Bradley was entered in a competition to win the STANLEY Security Together for Safer Schools grant for campus security improvements.
According to Bradley University Police Department Chief Brian Joschko, the grant would allow financial flexibility to address important security needs, such as installing more card readers for student access to campus buildings, especially academic facilities, using a Bradley ID.
“There are already a few academic buildings that have the card access, so we would expand that to allow greater use of those facilities,” Joschko said.
Without card readers, the doors of academic buildings lock and unlock at set times. With card readers, the deans of the buildings can decide when students are able to have access during a previously locked time. The deans also have the option of limiting access to specific classes or other groups of students.
“[The card readers] help open up our school so that our students can study and have a better learning environment and better learning experience,” Joschko said. “To me, that should be in the forefront of what students are looking for from their institution.”
The security grant’s first prize is $100,000 and second prize is $25,000.
“We are always looking to add card readers where we can, and we are doing it, but it’s a slow process,” Joschko said. “One hundred thousand dollars would be a real shot in the arm and really help us.”
There is a list of the 10 leading schools in the competition on the STANLEY Security website. According to Joschko, although Bradley is not currently on the list, that could change.
“There are schools in [the top ten] now that weren’t in there before,” Joschko said. “They’ve been moving quite regularly, so we absolutely have a good shot at [winning].”
To vote, visit www.stanleysaferschools.com, text “bradley” to 334455 or tweet “#STANLEYSecurity #bradley.” Voters may use each method once per day until Feb. 13. Winners will be announced March 3.
