Tennessee State University Policy Forces Students, Staff To Wear Trackable ID Badges At All Times

Students, faculty, staff and administrators at Tennessee State University will be required to wear and display official trackable identification badges at all times on campus, Campus Reform reported.

The new policy, which will be effective March 1, requires members of the university to wear identification badges - complete with tracking technology - while on campus or attending campus events. Failure to comply with the new policy may result in "employee disciplinary action, student judicial action or removal from University property."

"Our primary concern is always to provide a safe and healthy environment for all of our students, employees and visitors," Dr. Curtis Johnson, associate vice president for Administration, who is in charge of Emergency Management. "Safety on our campus is priority number one, and with the new policy, we want to ensure that our students, faculty and staff are safe at all times."

To comply with the new policy, students and staff have to get a new identification badge to with built-in chip that "can now restrict access to certain areas and track who is entering different buildings," NewsChannel5.com reported.

The University will hand out clip-on ID badge holders and lanyards to students and employees.

According to University officials, members of the campus community have embraced the new policy, saying that they have no problem with wearing their badges, as long as the policy is intended to improve security and safety.

"If it is for the safety of our students, faculty and staff, I am all for it," Dr. Veronica Oates, associate professor of Family and Consumer Sciences and president of the Faculty Senate, said in a statement.

The policy was instituted after a recent rash of break-ins and vandalism by people not associated with the university, Campus Reform reported. The new rule is intended to readily distinguish University personnel and students from visitors and unwelcomed guests.

The ultimate goal here, Johnson added, is to increase campus security, streamline safety practices and increase customer service.