With the start of the spring semester comes changes to the access policies of the Social Sciences Building, Dwinelle Hall and Wheeler Hall. As of Jan. 20, campus has instituted a new policy that will require Cal 1 Card access on weekdays during the evening.
“These changes have been made to create a safer environment for our students, faculty, and staff who use these buildings at night,” said campus spokesperson Janet Gilmore in an email. “Many of our buildings have moved to keycard access after regular business hours and this action follows that lead.”
The change was announced in an email from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration in December 2025. Previously, no keycard was necessary to access the three buildings until closing at 10 p.m., with the exception of Wheeler Hall, which closes at 5 p.m. on Fridays.
To raise awareness about the changes, the email also said signage would be posted at all building entrances and that the College of Letters and Science Facilities Office would directly notify departments located in these buildings.
“There is the notion that (campus) is open to the public, but I think putting student safety first is the No. 1 thing,” said student Collin Hargreaves.
At 7 p.m. on weekdays, all exterior doors of the Social Sciences Building and Wheeler Hall will be locked and require Cal 1 Card access. The exterior doors of Wheeler Hall will be closed at 5 p.m. on Fridays.
All exterior doors of the classroom wing of Dwinelle Hall will also be locked at 7 p.m., with the exception of the entrance facing Dwinelle Plaza that can be accessed with a Cal 1 Card. The doors to the office wing will continue to follow the current schedule of locking at 5 p.m. on weekdays.
“While UC Berkeley is a public university, that does not mean all campus spaces are open to unrestricted public access,” Gilmore said in the email. “Like other public institutions – courthouses, city halls, public schools – we maintain areas that are open to visitors for specific purposes, and areas that are restricted for operational, privacy, or safety reasons.”
According to the UCPD crime log, UCPD arrested an individual in Dwinelle Hall on Dec. 2 for soliciting a lewd act in public. Another individual was issued an exclusion order Dec. 15 for illegally lodging in Dwinelle Hall.
According to Gilmore, many buildings have already moved to keycard access after their regular business hours. For instance, Berkeley Way West in Downtown Berkeley, which houses the psychology and public health departments as well as the Graduate School of Education, also requires keycard access on weekends and after 5 p.m. on weekdays.
“This is a good idea — good for students,” said student Thomas Cook. “After 7 or 8 p.m., nighttime can be dangerous. I think it’s always good to put student safety first.”