Correction: The addition to the dorm ID policy includes taking both student identification cards and driver's licenses. MSU dorm residents visiting other halls also have to turn over some form of valid picture identification between midnight and 7 a.m.
An off-duty night receptionist was critically injured early Sunday morning in East Wilson Hall following a scuffle with a visitor who attempted to enter the residence hall through a side door.
The injured student was assisting an on-duty night receptionist when the visitor refused to check in at the hall's main entrance. MSU police are investigating the case and have identified a suspect who is not an MSU student.
The injured student was taken by paramedics to Sparrow Hospital.
The assault happened after MSU dorm residents and night receptionists voiced their concerns about the long waits and lack of efficiency with MSU's new dorm ID policy.
Implemented for the first time this fall, the new policy states that any dorm guest, including both MSU students and nonstudents, wishing to visit or stay the night in any MSU residence hall must have some form of picture ID for the night receptionist between midnight and 7 a.m.
Residence Life Director Paul Goldblatt said that during the past couple days, he has received feedback, both positive and negative, questioning the methods of the new ID policy.
"We're attempting to use ways to make the system much faster," Goldblatt said. "In theory, it works well. We understand it needs some looking into."
ID cards are turned over by visitors and then kept in a lockbox until they leave. After signing in, guests are given temporary guest IDs for use during their stay.
Surveillance cameras were also installed near side entrances of halls to monitor students trying to sneak in or prop doors open.
Dorm residents are only allotted three visitors who can stay as guests for a maximum of three days.
Chris Wickman, a political theory and constitutional democracy junior, said the combination of Midnight Madness on Thursday and the Chingy concert on Friday added to the strain.
"Housing officials were helping the two night receptionists handle the inflow of students and guests coming in," asaid Wickman, a Rather Hall night-receptionist supervisor. "There were about 15 to 20 people lined up outside. Some were complaining and didn't understand what was going on."
Wickman said he likes the old system and is concerned about the workload doubling for night receptionists when comparing the previous guest log-in system from last year.
"Students just used to give their name and ID number and were free to go in," Wickman said. "The process used to take 30 seconds, maybe a minute at the most."
Before moving into residence halls, students signed a form and upon moving in were sent an e-mail about the ID changes. Numerous fliers and window clings on the front doors are meant to remind students that the policy goes into effect from midnight to 7 a.m.
Goldblatt said that the policy is constantly changing, and minor changes were even made on Saturday and Sunday.
"Everyone has to remember that this is the busiest time of the year. We've got thousands of students moving in," he said. "Our main concern right now is to balance security with convenience."
Preveterinary sophomore Caitlin Donnelly said she believes that MSU has a lot less security on campus at night when compared to other universities in Michigan that she has visited.
"I don't see it as that much of a problem," Donnelly said. "If this is the only way to prevent bad things from happening, then I think we need to do it."
