Security is a top concern for most institutions, and the same goes for Culver-Stockton. C-SC’s number one priority is to provide the best possible security for visitors, students, faculty, and staff. The addition of faculty identification badges is the newest step in the safest direction.

“President Palmer is very focused on his belief that providing quality customer service to guests on campus is a high priority. There is not a particular incident that occurred, rather just a focus on always improving the Culver-Stockton community,” senior assistant to the president Cindy Freels said. 

The identification badges are currently in the logistical process and have not been officially announced or presented to the faculty. Nonetheless, the incorporation of mandatory identification will ensure that visitors, students, and staff will always be able to identify staff on campus. The goal is to create an inclusive environment where all students feel at ease with their home and learning surroundings.

Once the badges have successfully undergone the logistics stage, they will be distributed to each department until all employees are in possession. They will not be mandatory for maintenance staff due to safety precautions.

When asked his opinion about the identification badges, Professor Dr. Scott Giltner displayed a positive approach, “I like the idea of making sure that everyone on campus, including particularly new students, transfers, visitors, alumni, and members of the wider community can easily identify a faculty or staff member as someone who is here to help. We are a friendly and supportive community, that’s always been one of our great strengths. And I’m all for anything that makes it easier for everyone on campus to identify and access that support.”

Assistant librarian Michala Peterman also shared her opinion on this change. She noted that the general idea of identification is already present in the college, so the inclusion of staff badges is not entirely foreign. “They’re a good idea for staff who are on the clock. We already have our student workers wear name tags to help identify the people to go to with questions and who to ask for help. It’s a natural progression for staff to wear them as well for the same reasons,” Peterman said.

Overall, the addition of identification badges will create a safe change within the Culver-Stockton community. Despite the fact that both opinions were positive, not every faculty member may be in the same boat as Giltner and Peterman. For further information, contact senior assistant Cindy Freels in Henderson Hall 201A.