Kansas State University Upgrades Campus Safety Systems
The university is replacing emergency phones and adding new communication poles to enhance student safety.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Higher Education
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Kansas State University has installed new campus safety infrastructure, including updated emergency light poles equipped with advanced camera systems. These improvements are part of an ongoing effort to prioritize accessibility and security across the university grounds.
Why it matters
The updates ensure that students, faculty, and staff have reliable access to emergency communication tools. By modernizing these systems, university management aims to maintain a secure campus environment.
The campus currently maintains 48 emergency blue phones, with three new poles featuring Verkada intercoms that support up to 15 different languages. Nine of these units are located inside buildings, while 39 are positioned on exterior poles.
The players
Kansas State University
This public research university serves as the primary educational institution in Manhattan, Kansas.
The details
Maintenance crews manage these safety features by installing dedicated circuits to ensure signal reliability for all emergency devices. The university also utilizes the K-State Safe app, which provides maps highlighting the precise locations of these emergency phones for users.
Timeline
Annual assessments determine the facility and safety needs of the campus.
During the last year, crews completed repairs to campus sidewalks, stairs, crosswalks, and alleyways.
The university plans to replace four outdated emergency phones in the future.
Culture Shift
The implementation of the Verkada intercom system represents a transition toward modern, data-integrated security solutions in higher education settings. This shift signals a broader move to move beyond simple telephonic alarms toward high-definition visual and audio security tools.
Students and faculty can now access the K-State Safe app to easily navigate to the nearest emergency phone. These improvements provide users with more reliable communication channels and multilingual support during urgent situations on campus.
The takeaway
Maintaining physical campus infrastructure is a critical component of institutional safety strategies. Students should familiarize themselves with the location of emergency markers on campus to better prepare for unexpected situations.
Further reading
Learn more about student resources and infrastructure at Higher Education.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Kansas State Collegian.
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