Page 80 - Security Today, November/December 2023

HIGHER EDUCATION EXPANDING MOBILE ACCESS CREDENTIALS AUTHOR TYLER WEBB IS THE DIRECTOR OF SALES, CAMPUS EAC, AT ASSA ABLOY DOOR SECURITY SOLUTIONS. IMAGE KOLDO_STUDIO/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM T he new academic year is now kicking into high gear at col- leges and universities, and on many campuses, students were welcomed this fall with the added convenience and security of mobile access credentials. It is a trend that has be- come more of an expectation than a surprise in the world of higher education as the demand for advancements in elec- tronic access control (EAC) like mobile credentials continues to grow. Just like using their smartphone’s Apple Wallet and Google Pay transactions for everything from food and laundry services to bookstore and other purchases, students today want a similar seamless user experience when it comes to accessing residence halls, rec centers, dining areas, delivery lockers, libraries, athletic events, academic spaces and more. In general, EAC solutions like mobile provide greater efficien- cies for the campus, making it much simpler to issue credentials, which can be done remotely and in advance, even before the student comes to campus. And because students seem to always have their mobile devices on them and practically never lose them, the need to reissue credentials is rare. Students love the technology because of its non-contact and customized access capabilities and the conveni- ence of having pretty much everything they need all in one device. Think of how it has made package deliveries so much easier and more secure, especially considering how many things are pur- chased online today. Locker solutions like those from Luxer One and Transact only take a tap on an assigned cabinet to open, allowing users to quickly and safely retrieve packages, laptop exchanges, food orders, medications and more. Today’s lockers located in residence halls, centralized mailrooms, libraries and other spots on campus can also be customized in different sizes and with refrigeration. HOW MOBILE CREDENTIALS FIT INTO THE LARGER EAC PICTURE For all its superior benefits, implementing mobile credentials does not mean that cards and wearables (that mimic cards) are going away. They will remain a part of the EAC mix and still serve a valuable purpose, especially for contractors and the many summer camp attendees who need to access campus housing and facilities on a temporary basis. The key is ensuring that access control technologies are compatible with both physical and mo- bile credentials. In some cases, integrating mobile credentials into existing EAC systems may require the installation of new readers and other components, depending on the compatibility of previous hardware. In other cases, universities may take the opportunity to re-evaluate and go down an entirely new path, potentially overhauling their enterprise-level solution(s) completely. WHY ADVANCED SECURITY TECHNOLOGY IMPACTS STUDENT ENROLLMENT Security and safety are primary considerations for students and their parents when it comes to selecting their college or university of choice. As a result, it is essential for schools to get the word out about the priority an institution puts on keeping students, faculty, and staff safe, including the implementation of forward-thinking technologies like mobile credentials. Marketing materials, staff bulletins, department meetings, and orientation sessions will go a long way in educating everyone about the value of a campuswide deployment, like mobile credentials. THE ADDED VALUE OF EAC DATA Whether a school is using mobile or card credentials, it is important to note that access control systems produce a massive amount of data that not only generates an audit trail for greater accountabil- ity and security but also provides critical analytics and information that can help ascertain life safety and wellness checks – informa- tion that might indicate a student may be at risk. For instance, data could show that someone has not accessed their residence hall suite for an extended period, or identify when a vehicle may have been abandoned in a parking garage, or some other pattern out of the norm. On a more positive note, access data may identify patterns that are helpful for customizing a student’s class schedule or guid- ing them to activities and events they’re most interested in. Being good stewards of this data, of course, is vital to balancing benefits with user privacy. SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR GOING MOBILE As desirable as the move to mobile credentials is and as eager as higher education institutions may be to deploy this advanced 36