Building Access and Key Control Policy and Procedures

The following describes the policies and procedures for granting building access and for the issuance and control of Georgia Southern University building keys to include the management of a University keying system. The proper management of keying systems is essential to maintaining effective campus security and to facilitate fire protection, maintenance, and custodial services.

To apply for a key, please fill out the Key Request Authorization and Acceptance Form and bring it to the Physical Plant Serivce Response Center.

To apply for electronic access, please fill out the Electronic Access Authorization and Acceptance Form.

All Georgia Southern University employees and students share responsibility for maintaining the security of campus facilities. Concerns about facility security should be reported to the Division of Public Safety.

The Physical Plant Division is responsible for the management of the University Building Access and Key Control Program. That responsibility includes the maintenance of building access rosters; the programming of electronic locks; the production, storage, and issuance of keys; the replacement or rekeying of lock cylinders; the acquisition of new keying systems; and the maintenance of accurate records and databases.

The University Housing Division is responsible for the management of building access and key control procedures for residence halls. Students requiring access to campus facility areas other than residence halls must receive authorization through the Building Coordinators. Student access will be terminated at the end of each semester unless the department notifies the Service Response Center.

Physical Plant provides all keys for University buildings. University keys are not to be reproduced, duplicated, or obtained from any source other than Physical Plant. Should an employee(s) violate this provision of the Policy, they may be subject to disciplinary action which could include termination.

Faculty and staff will be provided building access and keys on a need-for-access basis only. The number of keys issued will be kept to a minimum and duplicates will not be issued to individuals.

An electronic lock will be provided on one exterior door of each major building for access during periods when the building is secured. Should additional locksets be requested, the building coordinator should initiate a work order through our work order system and a funding source(s) must be identified for those costs. Building master keys for exterior doors will not be issued without the approval of the Vice President for Business and Finance.

Employees who terminate their employment or no longer need access to a specific area or building will personally return their keys to the Physical Plant Service Response Center. Building Coordinators and Human Resources will ensure separating employees obtain clearance from the Physical Plant Service Response Center prior to departing campus.

Building Coordinator: The Building Coordinator is the individual responsible for approving the issuance of keys to employees within their purview of responsibility, maintaining an internal inventory of key issuance and developing other appropriate safe guards deemed necessary to secure their area of responsibility. The Building Coordinator will ultimately be responsible to the appropriate Vice President of their respective functional division within Georgia Southern University.
[ Building Coordinator List ]

ELECTRONIC BUILDING ACCESS: One exterior door on each major building will be provided with an electronic lock for access during periods when the building is secured. This stand-alone, battery-powered lock will be operated by a card swipe using either the faculty/staff or student ID cards. The Building Coordinator will provide electronic access authorizations toPhysical Plant Service Response Center. The Physical Plant Lock Shop will program the lock. [ Electronic Building List ]

KEY REQUEST AUTHORIZATION AND ACCEPTANCE FORM: The form to be used by all faculty and staff employees to request both building access and key issuance authorization. The form can be completed on the Physical Plant webpage and then printed. The individual's department or unit head and the Building Coordinator must approve the request before submission to the Key Bank.

Grandmaster Key - A key that operates multiple locks for multiple buildings. A grandmaster key will only be issued with the approval of the Vice President for Business and Finance. Any request for these keys must be fully justified in writing. Approved requests will be sent to the Physical Plant Service Response Center for issuance of the appropriate key.

Master Key - A key that operates all interior doors in a single building. It may be issued to individuals working in the building with the approval of both Department Heads and Building Coordinators. These keys will not provide access to exterior doors.

Sub-Master Key - A key that operates a selected group of interior doors in a single building. It may be issued to individuals working in the building with the approval of both Department Heads and Building Coordinators. These keys will not provide access to exterior doors.

The appropriate Vice President is responsible for assigning Building Coordinators. When there is a change in the designated Building Coordinator, the Physical Plant Service Response Center must be notified in writing through the Vice President. Building Coordinators should understand that the accountable budget may be charged for replacing keys and locks, rekeying locks, or for other expenses incurred as a result of the loss or inappropriate use of keys issued.

Building Coordinators are to inform keyholders of their responsibilities for ensuring that keys are safeguarded, properly used, and returned to the Physical Plant Service Response Center upon the request of the issuing authority. Keyholders MUST be advised that if they lose a key or fail to return a key when requested, they may be required to pay for the cost incurred to rekey an area to reestablish compromised security.

Physical Plant will maintain a master listing by building of all employees who are designated for electronic access and approved keyholders. A complete copy of the list will be provided to the University Internal Auditor as requested for audit purposes.

Building Coordinators will determine the schedules for locking and unlocking their building. Most academic buildings will be locked at 11:00 PM and unlocked at 7:00 AM. Most administrative buildings will be locked and unlocked by the building occupants. Requests for exceptions should be submitted to the Physical Plant Service Response Center based on individual building utilization schedules. The Building Coordinator should update exceptions each semester. Physical Plant staff will secure buildings on the exception list.

The Facilities Use Coordinators in the Division of Continuing Education and the Russell Union make room reservations for non-academic purposes. These coordinators will continue to provide unlock and lock schedules to the Physical Plant Service Response Center. Physical Plant staff will provide these unlock/lock services as time and work schedules permit.

For a complete schedule of building lock and unlock times, click here.

UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES: Faculty and staff requiring building access during periods when the building is secured will complete the Key Request Authorization and Acceptance Form. Both the Department/Unit Head and the Building Coordinator must approve the form. The Building Coordinator will submit the form to the Physical Plant Service Response Center. Physical Plant will reprogram the electronic lock within three days of the receipt of the request.

