4 ms·

I'm a math professor. In the US, it is near-universal that academic buildings are open to all: - If I'm visiting someone at a university, for example to collab

I'm a math professor. In the US, it is near-universal that academic buildings are open to all: - If I'm visiting someone at a university, for example to collaborate or give a talk, I'm likely to be told "Meet me in Room X of Building Y". - Seminars are generally open to whoever, and people visiting from out of town will often attend. For example one time when I was in the area, I went to a number theory seminar at MIT, and I didn't let anyone there know I was coming beforehand: I just showed up. I guess this is a privilege not available to most in the corporate world, but as a longtime academic this feels very sad to me.

duxup 4y ago
Even for me just going to sporting events at the local university, the open nature of campus makes things feel welcoming and fun. I take my kids there just to get out and go for walks, visit a historic building and etc. It would seem so different if it were closed, even if I just knew it was.
yababa_y 4y ago
When I was 15 or so I spent a summer taking buses and trains into MIT for their Junction program, Reading and Writing Scifi in my case. Wandering around those halls was terrifying to anxious lil me but it was really just a wonderous experience. Got my first lecture on semiconductor physics there, although I did not very much understand wtaf was going on then.
bigbacaloa 4y ago
I've worked in a math department at a major state university where it was necessary to have a key card to access anything. It was because of frequent theft. On a campus in an urban area theft is a major problem.
dsq 4y ago
From your experience, would you say this is the norm for US/North American campuses? Do non-North American campuses have different policies, in your experience? I am asking because my experience with campuses (not in North America) has been very different. Gated entrances that filter out anyone who doesn't have a specific, sanctioned purpose. These were invariably state-run or sponsored institutions.
- impendia 4y ago
  Yes, I'd say this is the norm nearly everywhere I've been -- although I've mostly only been to universities in higher-income countries. There are occasional exceptions; for example, the American University of Beirut had manned gates, although the guards usually just let people walk through. The one common exception I've seen is libraries. For example, at the main library at the University of South Carolina, there is a gate, and you have to either swipe your campus ID or register as a visitor.
- Jenda_ 4y ago
  In .cz, the universities are either completely open, or there are turnstiles/card entry which is possible to easily social-engineer[1]. The lectures are open and nobody asks if you actually study there (this would be even practically impossible with mass courses). The practicals/seminaries depend on particular tutor, but visitors are generally tolerated (sometimes even welcomed). In practicals where some material or resource is consumed (biology labs, welding tutorials) it's of course a different case. I was visiting university lectures while at high-school, and then I did some totally out-of-curriculum courses when at the university. (speaking of https://www.mff.cuni.cz/en https://www.mff.cuni.cz/en, https://www.natur.cuni.cz/eng https://www.natur.cuni.cz/eng and https://fel.cvut.cz/en/ https://fel.cvut.cz/en/, YMMV) [1] Just say "I go to lecture XYZ", or slip with someone thru, or the best strategy is probably to lie about forgetting the card at home (nobody checks it), as "I go to lecture XYZ but I don't actually study here" spawns weird conversations with the watchman. For example, at some buildings the card entry was installed only to prevent the tourists using the university toilets :) and the security is instructed to let in anyone who looks like a genuine attendant.
jrochkind1 4y ago
I think it will become a lot less universal now. I know of a number of universities that closed to the public during the pandemic and have not yet reopened, or announced any plans about it, they just remain closed to the public; I bet many of them will remain permanently closed. It is very sad, and has larger implications for our society I think. It's not just universities either. This is one of those inflection points where our society becomes less open and never goes back. I am old enough to remember 9/11 as such an inflection point too, how much more open many social institutions were prior. We seem to only go in one direction with these things, never back. (In the pre-9/11 era it was widely assumed the direction was towards ever more openness, over time! No longer).
bongoman37 4y ago

duxup 4y ago

Even for me just going to sporting events at the local university, the open nature of campus makes things feel welcoming and fun. I take my kids there just to get out and go for walks, visit a historic building and etc. It would seem so different if it were closed, even if I just knew it was.

yababa_y 4y ago

When I was 15 or so I spent a summer taking buses and trains into MIT for their Junction program, Reading and Writing Scifi in my case. Wandering around those halls was terrifying to anxious lil me but it was really just a wonderous experience. Got my first lecture on semiconductor physics there, although I did not very much understand wtaf was going on then.

bigbacaloa 4y ago

I've worked in a math department at a major state university where it was necessary to have a key card to access anything. It was because of frequent theft. On a campus in an urban area theft is a major problem.

dsq 4y ago

From your experience, would you say this is the norm for US/North American campuses? Do non-North American campuses have different policies, in your experience? I am asking because my experience with campuses (not in North America) has been very different. Gated entrances that filter out anyone who doesn't have a specific, sanctioned purpose. These were invariably state-run or sponsored institutions.

impendia 4y ago
Yes, I'd say this is the norm nearly everywhere I've been -- although I've mostly only been to universities in higher-income countries. There are occasional exceptions; for example, the American University of Beirut had manned gates, although the guards usually just let people walk through. The one common exception I've seen is libraries. For example, at the main library at the University of South Carolina, there is a gate, and you have to either swipe your campus ID or register as a visitor.
Jenda_ 4y ago
In .cz, the universities are either completely open, or there are turnstiles/card entry which is possible to easily social-engineer[1]. The lectures are open and nobody asks if you actually study there (this would be even practically impossible with mass courses). The practicals/seminaries depend on particular tutor, but visitors are generally tolerated (sometimes even welcomed). In practicals where some material or resource is consumed (biology labs, welding tutorials) it's of course a different case. I was visiting university lectures while at high-school, and then I did some totally out-of-curriculum courses when at the university. (speaking of https://www.mff.cuni.cz/en https://www.mff.cuni.cz/en, https://www.natur.cuni.cz/eng https://www.natur.cuni.cz/eng and https://fel.cvut.cz/en/ https://fel.cvut.cz/en/, YMMV) [1] Just say "I go to lecture XYZ", or slip with someone thru, or the best strategy is probably to lie about forgetting the card at home (nobody checks it), as "I go to lecture XYZ but I don't actually study here" spawns weird conversations with the watchman. For example, at some buildings the card entry was installed only to prevent the tourists using the university toilets :) and the security is instructed to let in anyone who looks like a genuine attendant.

jrochkind1 4y ago

I think it will become a lot less universal now. I know of a number of universities that closed to the public during the pandemic and have not yet reopened, or announced any plans about it, they just remain closed to the public; I bet many of them will remain permanently closed. It is very sad, and has larger implications for our society I think. It's not just universities either. This is one of those inflection points where our society becomes less open and never goes back. I am old enough to remember 9/11 as such an inflection point too, how much more open many social institutions were prior. We seem to only go in one direction with these things, never back. (In the pre-9/11 era it was widely assumed the direction was towards ever more openness, over time! No longer).

bongoman37 4y ago