Page 25 - Campus Security & Life Safety, November/December 2021

many people we would need to handle those tasks. Instead, we have been able to leverage the capabilities of the Security Center platform to secure our facilities and grant needed access. That means our team can focus on other more critical tasks.”
Clemson has cardholder groups and automation set up based on whether a student is taking a major or a minor, or if they have enlist- ed in specific courses or programs. Each building on campus also has a building security coordinator who can assign specific building priv- ileges should the need come up. Campus students have access to their residential housing and in some cases their room, as soon as they check-in with the housing department. “Our staff will check a resi- dent into their assigned space and the Vault will transfer information to Security Center, where access privileges are automatically granted for the residence building and room. It is usually completed within a minute of the check-in,” Robbins said.
The Perks of Mobile Access Control Credentials on Campus
More than one-third of cardholders use mobile credentials at Clem- son University. This allows students and staff to use their mobile devices to gain access to buildings. To make this possible, the univer- sity uses the HID iClass Seos credential technology, which supports multiple form factors such as mobile devices and smart cards. While mobile credentials at Clemson University are for Apple device users only, TigerOne is currently working on an Android solution, and aims to move entirely too mobile credentials soon.
“We believe mobile credentials are the future. Students already have devices in their hands and digital credentials allow us to share real-time information with cardholders such as meal time status and declining balances for meal plans,” Robbins said. “They can also pres- ent mobile credentials as a form of ID if they are proctoring a test. If they are using our recreation center and bringing their phone to play music, they do not need to take a smart card too. On many levels, mobile credentials provide greater ease and efficiency, and allow us to disseminate information faster,” Robbins said.
Beyond physical security, students can use their access control cards or mobile credentials to check out books or equipment at the library, receive packages at the post office, use printer credits, and pay for meals in dining halls or items in campus stores. Should a student lose their card or phone, deactivation is automated.
“The student can log into TigerOne Online and deactivate their cre-
dentials. Once they do that, the Vault is notified which then alerts the Synergis system to disable those credentials. If the student simply mis- placed their card or mobile device and finds it later, they can re-activate it. This saves everyone time and reinforces campus safety,” Robbins said.
Bolstering Facility Security with Door Schedules and Biometrics
To strengthen building security, the TigerOne team also setup facility schedules and door rules. “Every building is different in how it func- tions and operates, but typically, you’ll find at least a handful of dif- ferent schedules like a building opening at 7:30 am and locking at 9 pm from Monday to Friday.
“Otherwise, a building will be fully locked and only certain card- holder groups will have access to the building,” Robbins said.
During highly anticipated sports events, building security coordi- nators can also enable ‘game-day’ mode at facilities nearest to sports stadiums and arenas. This locks the buildings down to key facilities persons to minimize security concerns for a big event, when people flock to the university.
The athletics department has also installed more than 100 biomet- ric readers in their facilities, integrated with the Synergis access con- trol system. This allows coaches and players to easily enter and move through facilities during practices when they are not carrying around their smart cards or mobile credentials.
Staying on Top of Security System Maintenance
Using one centralized security platform, the TigerOne team has been able to facilitate faster, more effective maintenance protocols. That means if a device goes offline or not configured properly, the team will know about it. “Our TigerOne team can make sure all systems are working as they should. We can view device statuses in real time, and we have contracts in place for support with our integrator, A3 Com- munications. We’re much more proactive in resolving camera and door issues using Security Center,” Robbins said.
Building security coordinators use the Mobile app within Security Center to respond to access denied events or monitor system health from any location. The app is particularly useful when they need to put doors in maintenance mode to facilitate upgrades, fix door hard- ware or test new configurations.
Rick Taylor is the national director for Public Sector at Genetec Inc. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | campuslifesecurity.com 25