Someone’s in trouble with DPS 

Until the events of this past weekend, LXR had been a relatively quite dorm this year, with few problems larger than the lack of hot water during my morning shower. This week, however, things have changed drastically as DPS officers make the rounds several times a day, banging on doors and handing out safety violation notices.

Residents now face door checks during which officers walk through the halls trying to open each door (similar to what Sunday morning’s intruder did), reprimanding those students who have their doors unlocked. One officer, who knocked, hesitated briefly, and then proceeded to open my unlocked door himself, told us that these demands have come from the “administration”.

I recognize the need for increased dorm security, but I don’t think that it should come at the expense of student privacy and peace of mind. The citation slips which have been left on numerous doors in LXR make me feel uncomfortable in my own home; I used to feel reasonably safe in LXR, but now I just feel constantly annoyed.If the administration wants to increase security in East Campus, I think they should, but they should not try to place the onus entirely on students by implementing these checks.

If I leave my door unlocked and someone steals my computer, that’s my fault, and I accept responsibility for it. But if an outsider manages slip into the building, I should not be held accountable for ineptitude of campus security.

- Lynn Kirshbaum, Photo Editor. Photo by Lynn.

The District’s Department of Transportation has partnered with Clear Channel Outdoor to bring Smart Bike, North America’s first bike sharing program, to DC. Starting next month, program members will be able to borrow bicycles from ten locations around the city for a maximum of three hours at a time. Membership costs $40 for the year, a comparatively small sum for unlimited transportation use during a time of oil price increases.

But the limited number of rental stations may not make this the most convenient mode of transportation for many in DC, especially Georgetown students. The closest Smart Bike docking points to Georgetown are in Dupont Circle and at George Washington University—yes, they get their very own station at Foggy Bottom.

If Georgetown can’t manage to secure a Metro station, you’d think we could at least get some free bikes. To learn more, check out Smart Bike DC online.

- Lynn Kirshbaum, Photo Editor. Photo of Paris bike share from Flickr user rekha6.