Eastern has contracted with a firm to help develop a long-term Campus Security Master Plan.

Rex Hilligoss, the architect for Facilities, Planning and Management, said Eastern joined with Exp U.S. Services to collect data on a plan that will improve security systems on campus.

Hilligoss said there had been talk of electronic locking since he came to campus 12 years ago, but the project never really took off until the Doudna Fine Arts Center was completed.

Doudna had card swipe locks installed and the university upgraded the network, making a master plan possible.

“Prior to the Doudna construction, the campus network infrastructure would not support this type of system,” he said.

After the Doudna project was completed the campus community took more notice of the system the building had and the technological advances that were made.

“As time passed, more interest was generated and facilities needed to develop a standard for installations,” he said. “Now that it will support it, we are planning to utilize the network to manage the security as it grows.”

Hilligoss said security is already great on campus, but technological advancements give Eastern more opportunities to bring new systems to campus.

The Campus Security Master Plan would enable a campus standard to be set for security.

If the plan is approved by the Board of Trustees, Hilligoss said contract documents will be developed to receive bids and obtain a contractor to perform the work.

“To date, (the firm) has collected data that will be compiled and presented to the steering committee,” he said. “From the data, the steering committee and Exp will then formulate the document into a final plan that will be public.”

Hilligoss said there will be meetings prior to the presentation to the Board of Trustees so the campus community can be informed of the process.

“Initially, we will need to provide the base of operation, which will include the hardware, software and personnel to oversee the entire system,” he said. “As each phase develops, the work will move from electronic locks at selected entry doors, offices and classrooms.”

Each phase will include new additions, such as mass notifications and security cameras.

Hilligoss said the plan could also eventually include site lighting and landscaping.

“The entire process will take a number of years to complete,” he said.

The firm already conducted the campus-wide survey and gathered all the information that is relevant to security, Hilligoss said.

“We anticipate having two public meetings, but the time and dates are yet to be determined,” he said.

The approval of the Board will enable the project to take off.

“The master plan will become a basic road map for the university to follow as the security on campus moves into electronic security,” Hilligoss said.

He said a timeline for the project has not been determined yet, but that he hopes the process will be moving along in the next few weeks.

“The ultimate goal is to have a system that can be administered from a central location, set to provide electronic security for the entire campus,” he said.

Robyn Dexter can be reached at 581-2812 or redexter@eiu.edu.