Kettering University has received a $125,000 donation from the Lear Corporation to upgrade existing closed circuit television (CCT) surveillance on campus with the Avigilon System, a high definition network video management solution, as part of its continuing commitment to safety on campus and in the surrounding neighborhood.

The donation supports the technology component of a comprehensive $330,000 Campus Safety initiative that includes renovation of the Campus Safety station in the Campus Center, increased security enforcement and utilization of the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) model of security.

"I am grateful to Lear for their support for the new campus security system. In particular, I want to thank Ray Scott, executive vice president & president of seating operations for Lear, who is also a member of the Kettering University board of trustees,” said Kettering President Robert K. McMahan. “At Kettering, the safety and security of our students, faculty, and staff are top institutional priorities. We are committed to working in collaboration with our neighbors to improve safety and security for everyone in the Kettering community.”

Ray Scott, executive vice president and president of seating operations for Lear and a member of the Kettering University Board of Trustees, hands Kettering President Robert K. McMahan a ceremonial check for $125,000 to complete the new campus security system. The check was delivered at a reception March 20, 2013, for Kettering alumni and co-op students working at LEAR in Southfield, Mich. Photo: Kettering Communications.

“When Ray learned of the significant investment by the C.S. Mott Foundation in the University and the work that it was supporting to expand our campus security infrastructure, he wanted to help. He and his team provided critical assistance to us in determining the right approach and the ideal solution for our needs.  And Lear's financial investment in Kettering makes it possible for us to implement the perfect system now, without compromise,” McMahan said.

Kettering has contracted with the Conti Corporation to install the system, which is designed to augment the University’s existing analog camera system with a large number of high-definition, panoramic cameras that will together provide total visibility and coverage of the campus as well as parts of the surrounding community. The cameras will be programmed to record and archive any motion in their field of view.

Kettering President Robert K. McMahan chats with students, who are co-op employees at Lear, following the check presentation. Photo: Kettering Communications.

“The new surveillance solution will provide full coverage of Kettering University's campus with high definition cameras and software that leverages high-definition stream management (HDSM) technology,” said Viola Sprague, vice president of Instructional, Administrative, and Information Technology. “Images will be displayed on a video wall to show see the campus activity and ensure the campus is safe,” she added.

The Lear donation will also fund the installation of three Avigilon HD Enterprise, 21 Terabyte Recording Servers with 21 days of video retention each, three redundant, hot swappable, server power supplies, an HD 4-monitor and two HD 2-monitor workstations, wall-mounted security monitors and system programming, start-up and testing.

About Lear Corporation

Lear Corporation is one of the world's leading suppliers of automotive seating and electrical power management systems. The Company's world-class products are designed, engineered and manufactured by a diverse team of approximately 113,400 employees located in 36 countries. Lear's headquarters are in Southfield, Michigan, and Lear is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol [LEA]. Further information about Lear is available at Lear.com.

About Kettering University

Kettering University is a nationally-recognized STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and Business university and a national leader in combining a rigorous academic environment with rich opportunities for experiential learning and cooperative education and a focus on the learning experience of the individual student.  Kettering students develop globally competitive skills and knowledge, along with the soft skills needed to apply both successfully in real-life situations.  Kettering was one of the first universities to recognize the extraordinary talents and promise of FIRST students and has awarded $2.5 million in scholarships to FIRST participants since 1999.  Kettering’s 1,900 undergraduates and 1,000 graduate students choose from 15 undergraduate and 9 master’s degrees, plus more than 50 minors, specialties, concentrations and courses of study.  Some of Kettering’s fastest growing academic majors are Bioinformatics, Chemical Engineering and BioChemistry. More information.