After several years of awareness that student room locks would soon need to be replaced, Student Life convened a project team to explore options and initiate a multi-year installation project. The team includes members from University Housing; Student Life Facilities, Technology Solutions, and Capital Projects; and the Division of Public Safety and Security (DPSS).
The team defined the project’s scope to include 19 residence halls, over 10,000 student beds, 1,400 apartments, and the construction of a 2,300-bed complex on central campus. This scope encompassed over 10,000 locks for student rooms and other internal and exterior doors.
The project team identified key requirements, including online locks, enhanced credentials and security, resident Mcard access, and seamless integration with existing Student Life and university systems.
With these requirements in hand, the team developed a Request For Information (RFI), which University Procurement released to potential vendors in July 2023. Vendors submitted written responses, physical lock samples, and software for evaluation by extended project team members.
After reviewing test equipment and vendor responses, the project team recommended moving forward with a Request For Proposal (RFP). The project received formal approval in December 2024 and a preliminary budget of $30 million.
The team then developed a project charter to define the scope and vision, which was recently approved by Student Life and DPSS leadership.
The RFP will be issued to vendors in the Summer of 2025. Infrastructure installation is slated to begin in the Fall of 2025. If all goes according to plan, the entire project will be completed in August 2028.
