Easy Wireless Access Control

Wireless Access Control at Penn State

Tyco Security Products provided Penn State a seamless solution when it came time for a system-wide upgrade of wireless locks and IP cameras.

The Pennsylvania State University, better known as Penn State, is a public research university with a network of 24 campuses, including nine with on-campus residence halls.

As part of a system-wide upgrade the eight residential campuses under the domain of Commonwealth Campus Housing and Food Services, began the move to a single security and event management platform to support their video and access control systems, including a new system of wireless locks and upgraded IP cameras for the residence halls and some outside group facilities such as childcare and student centers.

Penn State, with its myriad campuses across Pennsylvania, was operating on multiple and disparate platforms for its academic and physical security systems. They wished to use Tyco Security Products’ Software House C•CURE 9000 software as the standard security management platform integrated among the University and its campuses.

The switch to wireless locks improved the ability for programming and monitoring while also providing easier operational use. The wireless locks, which are mounted on the residence room doors, communicate with a STANLEY Wi-Q portal gateway — there are about 90 within the system — which in turn communicate with the C•CURE 9000 software.

“The student population had a tendency to lose the keys that they needed to open doors, so a wireless solution would make it easier for the appropriate students to gain access,” says Tracy Walker, assistant director of Commonwealth Housing, Food Services and Residential Life. The same card that accesses the wireless room locks throughout the campuses also works for card readers for copiers, laundry machines and cash registers.

The STANLEY Wi-Q wireless locks offered a tracking piece that regular keys couldn’t provide and without having to rely on conventional locking systems, the campuses could cut down on the need for locksmiths and having to change out cores at the door.

www.tycosecurityproducts.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

  • Beyond Four Walls

    Operable glass walls provide a dynamic solution for educational spaces. They align with today’s evolving teaching methods and adapt to the needs of modern learners. Beyond the functional versatility, movable glass walls offer clean, contemporary aesthetics, slim and unobtrusive profiles, and versatile configurations that cater to the evolving needs of students and educators alike.

  • Illinois District Boosts Security at High-School Stadium

    Richmond-Burton Community High School in Richmond, Ill., recently announced that it has completed the redesigned entrance to its high school stadium with a new focus on school security and community engagement, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects and Engineers on the project as part of District #157’s year-long facilities master plan.

  • Different Starting Points, Same End Goal

    Higher education campuses can enhance student experience by implementing mobile credentials to streamline building access, on-campus payments, and access to other amenities. This enables students to connect to their campuses through the technology they use most: their mobile devices.

Digital Edition