Surveillance Network at San Diego State University Draws Concerns
Over 1,300 AI-enabled cameras have been set up throughout San Diego State University, keeping watch over students in dorms, classrooms, gyms, and cafeterias, which has led to unrest on campus.
This extensive network was part of a renovation costing more than $1.3 million completed in 2024, as reported by student journalists. Records indicate that the University Police oversaw this initiative.
The camera system covers the entire campus, from Montezuma Road to Montezuma Mesa, including locations like academic buildings, the bookstore, parking areas, recreation centers, and residence halls.
While SDSU maintains that students are aware of the cameras, the student newspaper highlights that neither the housing website nor the community living guide mentions the AI features of the system.
Some students are expressing their outrage regarding this lack of transparency. A second-year business major, Sofia Pomponio, stated, “I think this surveillance is a heinous violation of student privacy,” further criticizing the system.
She continued, “Technology like this spits on students’ rights to privacy and freedom and shows exactly how SDSU values students as currency.”
According to public records, over 330 cameras are solely in residence halls, making up nearly 28% of the surveillance equipment on campus.
Huaxyacac, the largest first-year residence hall, features 79 cameras as part of an upgrade, while Tenochaca has 36, and Chapultepec has 33. In total, there are 24 homes under surveillance, with 18 of those specifically monitored.
Despite their prevalence, these cameras aren’t mentioned in student housing agreements.
Manufactured by Avigilon, these cameras come with various features, including facial recognition, license plate recognition, object detection, and more.
University officials assure that these capabilities are not utilized to monitor students. Amanda Stills, a Public Information Officer for SDSU Police, clarified that the upgrades mainly facilitate motion detection in restricted areas to alert staff during off-hours.
“To be clear, they are not used for behavioral tracking, profiling, or facial recognition,” Stills said.
She stated that the AI features are only deployed to enhance reliability and efficiency of the system and are limited due to privacy concerns and community expectations.
SDSU is reportedly one of only two campuses in the California State University system using AI cameras, alongside California State University, Northridge.
The surveillance network’s reach extends beyond student residences. The Aztec Student Union and Recreation Center have over 100 cameras each, with locations like Love Library, Gateway Center, and Viejas Arena having more than 30 cameras.
When questioned about plans to indicate camera locations with signage, Stills mentioned that there are no current plans to implement such notices.
“The university does not currently use signage specific to camera locations and has no plans to add such signage,” she added.
In a broader context, cameras are widely installed in public areas and common spaces, both on and off-campus.
