In an effort to make Penn State's campus safer, university officials are in the process of installing surveillance cameras in dorm entryways and lobbies.

"Residence Life and Housing are coordinating the camera installation and operations," Penn State University Police Assistant Director Tyrone Parham said. "This would help prevent potential crimes and identify unwanted visitors."

East Halls housing manager David Manos said a few cameras have been installed on campus, but they are not yet functional.

"The cameras would be located in the common areas of the dorms, such as the lobbies," Manos said. He added they would only be monitored in response to an incident.

Manos said the camera test run would take place in January. While financial commitments have not been made, the Office of Housing hopes the cameras will be beneficial, Manos said.

Marce Pancio, Residence Life director, confirmed that cameras had been ordered for University Park, but said she was unsure of where they would be located.

Housing and Food Services manager for Pollock and South Halls Chad Henning said Penn State's Commonwealth Campuses already use cameras as a method for further protecting students.

Penn State Altoona, Berks, Erie, Hazleton, McKeesport and Mont Alto have cameras installed in their residential buildings.

"We have installed them by the residential halls' entrances and computer labs," Delmar Woodring, Altoona campus chief of police, said. "They have been useful in investigating break-ins, assaults and vandalism."

He said the cameras were used only when an event is being investigated.

Penn State Berks Director of Housing and Food Services John Walker said cameras are installed in all campus dorms. He said they are monitored constantly by Berks housing during the day and by University Park police during the night and weekends.

Parham said the university's current card access requirement to enter dorms isn't as effective for protecting students since non-residents are frequently swiped in by residents. Having cameras would allow the University Police to identify the perpetrators of crimes and see who entered and left the building during the time in question, he said.

"Last year we experienced problems such as vandalism in dorm elevators," Parham said.

Parham said one of the biggest problems this semester has been a dramatic increase in those partaking in high-risk drinking. The installation of cameras is also believed to help discourage those from drunkenly committing crimes in the dorms, he added.

Bianca Garramone (freshman-chemistry) said she thought cameras were a good idea to prevent suspicious people from entering residential buildings.

"I can see how it could be an infringement of privacy," she said. "Students, however, don't own the buildings and Penn State has a responsibility to keep us safe."

Joey Rosenberg (freshman-business) said he believed the cameras would lower crime because people would know that they could get caught.

Dave Brodeur (senior-crime, law and justice) said he was unsure how effective the cameras would be.

"I'm not sure what they would use them for," Brodeur said. "It won't deter people from committing crimes because they won't know that the cameras are there."

-- Collegian staff writer Kevin Horan contributed to this article