The higher ed experience encompasses lectures, tests, extracurriculars, and more, and Genetec campus security solutions helps secure the total experience. A positive environment is vital, and security via campus ID, video surveillance, access control, staff collaboration and other tools is key to building that sense of trust, safety and success.

A new brochure from Canada-based Genetec goes a long way toward illustrating the stakes involved and the best, most recent approaches to keep campus communities secure. The company’s Higher Education Industry Portfolio provides a look into some of the most pressing issues around campus ID and security technology.

“Threats are on the rise, regulations are changing and security systems are becoming increasingly data driven,” the company says in describing the evolving campus ID and security landscape. “Moving to a unified, flexible, platform will help secure your students and promote the learning conditions ideal for them to thrive.”

Changing campus security needs

As the world becomes ever more digital, multiple mobile and web touch points for daily campus activities create vast amounts of actionable data. Campus activities are expanding and changing, requiring smarter, more sophisticated security preparations and responses, according to Genetec. And while all that happens, hackers and other criminals keep punching away at cyber defenses, using cutting-edge techniques that can be hard to repel unless a campus commits to robust software and security technologies.

“Breaking down silos will optimize communication and decision-making within your organization. That’s why you need a portfolio of solutions that centralizes operations and can adapt to unexpected threats.”

Teaching and learning happen best when everyone feels safe, Genetec explains, citing a Concordia University study. And with annual government funding reaching more than $192 billion for U.S. universities, money is available for the necessary upgrades. But such upgrades involve more than crafting a shopping list of the latest campus ID and security tools.

“Breaking down silos will optimize communication and decision-making within your organization,” Genetec says. “That’s why you need a portfolio of solutions that centralizes operations and can adapt to unexpected threats.”

Genetec campus security portfolio addresses institutional complexity

As Genetec points out, U.S. universities have “inherited city-like complexity, prompting the need to simplify their internal systems. Traditional systems are isolated by function and cannot easily interact with each other.”

Unifying these often-isolated systems can deliver a host of benefits.

These systems can include:

• IP-based video surveillance via a platform that is easily accessible, and which can record and store images based on specific retention rules.
• Automated license plate recognition can not only beef up parking lot security, but also alleviate congestion, bringing an efficiency to daily life on campus that can itself reduce stress and frustration for members of college and university communities.
• A card or mobile credential ID and access system, meanwhile, can provide for a seamless campus experience — and allow for cashless payments and a host privilege controls.
• IP-based access control can help the people who run campus operations better enforce entry into dorms and other restricted areas.

Unifying the management of these and other functions via a single platform facilitates collaboration among campus and security officials and aides in automated response management.

"U.S. universities have inherited city-like complexity, prompting the need to simplify their internal systems.”

The Genetec Security Center is the “unified security platform … that blends IP security systems within a single intuitive interface to simplify campus operations. From access control, video surveillance and automatic license plate recognition to communications, intrusion detection, and analytics, Security Center empowers your staff with unified command and control.”

Live dashboards, end-to-end data security and privacy, built-in redundancy and customized protocols also help make this technology stand out.

Campus safety is crucial

A unified approach to campus security can benefit campus IT, facilities and public safety directors, the company says.

"Disconnected systems can no longer adapt and scale. You need to break down silos and capitalize on a unified security system that’ll improve collaboration and efficiency.”

Take the public safety director as one example: The technology offers one-click threat management meant to simplify the incident response process, along with a unified view of access control and video management, which can help make emergency response quicker and more precise.

“Schools are a second home for many students and staff so it’s crucial they feel safe,” explains Genetec. “With rising threats it can become difficult to offer your students a pleasant and safe learning experience. Disconnected systems can no longer adapt and scale. You need to break down silos and capitalize on a unified security system that’ll improve collaboration and efficiency.”

Check out the full document to learn more about modern approaches to campus security.