Safety changes have been made at Northeastern University bathrooms following allegations of prostitution on the campus in the heart of Boston.
Northeastern University has made security changes after allegations of prostitution on campus.
Students say multiple restrooms on the school's Boston campus now have locks on them, requiring them to tap their IDs. Safety concerns had been raised by students, faculty and staff.
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The school said in a statement that it had "implemented enhanced access requirements inside Mugar Hall, including Husky ID reader locks for the main bathrooms."
The independent student newspaper, The Huntington News, highlighted the changes addressed in the September faculty senate meeting. According to meeting notes, a professor expressed concern about the lack of advance notice and complications for campus visitors.
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During an October meeting, the senior vice president for academic affairs said that the security measures were implemented in response to "prostitution-related activities."
Campus police logs show that over the summer, callers reported suspicious activity, ranging from sleeping and loitering to lewd and lascivious conduct. Several individuals were summoned to court and one person was arrested, according to the logs.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu addressed the situation Friday.
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"Illegal activity will not be tolerated, but especially when it comes to spaces that our students and young people are in," she said.
Some students told NBC10 Boston they appreciate the enhanced safety measures.
"Sometimes, I see children and their parents … just walking around," said one student named Amelia. "I like having people around. It's kind of nice not to see only just college students."
According to the university's recently released annual security report, overall crime on the Boston campus has decreased over the past year.
Senate faculty minutes show campus police recommend that guests and visiting scholars register for access.
