NEWARK, NJ — New surveillance equipment at Rutgers University is getting a suspicious reception from students and staff, including some who say they were unaware it was installed, a report says.
Over the summer, Rutgers paid at least $1.5 million for a surveillance analytics system from Avigilon that can recognize faces, read license plates and identify objects, NJ Advance Media reported, citing procurement records from the university.
A Rutgers spokesperson said some features of the new system – including facial recognition –have been tested, but not used as an "investigative tool."
Spending on the new surveillance technology took place as the university makes cutbacks in other areas.
Rutgers recently announced that students will see a tuition hike under the university's latest $6.2 billion budget, which included austerity measures such as a hiring freeze.
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