Walking into the foyer of Claverly Hall one recent evening, students were startled to find the Security Systems Incorporated (SSI) guard changing clothes in the foyer.

This incident was just one of many, according to Harvard University Police Depa0rtment (HUPD) officers and students, where the new SSI guards behaved unprofessionally or incompetently over the last few months.

SSI guards have become a fixture on campus this year as Harvard's old proprietary guard force is phased out. The new white-uniformed guards are now stationed in most undergraduate Houses and other College buildings.

Harvard began using SSI to provide security at the College this summer, saying the new guard force would be larger and better trained.

"The biggest issue we had with the University guards was we didn't have the manpower," says Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) Sergeant Robert J. Kotowski. "The most important thing to us is to have someone at every site."

Some SSI guards have won good reviews from police and students. Still, the high turnover in the out-sourced security guard industry may keep guards from developing a solid rapport with students.

Furthermore, students and some Harvard police officers say might be causing more problems than they've solved. Communication problems and inexperience have led to embarrassing and potentially dangerous situations.

Most of the police and Harvard security guards would only be interviewed on condition of anonymity.