The use of Gate 6 as the new late night gate has raised concerns about safety, convenience and accessibility among St. John’s students.

“There were people sitting outside their houses by Gate 6. My friends and I were walking home late and they were harassing us,” resident student Jessica Pintucci said.

Gate 6 is located on Goethals Avenue and replaces Gate 1 as the gate through which access on to campus can be made late at night.

The operating hours of the gate are from midnight until 6 a.m., however the gate usually remains open until 9 a.m.

“We have two officers manning gate 6 and stopping every vehicle that comes in to make sure they are St. John”s students coming onto campus,” Margaret McCann, director of Public Safety, said.

“It is done for the safety and security of everybody residing here.”

However many students feel it was safer and more convenient when Gate 1 was the late night gate.

“Gate 1 was open 24 hours a day,” said senior Carolyn Barragan. “I didn’t have to walk all the way around through dark streets to get onto campus.”

Commuter students are also upset over the gate switch because Gate 6 is no longer open during the day.

“The gate is only open occasionally when I am driving to class,” said junior Matthew Lopez.

“It is frustrating because sometimes it is open and sometimes it is not and I have to drive all the way around to get onto campus,” he said.

In addition, Gate 7 on 82nd Avenue, is no longer open at night, even to walk through.

The turnstile, which was available for students to swipe their Storm Cards and enter campus, is no longer fuctional during the evening hours.

“If I park my car on 82 Avenue, I have to walk all the way around to Gate 6, late at night,” resident student Joe Tigro said.

Students have also complained about the amount of traffic coming out of Gate 1 at night after classes. “It would be much easier to get on and off campus if the gates closer to the dorms were open. The amount of traffic at Gate 1 is ridiculous,” junior and communications major, Mario Lago said.

According to McCann, most gates are open during the day and there are “ample exits for all student traffic.”

Gate 1 now shuts down at midnight and all other gates are opened at approximately 6 a.m. and closed at approximately 11 p.m. on the weekdays. On the weekends, Gate 1 is usually the main gate that is open. However, if there is a large event other gates, such as Gate 2 and Gate 6, may be opened.

“It all depends,” McCann stated. “Ordinarily though, normal course of business we would maintain Gate 1 open on the weekend.”

Traffic patterns show that there is not a sufficient need to keep the gate open.

“There is never a time when there is no entrance open to come into the University,” McCann added. “Even in the wee hours of the morning there is something open.”