The sorority village is making the upgrade from entrance-by-code to entrance-by-card-swipe for a more efficient and safe system of access.

The new freshman residence halls Few and Evans have been using this system. The sorority members’ EmoryCards are coded to be used as proximity cards, or prox cards, for entering the lodges instead of typing in a keypad code. Freshmen and sophomores already have cards that are ready to use, and juniors and seniors will have new ones made.

Leigh Thiedeman, assistant director of the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life, wrote in an e-mail to the Wheel that security is the biggest reason for the move.

“Having codes makes it too easy to give access to your best friend or boyfriend, or store the code in your phone where anyone can find it,” she wrote. “Using prox cards means that only the members will have access to Sorority Village.”

Outgoing Alpha Delta Pi President Brittany Manseau said that over the years the sorority village has seen incidents of codes being distributed to non-members.
“The change was prompted by break-ins and alleged arson attacks,” Manseau said. “I think it’s a good idea because it makes it a lot easier to limit access to members only. There should be fewer occurrences of break-ins, which is always good.”

Thiedeman wrote that although there were no more break-ins last semester than there have been in the past, there was room for improvement. The upgrade has always been an option for the village, but Thiedeman wrote that the change had not been made because of the long process.

“The safety of the women in the sorority village is of utmost concern to me,” Thiedeman wrote. “[The chapter presidents] are all really excited about the change-over.”

Manseau said the transition can only affect sororities in a positive way, but did identify one disadvantage.

“The only con would be if you forgot your wallet in your room,” she said. “It eliminates the fact that you can get in at any time even if you don’t have your wallet or any other personal belongings on you.”

Despite this flaw, Manseau said she does not think the new system will be any less convenient than the previous keypad system.

“All it requires is an EmoryCard, which most people carry around at all times anyway,” she said.

Thiedeman wrote that she is looking forward to making the modification.

“I think that moving to prox cards was always in the future of Sorority Village,” she wrote. “We’re hoping to have everything up and running by the end of February.”

— Contact Alice Chen.