ULV takes on new security measures

by Alejandra Molina
Staff Writer

This fall semester, the University of La Verne has taken new safety precautions to ensure the security of its students.

ULV students have now been issued an identification number to replace the use of their social security number.

Under the SB168 Consumer Protection Law, banning the use of social security number protects the identity of the student.

This law was issued last October and went into effect in July, 2002.

"The planning and rewriting of this program cost the university quite a bit, but it was the best thing to do," said Marilyn Davies, registrar.

As opposed to private institutions, state schools are not required to follow the SB168 law. Not all private institutions have followed this process, and students in certain schools were already using an identification number, Davies said.

"We went ahead and made the change from social security number to an identification number to fully protect the students," Davies said.

Although for some freshman students, the transition was not a big one, they still believed it to be a better idea. "We used identification numbers in high school, so its not a change at all," said Jackie Avilez, freshman.

"I never expected that we would be using our social security numbers out in the open. For confidential reasons and general safety, it's better to use an identification number," Avilez said.

New security golf carts and parking permits are also new safety measures that have been taking place this semester.

Two new security golf carts are now in the campus, but only one is in use.

As opposed to the old golf carts, these new carts are street legal vehicles that have turn signals, horns and lights.

"They are a big advantage. Because these vehicles are street legal, we can use public streets to get to one end of the campus to the other much faster," said John Lentz, director of campus safety and transportation. "Plus, they have a more professional look."

The new golf carts can travel up to the speed of 25 mph, as opposed to the ones used last year, which could only travel up to the speed of 13 mph.

The old parking permits, which were hung on the rearview mirror, were replaced due to students who complained of being stopped by police for having their parking permits cause a vision obstruction.

"A lot of students would put it up and take it down. The permit would fall or blow out the window," said Lentz. "If we have something permanent that would stick to the car, then there will be no vision obstruction," Lentz said.

The new parking permit is a laminated sticker that should be put on the driver's side, in the bottom left-hand corner. This location of the parking permit sticker should not be a vision obstruction to the driver, said Lentz.

The use of the original parking permit was initiated in La Verne three years ago. "We needed to control parking in our lots. Non ULV students were using our parking facilities," Lentz said.

Overall, there has been mixed reaction on the new parking permits, Lentz said.