USQ Security Review

USQ is undertaking a comprehensive and holistic review of its Security Services. Commencing August 2010, Amtac Professional Services will be conducting physical and desktop reviews of Security at Toowoomba, Springfield and Fraser Coast campuses. The objective of the review is to develop a coordinated approach to the provision of security related services based upon existing and future need, utilising current and emerging technologies, innovations and industry best practice.

Several key deliverables are sought from the review, some of which are noted below.

• Review and/or development of Security related policy
• Security Systems integration
• Security threats reviewed and mitigated where possible
• Security Technology Master Plan
• Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

Proposed stakeholder engagement activities include individual meetings and a staff and student forum/workshop. Feedback on personal security is sought from staff and students through an online survey to be conducted during the review.

The physical review is expected to continue until late October 2010 with installation of security technology commencing in late 2010 and continuing in 2011 via funding from an approved CAMP project.

The USQ Security Review TOR (Terms of Reference) (PDF 1.98MB) provides detailed information regarding the scope and deliverables sought. If you have any questions relating to the review, please contact Nathan Jones.

Staff Forum Update

As part of consultative process within the review, a workshop was held at the Toowoomba campus on the 8th September 2010 for USQ staff members. An audio conference link was established with the Springfield and Fraser Coast campuses so that staff at those campuses could also participate.

The forum participants provided insight into areas relating to USQ security that were positive and also highlighted areas of concern. The following is a summary of these:

Positive

• Staff had extremely high regard for the security staff both during the day and the contract staff at night. They found them to be accessible and friendly and not overbearing
• Felt a strong community spirit between students, staff and security
• Liked receiving security information via email.
  

Concerns

• Dealing with aggressive people (especially front service staff)
• Lack of physical barriers between staff and aggressive people
• Lack of panic/duress buttons (often no opportunity to phone due to situation)
• The lack of effective access control in some areas – need to balance with philosophical objectives and operational needs 
•  Procedural awareness and communication relating to incidents. (Some staff felt that it was not always clear where to go to for help or how best to communicate.)
• The low frequency of incidents may lead to complacency
• Lack of procedures to deal with a range of issues (e.g. stalking)
• Absence of CCTV around the colleges (issues of people returning and harassing residents / nuisance behaviour)
• Public using the residential colleges as a thoroughfare (need better physical barriers / gates and fencing)
• Generally poor lighting (particular concern for the residential students - specifically lighting on paths between the campus and colleges).

 New strategies recommended by participants

• Better lighting (connections to residential colleges)
• Duress alarms at customer contact points
• CCTV
• Access control installation and uniformity
• Uniformity of all the technology systems
• Detailed procedures to deal with the full range of issues (e.g. lock down)
• Better procedural awareness
• Making staff identifiable to everyone (consistent identity card)
• Enhanced communication options to call security
• Improved scheduling of space
• Internal communication/alert system
• Swipe card lock down system.
  

The above items will be included with information gathered during individual staff interviews and student feedback to inform the broader review outcomes. As discussed at the forum, we would like to invite staff and students from all campuses to complete the online survey http://usq.universitysecurity.com/ .

This is being undertaken to

• identify personal security issues & concerns
• determine your perceptions of personal security on campus
• identify possible solutions or actions which could be taken to improve security on campus.

The survey portal is active until C.O.B 14th October 2010.