Senate

SEN98-P55

Subject: Identity Cards

Origin: Resources and Planning Committee of 6 November 1998 (unconfirmed Minutes)

Senate is invited to note that Resources and Planning Committee at its meeting on 6 November 1998 considered the following report from the Estates Management Committee and endorsed the recommendations contained in it for consideration by Council:

Identity Cards

The Committee considered proposals originating from the former Security Review Group (M.98/58), on the carrying and wearing of identity cards by all staff and students.

The proposals were intended as a crime prevention measure. The Registrar informed the Committee that the campus unions had been consulted about the issue of staff identity cards and their main concerns had been with the practicalities rather than the principle of any scheme.

The question of responsibility for enforcement was raised. It was agreed that if any student or member of staff refused to observe whatever policy the University adopted on ID cards, it would become a disciplinary matter. The University would expect Heads of Department to uphold its policy and support its enforcement, but not to police it on a day to day basis.

The Committee noted that, since students already possessed ID cards and the majority of staff already possessed cards to access the vehicle barriers and/or buildings which are fitted with PAT access controls, the additional cost of issuing ID cards to all staff would be small. Card holders, to allow cards to be worn, would cost between £8K and £17K to supply all staff and students in the first instance, depending on the style of the card holder. Attention was drawn to difficulties encountered in the Estates Organisation where staff had lost their cards in the course of their work because the cards were not sufficiently secure or got in the way of the work the staff were doing. It was agreed to ask the Security Manager to consult with the Director of Estates Services and the Heads of other Departments and Sections which already required staff or students to wear ID cards and to give further consideration to the type of card holder that might be issued.

It was RESOLVED to RECOMMEND that

1. A policy of carrying and wearing ID cards be formally adopted by University.

2. All staff and students be required to wear their ID cards when they are inside University buildings except:

1. when visiting premises socially
2. when engaged in work involving machinery etc which would present risk of injury or damage
3. when engaged in sporting activities.

3. All members of staff and student be required to produce their ID card or other form of identification when they are on University owned land or premises:

1. when requested to do so by a University Security Officer
2. when requested to do so by a member of a department when they are in a building used by that department.