and some of the funds may come from the campus improvement fee.

Jeffrey Cross, the associate vice president for academic affairs, said they began asking different departments about certain areas that need security priority about a year ago.

“We have some nuclear materials that are under license with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and we have some areas that are a hazard by their very existence so that is when we contacted Facilities (Planning and Management) about the electronic locks,” Cross said.

Cross also said every major academic building will have an after-hours video monitored electronic lock to restrict access.

Reed said they plan to start installing the locks first in the Physical Science Building, then the Life Science Building, Klehm Hall, Old Main, Coleman Hall, Buzzard Hall and the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

Daniel Nadler, the vice president for student affairs, and University Police Chief Adam Due spoke about different security aspects during the meeting.

The University Police Department often collaborates with other police forces, such as the Charleston Police Department and the Illinois State Police Department, Nadler said.

This includes an incident when three UPD officers were sent to Charleston High School after the prank call that said someone had a gun on the school grounds.

Nadler also spoke about different improvements with campus security concerning communication.

He said a campus-wide siren system was constructed about three years ago, which gives the university the ability to make campus notices during a crime situation, such as a school shooting.

“We have the ability, in essence, to stop all the traffic on the email system to send out an email alert,” Nadler said.

Nadler also described the Alert EIU program, which is a text-messaging service that would alert students, faculty and staff when an immediate emergency occurs.

“Ideally, we hope that we never have to use Alert EIU,” Nadler said. “It is the highest alert that means imminent danger where a situation is in progress that requires individuals to take immediate action.”

Rachel Rodgers can be reached at 581-2812 [email protected].