Installing Locks Fixes Symptom, Not Problem

As for the administration's plan to place locks on every first-year hall bathroom on October 14th, the powers that be have seriously underestimated the daily inconvenience this will cause all Harvard students.

If security must be tightened, there are alternatives. Instead of "lock and key" style locks on every bathroom, a simple and effective solution can be found in "combination" style locks as seen in athletic locker rooms. By only having to punch a few buttons, entering a bathroom will be significantly less bothersome than utilizing a key for entry.

But even if this consideration is ignored, interior locks are not a solution to Harvard's security. problems. Putting all bathrooms under lock and key falls under the category of fixing the symptom, not the problem. If the Yard is to remain an open and public place, the Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) will have to be more aggressive keeping away those who do not belong.

Reduce the freedom of intruders by restricting the access of vagrants to the Yard. Don't penalize Harvard students for lapses in HUPD security. --Christopher M. Kirchhoff '01