Students who zone out in class can now use their distracting devices as tools to try to improve Binghamton University’s campus security.

Stanley Security, a national company that provides security services such as cameras, intrusion alert systems and consultations, is offering thousands of dollars in grants to universities across America for the second year in a row.

The “Together for Safer Schools” program offers money for security products and services to the schools that receive the most votes. Schools in the contest are split up into three tiers, based on student population size, with the top two schools in each tier winning prizes.

BU qualifies for the second tier of population size, for which the first place and second place prizes are $150,000 and $50,000 worth of products, respectively.

David Martin, the card access coordinator for BU, is working with the University Police Department (UPD) and is in charge of the potential grant. According to him, BU has been using Stanley Security for its systems for the past 15 years. If BU receives the grant, the money will go toward optimizing the University’s video management system.

Instead of buying more specific security items, such as surveillance cameras, the grant will go toward unifying existing programs into one. Campus security video, door access security and intrusion detection systems will be brought together to a unified platform.

“Campus security staff can spend more of their time on performing their core tasks such as monitoring, investigating and reacting to low and high priority situations and not on managing technology,” Martin said. “This upgrade will substantially improve critical response times and directly enhance the safety of our students, faculty, staff and visitors.”

Kyle Gordon, the director of Higher Education Market Solutions for Stanley Security’s North America branch, said the idea behind the grant is to help students feel safe while at school.

“The benefits are wide-ranging, but primarily focus on providing a safe and secure space for campuses that many students consider their second home,” Gordon said. “The grant upholds the ideal that students should be able to receive a high-quality education without fear of intrusion or violence.”

Matthew Rossie, the assistant chief of police at BU, said the grant money would increase UPD’s ability to serve the community.

“We already use various technology such as door access control and video systems,” Rossie said. “The grant money would allow us to upgrade the technology to help save time and have a better final product when it comes to video access and quality.”

Martin said that the University’s goal to have 20,000 students by the year 2020 calls for heightened security and changing ways to protect students.

Since the winners are designated by voting, Gordon said that Stanley Security is not looking for any particular requirements from the schools, besides that the universities work to make campus safer.

“We’ll be thrilled with any school that wins a share of the Grant,” Gordon said. “That campus community will have proven to be one that is passionate and fully engaged in finding a means to augment security on campus.”

Votes can be submitted online to the company’s website, as well as by text message or Twitter until Feb. 13. Voting began Jan. 19 and winners will be announced on March 3.