There is something distracting students studying in the dorms besides late-night snack breaks, video games and AOL Instant Messenger. But unlike these diversions, many students say the security alarms in the dorms are a nuisance.

The alarms, which sound when a locked door at the entrance to a dormitory is left open for more than 30 seconds, are used to alert dorm security that the door is open.

At the beginning of the semester, card access hours were extended in the dorms. Students now need to use their ID+ cards to enter the dorms from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. during the week and from 5 p.m. on Friday to 7 a.m. Sunday during weekends. Last year, card access hours began at 8 p.m., and 24-hour lockdowns were just on weekends.

This change might explain why so many more alarms seem to be sounding.

"Obviously, if you have longer hours while the system is in use, you have the potential for more alarms to go off," said Sandy Harpster, assistant director of the Office of Housing and Food Services.

Still, she said, the extension of the hours does not explain why the alarms are sounding.

When the alarm is activated, Penn State Police Services Officer Clifford Lutz said, "The residence hall security personnel respond to find out why (it has sounded) and take correct action."

If an object is preventing the door from closing, it is removed.

"There are student auxiliary officers who walk through the areas to check the doors," Harpster said.

Harpster said that despite the inconvenience of the loud noise, the doors are necessary for the security of the dorms.

"If a door is open and there is no way you can tell it is open, you've lost the security in your dorm."

While many students said they recognize the need for these alarms, they said they do not appreciate the recurrent noise. Colleen Strawhacker (freshman-anthropology) said the alarms frequently distract her when she is doing work.

"When you're trying to study . . . (the alarms) go off and totally mess up your concentration," she said.

Still, Strawhacker said, "I can understand the safety aspect."

Steve Klein (senior-computer science) said that every time he studies in Atherton Hall, "that thing probably goes off 10 times."

The alarms also bother some students in their dorm rooms, Matt Tibbits (junior-computer engineering and astronomy) said. "They wake us up every night."