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A Multi-Year Investment in Campus Safety
Since 2019, Pitt-Johnstown has made sustained investments in campus safety and security. These improvements include exterior lighting, electronic access and door controls, video surveillance, and the REACHland Connect pedestrian corridor.
Together, these projects support the University’s commitment to maintaining a safe, welcoming campus for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
REACHLand Connect
A Safe Pedestrian Link to Campus
REACHland Connect extends Pitt-Johnstown's safety efforts beyond the traditional campus footprint by connecting campus and the surrounding community through paved, lighted sidewalks and bike paths.
The initiative includes a 2,150-foot paved bike path, 3,400 feet of sidewalk, ADA crosswalks and access points, and two emergency call boxes.
The corridor connects campus with the College Park Apartments, Penn Highlands Community College, the Richland School District, the Highland Community Library, the Richland Township Municipal Building, and the Richland Town Centre.
For students living in the College Park Apartments, the campus connection provides a safe, well-lit, ADA-accessible route to main campus without requiring them to navigate vehicular roadways.
The campus-connecting portion of the project began in 2022 and was completed in 2023.
Exterior Lighting Enhancements
Pitt-Johnstown has made significant improvements to lighting throughout campus, with the majority of upgrades completed in 2023 or earlier.
A phased Site Lighting Upgrade project added and replaced pathway and parking-lot lighting throughout the campus core, including the residential lodges and manors, academic quad, University Drive, and Highfield Avenue corridors.
The new fixtures use 4000K LED lighting with dusk-to-dawn controls, providing brighter, more energy-efficient lighting with lower maintenance needs.
In 2024, the Facilities team replaced 75 existing pathway light fixtures around the residential buildings with LED fixtures. The work had a gross cost of $66,000, reduced to $63,000 after a $3,000 FirstEnergy utility rebate. Installation was completed in-house.
Additional LED improvements were made at the rear of the Living Center, at several Living Center entrances, and in the Wellness Center parking lot.
The fourth phase of the original Site Lighting Upgrade was not completed because of funding constraints and competing institutional priorities. It remains available for future consideration.
Electronic Access and Door Control
In 2024, Pitt-Johnstown modernized its electronic access-control system by moving from legacy proximity cards to the more secure SEOS credential standard.
The University's RS2 access-control system was also combined with the Oakland RS2 system. This allows Information Services and Technology to manage Pitt-Johnstown's electronic access system through a unified platform.
Electronic card access has been expanded to additional areas across campus, including:
Exterior doors at the townhouses
Classrooms and laboratories throughout the academic buildings
Biddle, Krebs, and Blackington auditoriums
Four exterior openings at Biddle Hall
The faculty exterior entrance at Krebs
The Student Union student lounge
Panic buttons have also been installed and tested in classrooms and laboratories where electronic locks are operational. These provide faculty and students with a direct way to summon assistance during an emergency.
Additional classroom and laboratory door-control conversions remain in progress. Panic buttons will be installed as those electronic locks become operational.
Video Surveillance
Campus video surveillance has expanded significantly. Cameras are now deployed across 19 locations, providing 49 distinct camera views.
All Pitt-Johnstown cameras are now under the management of Information Services and Technology, bringing monitoring and management together under a single operation.
Interior camera coverage has been expanded in Blackington, Biddle, Krebs, and the Student Union, with cameras focused on building entrances, stairwells, and high-traffic areas. The Student Union also has coverage of the game room and student lounge.
A camera has also been added inside Hickory covering the main public lobby.
The expanded and consolidated campus camera infrastructure represents an investment of more than $300,000.
Student Union Remodel
As part of the Student Union cafeteria remodel, 13 additional cameras have been ordered. Once installed, they will provide coverage throughout the dining areas, including the cafeteria, Mountain Cat, Tuck Shop, and Yellow's area.
The cameras have been ordered and are awaiting arrival and installation.
Continuing Safety Improvements
Pitt-Johnstown's campus safety work continues. Current and future areas of focus include:
Completing remaining electronic door-control conversions in classrooms and laboratories, along with panic-button installation as the systems come online.
Installing the 13 additional cameras associated with the Student Union cafeteria remodel.
Considering the fourth phase of the Site Lighting Upgrade when resources permit.
Commitment to a Safe Campus
Pitt-Johnstown's investments in lighting, electronic access, video surveillance, emergency panic capabilities, and pedestrian infrastructure represent a coordinated, multi-year effort to support a safe campus environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
These improvements directly support the University's strategic plan, The Next Level 2023–2030, including its commitments to creating a welcoming, inviting, and safe environment; investing in campus facilities and infrastructure; and working with community partners through initiatives such as REACHland Connect.
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