Officials are worried that residents hold doors open for intruders

At Arizona-Sonora Residence Hall yesterday afternoon, an older man entered the lobby of the hall and proceeded to the Arizona section of the double tower - courtesy of two students who held the door open for him.

Although a 24-hour lockdown has been implemented on all campus residence halls, many residents still hold concern for their safety, saying people who really want to get in can always find a way.

The lockdown began after a Tucson man entered three residence halls and watched four women shower in Arizona-Sonora and Manzanita-Mohave Residence Halls.

The suspect, Esteban Rodriguez, 24, also asked residents of La Paz Residence Hall if he could have sex with them.

Rodriguez was arrested Saturday night and booked into Pima County Jail, where he is being held on a $50,000 bond.

University of Arizona Police Department Cmdr. Brian Seastone said students need to remember their residence hall is also their home.

"You don't let people you don't know into your home," Seastone said.

La Paz Residence Hall Director Juliette Duke agreed with Seastone and also admitted to seeing several residents in her hall allow people in without any regard to their identity. She also said RAs should also remind residents on safety awareness.

"It's a combination of both. Everyone needs to be more proactive about people who are entering the building," Duke said.

Although the doors may be locked, many residents said the security of the residence hall fluctuates with the RA that is working the front desk.

"The RAs vary. Some care and some don't," said Manzanita-Mohave resident Jen Drubin, a journalism freshman.

Drubin said while some RAs who are working the front desk will ask residents to come downstairs and escort their guests to their room, others just let guests find their own way.

Drubin also said many RAs get lazy and don't patrol their entire area because of the length of the walk.

She added that the awkward construction of the building contributed to the problem of patrolling as well.

Students at Arizona-Sonora Residence Hall said the responsibility of maintaining safety within the dorms should be left up to the students.

"For so many kids coming in and out, there's only so much the university can do," said Grace Ann Longley, an undeclared freshman.

Stephen Borota, an electrical engineering freshman, said although questioning suspicious guests may be key, it is difficult to actually do it.

"Most people don't even want to ask," Borota said.

Barota said most students feel uncomfortable asking a guest whether they should be there.

Longley added that another problem is propping doors open, something she says she has seen students do even though it is against Residence Life policies.