Iowa State University is watching you.

With the computerized Hirsch Momentum System replacing traditional locks and keys, ISU officials can tell who’s trying to get into buildings.

“The only negative aspect of it is that it may seem a little big brotherish,” said Rob Bowers, program coordinator for the Department of Public Safety.

Workers installed the system during recent construction or remodeling in campus buildings, including Maple-Willow-Larch, Communications, Howe Hall, Student Services and Durham.

The system is now standard in new buildings including Hoover Hall, the Gerdin Business Building and the Jischke Honors Building.

The access-card system was implemented after requests from several university departments including the Department of Residence, Parks Library and research entities that wanted more control of people entering and leaving their spaces, Bowers said.

Budget constraints don’t allow for the system to be installed in all departments right away, he said, but there is hope to install the system in all university buildings as money becomes available.

“It’s harder to retrofit the application in older buildings,” Bowers said. “When you have access to the wiring from the beginning, it’s easier.”

Fitting the system to a door requires removing the old lock, electrifying the new lock, installing the card reader and wiring the reader to the building’s main control panel, he said.

“The system costs $5,000 per door, which consists of labor, parts and materials,” Bowers said. “Money’s tight right now. If departments have the funds available, we can install [the system].”

The system enhances security in the long run, he said.

When keyholders lost keys under the old system, locks weren’t always replaced because the change was expensive, Bowers said. Unwanted people could gain access to the building.

If a new access card is lost or stolen, however, it can easily be locked out of the system and replaced without giving everyone with access a new card, he said.

“That was definitely a factor in the decision to go to this system,” Bowers said. “Now it can be done with a few key-strokes of a computer,”

Harry Moore, a clerk for Department of Residence who works with the system, said the keycards are cheaper than brass keys and give a person access to more than one building on campus.

“Instead of carrying around four or five keys, you’ll have one card,” he said. “With one card, students can get into their building, and then if they work at, say WOI, they can get into that building too.”

Each card contains circuitry that stores information, Moore said.

“The card reader interprets that information and alerts the system that the card is requesting access,” he said. “If the information says you’re in, you’re in.”

The readers track people entering and exiting equipped buildings, Moore said.

“We can extract information from the card on its use and if needs be, shut down the card from the server,” Moore said. “It’s a high-tech piece of equipment. It’s not good to use it to scrape your car window.”