Remote electronic door sensors and a neighborhood watch are on the list of recommendations released Wednesday by a group assembled to study residence hall security after a student was attacked Jan. 30 in Case Hall.

James Madison freshman Jonathan Martone was held at knife point on South Case Hall's sixth floor. Police have made no arrests in the case.

Because the proposed changes are still considered recommendations, a total dollar amount has not been pegged. MSU President M. Peter McPherson and Fred Poston, vice president of finance and operations, will make final decisions before the semester ends.

"It really gave us the sense that the things we have in place are good and working, but there are areas which we have to take a hard look at," Director of University Housing Angela Brown said. "I think the hardest thing will be to change people's habits."

To help improve security in dorms, students need to cut down on propping doors open after the dorms have been closed for the night, Brown said.

After the January attack, housing officials began locking down the hall at 9 p.m. rather than midnight. The group came up with recommendations based on meetings with those concerned with campus security.

During the meetings, some people proposed changing hall hours again. But the group decided if other recommendations were implemented, there would be no need to close halls at 11 p.m., rather than midnight.

Police officials were unavailable for comment.

The group said adding more hours would cost $575,000 a year in wages for night receptionists.

"We would have to be very creative in the way we finance these," Brown said, adding the university might use bonds to pay for changes.

The most expensive of all recommendations, with an estimated price tag of more than $1.9 million, is the possible installation of card access readers on all exterior and living-area doors.

Michael Martone, the father of Jonathan Martone, said the recommendations are a good start.

"I'm just sorry it took this incident to get it there," he said. "It would have saved a lot of trauma."

James Madison freshman Matt Vennettilli, Martone's roommate, said he supports the recommendations but would like to see an improvement of the camera system all over residence halls, not just near main entrances, as recommended.

People also access the halls through side doors, he said, adding more training needs to be done with night receptionists.

"Sometimes I think those people don't take their jobs seriously enough," he said.

The proposals can be viewed at info.msu.edu/securityreport.html.