G-015 Issuance of Keys

Code: G-015
Date: January 1, 1980
Approved: Jon Wefald
Revised: December 17, 2002
Approved: David C. Danahar

Southwest Minnesota State University

Policy

Issuance of Keys

The following policy is followed to facilitate the issuance of keys to University personnel.

1. All University employees will have access to their assigned office, station, or area where they are expected to execute their assigned responsibilities. No student or student employee will be directly issued keys which provide access to a University employee’s assigned space.
   
   Students or student employees may check out keys for a period of one academic semester from the assigned supervisor of the space involved. The student’s supervisor will be responsible for any incident resulting from the miss-use of issued keys. Student’s failure to return the keys at the end of the academic semester will result in the withholding of the student’s official transcript. The student will also be prohibited from enrolling in any future courses at Southwest Minnesota State University.
2. University employees who have demonstrated need for access to their assigned space during times other than normal operating hours shall be issued the appropriate key, which will permit access to their assigned space.
3. Faculty shall be provided access to academic departmental office space.
4. University employees whose job-related assignments require access to specialized facilities shall be issued a key(s) which provides such access.
5. Building Submaster and Master keys shall be only issued to authorized security personnel, custodial staff and selected management personnel. Suite keys may be issued to those employees requiring access to specific areas within a building.
6. The Provost or appropriate Vice President, working with the Physical Plant Director will have the authority to recall all keys, which may have been improperly issued in accordance with this policy or due to a change in employment status of a University employee. Appeals may be made through the Provost or appropriate Vice President.
7. No keys may be issued without the approval of the Provost or appropriate Vice President. Faculty members, whose teaching assignments may change from semester to semester, may be issued keys for specific periods of time.

 Procedures for the Issuance of Keys

1. After the Physical Plant Office has received a completed Key Request Form, each employee will be issued an appropriate office key and an appropriate building key at the start of their employment period. A form will be on file at the Physical Plant Office listing the key numbers.
2. Each employee may request additional keys required for their duties. The request must state the reason and be approved in writing by their Dean or immediate supervisor. These requests, if approved, will be on file at the Physical Plant Office.
3. Campus master keys will be rarely assigned and will be on an “as needed basis” and only to authorized security, maintenance, and management personnel. The request must be written, showing the reason for the need, and must be approved, in writing, by the appropriate Dean/Director/immediate supervisor, the Provost, and the Vice President for Finance and Administration.
4. To obtain keys for specific secured areas, such as the Library and other closed facilities, requires the process as described in #3 above. The request also must include the approval of the Library Director or appropriate head of the closed facility.
5. Department Chairs may, upon request, hold a sub-master building key for a specific building area to aid in their ability to open classrooms, labs, etc. These keys will remain in the Chair’s direct possession or that of a designee (identity of designees must be made known to Physical Plant), at all times. Retiring Department Chairs shall return all such keys to the Physical Plant Office, which shall in turn reissue them to incoming Department Chair.
6. Upon termination of employment, each employee is required to return all keys to the Physical Plant Office and sign a key register form showing that all keys have been returned.
7. An audit may be conducted, upon adoption of this policy, whereby all employees will be required to list all University keys in their possession and are encouraged to turn in keys they no longer used. This audit will be repeated at least once every five years.