ID Safety for PVCC Students

To ID or not to ID? That’s the question. For PVCC students, the answer is yes.

“It’s a requirement for faculty, staff, and students to get an ID,” said PVCC Police Chief Shawn Harrison, “We need to be able to readily identify who is here.”

According to Harrison, the main purpose for having an identification card is for the safety and security of the campus. She said that since PVCC is an open campus, anyone can come and use the facilities. Non-students are able to use the library, meet friends, park in the parking lot, and even shower on campus. Community colleges are meant to be used by the community.

For these reasons, PVCC’s Police Department needs to be aware of who is walking around campus. The police are looking out for troublemakers, including people selling drugs. When people wear their ID’s, it shows they are supposed to be there.

Harrison said, “Since 9/11, people want to know who’s around them now. I want to know, ‘Are you supposed to be here? ’”It is a chilling reality that college campuses around the country are dealing with the aftermath of 9/11 and its impact on security issues. “It’s not getting better, it’s getting worse,” said Harrison in regard to safety-related concerns, “We have to be proactive instead of reactive.”

Harrison asked, “What is the first thing you do when you go to a conference or a meeting? You put on a nametag. When you get a job in the real world, everyone wears an ID. It shouldn’t be different on a college campus.”

“It keeps the dust down,” said Harrison.

Harrison also said that in the event of a catastrophe, it would be important to know who was on campus. That way, security would be able to work with the police, hospital, or other emergency responders in making identifications and in getting help quickly.

Is there a penalty for not having an ID? No. But as Harrison said, “If you don’t have your ID on you in the event of an emergency, that’s your penalty, not mine.”

Do you students need to have their ID’s visible? At this point, according to Harrison, it is not required. However, she said there are conversations about that issue going on now. Harrison speculated that within the next year, it will be mandated.

“Yes, we may be leaning towards students, faculty and staff wearing ID’s visible at all times,” said Harrison, “It is not a policy yet, but an act of encouragement on my part. With PVCC being an open campus, as are all community colleges, it is hard to identify visitors from the PVCC community.”

A student ID also can be used to receive discounts at local stores, to obtain parking decals, and to purchase discounted bus passes. ID’s are used in the library as well. Chief Harrison said, “I’m not sure if you have noticed, but the library is requesting a student ID to check out books. It is a security measure only.”

Students can have their ID cards made at the Department of Public Safety & Campus Police (Main Building, room M218), located next to the entrance to the library. The cost is covered through student activities fees.

In order to receive a card, students need to bring two things:  a copy of a current class schedule and a valid form of ID, including a current driver’s license, passport, military/government ID, birth certificate, social security card, or voter registration card