School Phone Changes the Nature of Campus Life

The plan permits students 50 peak voice minutes each month, unlimited campus data usage, unlimited text messaging, and emergency GPS tracking. Montclair police say the device means that an extra group of people are watching over students as they travel from one location to another. Safety-conscious students say the phones are buying them peace of mind.

In addition, they can use the phones to check their e-mail accounts and even peruse the local train schedule. The school permits students to choose from among a variety of phone and call plan options. However, for those who already have their own cell phones and their own calling plans, the school phone may seem an unnecessary duplication.

For instance, one student told the news media that the university should not be adding unnecessary fees for students who already have a difficult time paying for college. A mother of a college student remarked that the program was quite expensive and that the security it buys should already be provided by campus officials.

Meanwhile, administrators at Montclair State University are quick to point out that the university does not profit from the arrangement. The university’s vice-president of information technology noted that the school phone is actually a cost-saving device.

Meanwhile, Farleigh Dickinson University has a mandatory cell phone program of its own, but that program is paid for by the school rather than by the students.

It may be too soon to say whether the Montclair State University cell phone program will become a model for the nation. Given the Virginia Tech shootings, there is obviously an interest in enhancing security measures on campuses. The school phone may be seen as one tool that can help to provide an extra layer of protection for students. On the other hand, given all the expenses college students must already deal with, the school phone may seem like a costly luxury. Still, it’s likely that a number of college officials across the nation will be watching the Montclair State University cell phone experiment with great interest. Who knows? School phones could soon become as common on campuses as student ID cards and tuition vouchers.