Key and Card Access Administration 

As of:

March 28, 2002 

Revised: 3-29-07

Permission must be given either orally or (preferably) in written form through e-mail to the keys and card access office in Owens 209, when a key or card access is to be granted to Faculty, Staff, Students, or Vendors.  Class lists signed by the Instructor and approved by the Chair will also be accepted.

Who gives permission for— 

·        Faculty – The departmental Chair, or Dean (or designee, ex. Secretary) must request the key(s) that are to be administered and/or card access allowed through the outside door of buildings.  The date that the keys are due back, or access expiration date should be indicated to personnel in the key office/Administrative Affairs.

·        Staff – The departmental Chair or Supervisor (or their designee, ex. Secretary) must request keys for departmental staff.  If the staff does not work with a Departmental Chair or Secretary, key orders will be accepted from the following persons:

·                    University President

·                    Vice Presidents

·                    Biology or Chemistry Chairpersons—for labs

·                    Radiation Safety Officer—for Biology & Chemistry Biohazard Labs

·        Students -- Faculty and Staff should submit their requests to the department Secretary or Chair, who will forward the requests to the Key Office.  We will also accept class lists from instructors, and/or Departmental Slips for the Biology Labs if signed by the instructor. 

·        Vendors or Contractors – All keys or card access issued to Vendors or Contractors will be cleared through the Director of the Physical Plant, Chief Engineer of the Heating Plant or the VP of Administrative Affairs.  Key authorizations for residence halls shall be cleared through the Director, Associate Director or Facilities Supervisor.  Keys for the Comstock Union or Kise Commons shall be cleared by each Director.

Keys are issued for the shortest amount of time, as deemed necessary by the departmental Chair/Manager or secretary.  Standard due dates are used, by the Keys and Card Access Office, for all keys issued by semester.  Authorized card access is usually set for the same established dates. 

Access will be as limited as possible, even if the holder must carry a few more keys, rather than a sub-master or master key.

All keys will be recorded, by the Key Office, in the Best System.  Before the key is taken from the Key Office, a key agreement must be signed and dated by the recipient. The person who signs this agreement is responsible for the keys that are listed.  This key agreement will include the due date for returning keys (if there is a due date).  All keys returned to the key office must be recorded immediately in this Best System as "returned", so that records are completely accurate.   Key agreements must be signed by the individual receiving the key(s) at the time of receipt in the Key Office in Owens 209.  No key agreements will be delivered to department secretaries, unless there are VERY extenuating circumstances.

Reports shall be distributed toward the close of Fall Semester, and the close of Spring Semester, to all departments to notify them of key expiration dates.  Cooperation is needed at the departmental level to encourage the return of key(s) by the due date, and the key office must be notified if the due date (especially in the case of students) can be extended.  This will prevent the need for clearing of $25.00 late charges when already applied to the students' records.

There will be a $25 charge per person for lost, stolen, damaged or late keys.   This charge may be applied to an individual student account, or may be paid by cash, check, or credit card.  Any charges must be paid before any keys are replaced and presented to that person.  The Key Office requests that faculty and staff cooperate with the office concerning the return of keys, when reports go out to departments indicating expiration dates for key returns.  This is especially important with regard to keys issued to students.  Revisions of the expiration date will only be accepted from the authorized individual.  It would be unfortunate for students to be charged the $25.00 late fee, when the late return is due to someone else's error or oversight.

If a key is reported lost or stolen, the Department Chair/Manager or Secretary is to be notified and a decision must be made as to whether or not re-coring of the lock(s) involved will be done.  The re-coring charges may become the responsibility of the individual department.

Master or Submaster Keys

Physical Plant and Security personnel (including GMW's as assigned to individual buildings or complexes) will be allowed master keys as needed.   The GMW's keys and card access must be authorized by Building Services Supervisors.   All others in the Physical Plant are to be authorized by the Director.  The Director of Security shall authorize all key and card access adjustments for Security staff members.

Secretaries in academic departments shall be allowed a sub-master key as needed for opening individual faculty office doors for mail distribution and exam placement.  These keys are given with the approval of the departmental chair, or Dean.

Additional access to individual offices within a department or building may only be granted by the office holder, or their supervisor.