NON-UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES: Other individuals, such as construction contractor personnel and vendors, may request building access during periods when the building is secured. The responsible University employee should complete the Key Request Authorization and Acceptance Form. The form must contain the names of each individual being granted access and the termination date for this access. Both the responsible Department/Unit Head and the Building Coordinator must approve the form. The Building Coordinator will submit the form to the Physical Plant Service Response Center. Physical Plant will reprogram the electronic lock within three days of the receipt of the request.

STUDENTS: Students may be granted building access during periods the building is secured. The responsible University employee will complete the Key Request Authorization and Acceptance Form. The form must contain the names of each student being granted access and the termination date for this access. Student access will be automatically terminated at the end of each semester. Both the responsible Department/Unit Head and the Building Coordinator must approve the form. The Building Coordinator will submit the form to the Physical Plant Service Response Center. Physical Plant will reprogram the electronic lock within three days of the receipt of the request.

Building Coordinators shall authorize electronic access to their assigned building only. An individual's Georgia Southern University Identification Card will be utilized for electronic building access. Non-University employees will be provided a special ID card for access.

Building Coordinators and Physical Plant will maintain a master listing of individuals authorized for electronic access to each building. Building Coordinators will review and revise the electronic access listing each semester. Any revisions will be provided to Physical Plant Service Response Center to insure accurate information is maintained in the Electronic Access System.

UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES: Faculty and staff requiring keys to interior building areas to include offices will complete the Key Request Authorization and Acceptance Form. Both the Department/Unit Head and the Building Coordinator must approve the form. The Building Coordinator will submit the form to the Physical Plant Service Response Center. All forms must be received within one week of the Department Chair and Building Coordinator's signatures dates.

NON-UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES: Other individuals, such as construction contractor personnel and vendors, may request interior building keys. The responsible University employee will complete the Key Request Authorization and Acceptance Form. The form must contain the names of each individual being provided keys and the date the keys will be returned. Both the responsible Department/Unit Head and the Building Coordinator must approve the form. The Building Coordinator will submit the form to the Physical Plant Service Response Center.

STUDENTS: Students may be issued interior building keys. The responsible university employee will complete the Key Request Authorization and Acceptance Form. The form must contain the names of each student being provided keys and the date the keys will be returned. Students must return all keys at the end of each semester. Both the responsible Department/Unit Head and the Building Coordinator must approve the form. The Building Coordinator will submit the form to the Physical Plant Service Response Center.

The requestor will be notified when the keys are ready for pickup. The requestor must personally sign for the keys at the Service Response Center. The requestor will be asked to present identification that verifies their name and identification number.

After a key is issued, the Physical Plant Service Response Center will return a completed copy of the Key Request Authorization and Acceptance Form to the appropriate Building Coordinator. The Building Coordinator should review the form to ensure that no irregularities occurred during the issuance process.

A keyholder who loses a key must promptly report the loss to the Building Coordinator. The Building Coordinator should immediately report the loss to the Physical Plant Service Response Center and to the Department of Public Safety. The replacement of a lost key requires preparation of a new Key Request Form and an e-mail from the department chair accepting responsibility for the cost of rekeying should security be compromised in the affected area.

At the end of each semester the Physical Plant Service Response Center will send Building Coordinators a listing of keyholders and keys currently issued within their building. This listing should be reviewed to ensure that only those persons having a need to access the spaces indicated appear on the list. In instances where the list includes names of individuals who no longer require keys to spaces concerned, the Building Coordinator should request the keyholder return the keys to the Physical Plant Service Response Center.

RETIREMENT, RESIGNATION, OR TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT - Permanent Georgia Southern University staff and all faculty shall be required to process through the Georgia Southern University Check-Out procedure upon their separation from the University. This process insures that all keys are returned to Physical Plant and electronic access is deleted from the authorization data bank. Physical Plant Service Response Center will issue a receipt for returned keys to the keyholder. Keyholders are not relieved of responsibility for keys until they receive this receipt. A copy of the receipt will be sent to the Building Coordinator of the spaces accessed.

TRANSFERRING EMPLOYEES - Faculty and staff who change offices within a building or transfer to a different building must return all keys to the Physical Plant Service Response Center. Physical Plant Service Response Center will issue a receipt for returned keys to the keyholder. Keyholders are not relieved of responsibility for keys until they receive this receipt. A copy of the receipt will be sent to the Building Coordinator of the spaces accessed. To obtain keys for the new space, a Key Request Authorization and Acceptance Form must be completed, approved, and submitted in accordance with the above procedures. Building Coordinators should submit a request to the Physical Plant Service Response Center to have the individual's electronic access authorization changed as appropriate.

Locks may be rekeyed to reestablish security. Requests for rekeying should be initiated by the Department Head and/or Building Coordinator. Approved requests should be sent to the Physical Plant Service Response Center. The cost of rekeying will be borne by the requesting department unless the appropriate Vice President approves other arrangements. If a keyholder loses a key or fails to return a key to the Physical Plant Service Response Center , the keyholder may, at the discretion of the appropriate Vice President, Dean, Director or Department head, be charged, in part or entirely, for the cost of rekeying to reestablish security in the affected area. The Building Coordinator and/or department representative should contact the Controller's Office to determine the procedure to affect the charge.

The Public Safety Department should be contacted for emergency access to a building during periods the building is secured. The Public Safety Department shall have the discretion to make decisions regarding emergency access to buildings. During normal working hours, the Building Coordinator, or the person having administrative jurisdiction over the space, should be contacted.