To say the COVID-19 pandemic has been a disruption feels like an understatement.
It’s no secret that the landscape for campus security professionals has shifted enormously since our last edition went to press in March.
West Virginia University will require all faculty, staff, students and visitors to wear face coverings or masks while on campus in the fall, according to a list of precautions published on the university’s website on Tuesday.
Not so fast: Final decisions for most universities are likely to be made mid-summer.
Already grappling with Zoombombing incidents, remote education platforms and parents’ emails are the next site of hacking threats in the education sector.
Security and safety teams are adapting rapidly to new risks.
Before students and staff can return after COVID-19 campus closures, administrators must consider factors such as testing, PPE and enhanced cleaning procedures.
In Berkeley, administrators are addressing an explicit “Zoombombing” incident as Oakland acknowledges a public leak of Google Classroom sites and Zoom meeting passwords.
Campus security requires a delicate balance of securing critical components such as patients, students, intellectual property or pharmaceuticals, yet provides an open and welcoming environment to its numerous and diverse visitors.
From a campus security management standpoint, the safety and security of students, staff, faculty and visitors should be top of mind for administrators and security staff alike.