Manhattan College is taking more precautions to protect its students from outside intruders by installing ID scanners in Jasper Hall and Chrysostom Hall. This new security system follows an incident of an unknown person recording a female student while she showered in Jasper Hall last February.

The case is now closed with no suspects related with the crime. The precinct was unable to identify any specific persons since the victim did not see the perpetrator’s face, nor could identify a gender. The video has not emerged on any social websites.

“The system is not operational yet, but it is projected to start operating on October 17 in Jasper and Chrysostom,” Juan Cerezo, Director of Public Safety, said.

The system allows students to swipe their ID in front of the scanner to gain access to the entire bathroom. Cerezo said the scanners will only be placed on women’s floors, and eventually added to men’s floors when the budget allows for it.

“Only females in the residence hall can enter the bathroom with their ID,” Charles Lippolis, ID office manager, said. “The scanners are checked remotely daily and we are alerted by students saying if the scanners are malfunctioning.”

Lippolis said that Heartland Campus Solutions manufactures both the new scanners and current ID related products on campus. The college began using Heartland in 2010.

Since the company is based in Colorado, MC uses a local company called Blue Dragon to install the scanners in both Jasper Hall and Chrysostom Hall. Each ID has a swipe history that documents each swipe used on the card. This allows Lippolis to retrieve the swipe history report.

“I would feel safer with the scanners,” Grace Ostolozaga, Chrysostom Hall resident, said of the changes.

Zhane Cardenas, a previous Jasper Hall resident, lived on the third floor where the crime occurred in the woman’s bathroom. Last year she described the situation as, “pretty unfortunate and definitely scary too.” Now she resides in Overlook Manor.

“It does make me feel better to know that the communal bathrooms will have a scanner system,” said Cardenas. “It would make sense to also add a scanner system to the boys bathrooms as well.”

The residence halls are still monitored by patrols on all common areas including the recreation rooms, roof and basement.