USC Transportation is prioritizing the development of a “permanent solution for secure, tent-free access points” this spring, according to an email obtained by the Daily Trojan.
The email, written by USC Vice President for Auxiliary Services Dan Stimmler, also highlighted “enhanced security perimeter with additional hardware and camera coverage” from last semester. According to the Daily Trojan’s reporting, USC has not publicly announced a plan for the university’s security checkpoints, or referenced increased camera coverage on the UPC campus.
When approached for comment regarding the potential of permanent gates at USC’s entrances, USC PR told Annenberg Media, “No decision has been made yet.”
Last spring, the university closed campus access points formerly open to the public in response to pro-Palestinian demonstrations and encampments at USC. Ahead of last semester, the university opened several campus entrances with heightened security measures. As a result, students and faculty have since been required to present a USCard upon entering the campus. Visitors must register online or show their government ID at campus entry points.
“Since the new security measures were put in place at the gates in August 2024, we have seen a 42% decrease in crimes reported to DPS on the University Park Campus,” DPS Assistant Chief David Carlisle told Annenberg Media in an email statement last month.
Despite DPS’s reports of decreased crime on campus, students have expressed frustration with the on-campus security checkpoints. In a USG-conducted survey last fall, more than 80% of students hoped that the checkpoints would not return this semester.
“It’s more about making a statement about the events regarding last spring than actually ensuring the safety of students on campus, because there have been times when the checkpoints are left unattended, people can just walk through whenever,” said Alex Weir, a sophomore public relations student at USC.
The requirement of a USCard to enter campus, however, limits access for the surrounding South L.A. communities.
“A desire of a lot of students on campus is that USC works to better the community around it, not just for the students,” said Weir. “I think these stations, if made permanent, could serve as a literal and figurative barrier between USC and the surrounding South Central area.”