The Lowdown on Lock-Outs: Part 1

It finally happened today -- after almost half a semester of success with the old "trash-can-in-the-door" technique, I finally got locked out of my room. Considering my lock-out rate last year (thank you roommates), it's pretty impressive I've made it this far. Drawing from my vast experience, I find the Top 3 most common lock-out scenarios are:

• The BrB: the Bathroom Break. You don't have your own private bathroom, and you really gotta pee, leaving your key. See also its more awkward cousin: the Shower Situation.
• The Class Act: You pack your bags all ready for class in the morning. "Oh, I'm just gonna leave my stuff here and run down to get some breakfast." You come back, and realize you did put everything in your bag -- including your key. And now you're gonna be late for class.
• The NO-I-JUST-MISSED-IT: You walk out of the room, remember you forgot your key, turn around right as the door shuts (in Whitman, with a omnious "hisssss--chk.")

While in the past, the punishment for lockouts was merely a slap on the wrist (or that awkward moment when you knock on every hall door in a towel looking for a phone), with the new Lock-Out Policy, calling Public Safety will cost you $30 each time. If you trek down to Housing more than 3 times, you will be charged and additional $30 and be sent to the dean for "further action."What is this ominously vague warning, "further action"? Angela Hodgeman of Undergraduate Housing explains:

"If a student is repeatedly being locked out, that name will be given to the appropriate Dean or Director of Student Life. Any action taken will be at their discretion."

This begs, the question, what would the Deans do? Also, is it just me, or are the various newer dorms with automatic-locking doors at a huge disadvantage with this new policy? Stay tuned as we dig out more info in the upcoming weeks about lock-outs.