UMW should prioritize student safety be requiring EagleOne access for entry into all campus buildings

by NOAH FELLINGER

Staff Writer

There’s something timeless about the University of Mary Washington. With its red-brick buildings, open green spaces and a layout that feels more like a park than a gated institution, UMW has always welcomed the Fredericksburg community onto campus. But as safety becomes a growing concern at colleges nationwide, we should do more to protect students, faculty and staff.

I believe we can preserve the open atmosphere of UMW while making a small but meaningful change—implementing key-card access at all exterior doors on campus buildings.

Many doors on campus, especially inside academic buildings, already require an EagleOne to enter after certain hours. However, for the safety of all community members, we should extend this to all exterior doors, all the time. Not to shut people out, but to make sure that only those with a reason to be inside actually are.

“I feel safe 90% of the time. Sometimes there’s just an individual that looks weird in the dark, but besides that, it’s mostly okay,” said Nick Werderman, a junior business administration major who has lived on campus since 2023.  

Werderman acknowledged the advantage of requiring EagleOne access for exterior doors.

“For me, I don’t mind because I always carry my card everywhere. But if my card has a weird day and stops working, I wouldn’t be able to get to class,” he said.

Any implementation of card access would need to include backup solutions, like mobile apps students can use or temporary access codes to ensure students aren’t locked out for tech-related issues.

Tianna Crawford, a senior business administration major, commutes to campus. Her perspective is a reminder that not everyone experiences campus the same way.

“Many people have to dig into their bags to get their card or leave to get something and are locked out because they don’t have their card on them,” said Crawford.

That frustration is valid, especially for commuters who may have tighter time constraints due to traffic. While it may be a bit of a hassle to locate one’s key card, a few extra seconds of searching is worth it for the sake of safety and comfort.

None of these concerns are deal-breakers. They’re design challenges, and ones we can work through with a thoughtful implementation plan. A system where students swipe to enter buildings wouldn’t prevent public access to the general campus grounds or outdoor areas. It wouldn’t affect club usage if event reservations automatically allowed temporary access. It could even reduce the police presence on campus due to increased inherent security. 

“When I see police walking around, it can feel less safe. It makes me wonder what happened to cause that level of security,” said Crawford.

Her perspective reminds us that visible security does not always equate with a sense of security. Sometimes, quiet security measures, like door access restrictions, can help more than patrols in uniform.

Prevention is invisible when it works. If someone who doesn’t belong in a building can’t get inside, we may never know what problem we avoided. In a time when universities across the country are re-evaluating how to protect their communities, we shouldn’t wait for a wake-up call to take simple action.

An open campus can still be a safe campus, but it doesn’t have to be open in every way. Requiring an EagleOne to enter buildings wouldn’t erase UMW’s charm, its history or its community spirit. It would simply put a layer of protection between students and the unknown, one scan at a time.

In the end, this isn’t about fear. It’s about being proactive. We all chose UMW for its welcoming energy and strong sense of community. Let’s do what we can to protect that smartly, calmly and with respect for everyone who calls this campus home.