CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN BERNARDINO

LOCK AND KEY POLICY AND PROCEDURES

APPROVED BY ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL:   November 13, 1989

RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT:  Physical Plant, 909/880-5166

INTRODUCTION

As a state-supported institution, CSUSB recognizes its commitment to the preservation and protection of its assets and to the maintenance of confidentiality of certain records and documents held in public trust.

It is recognized that access to facilities is essential to the smooth operation of the University.  This access also implies an equally critical concern for the security and integrity of building facilities and their contents.  Integral to both concerns are a well defined and workable key issuance and control policy and the necessary procedures to implement and control it.  The purpose of this policy is to allow controlled access to buildings in such a manner that will afford protection of assets and occupants.

The foregoing needs, concerns, and impacts have provided the framework and rationale for the key control policy and procedures which follow.

RESPONSIBILITY

Primary responsibility for the security of campus buildings lies with the Public Safety Department.  Responsibility for maintaining locks, lock hardware and issuance of keys belongs to the Physical Plant Department.  Responsibility for authorizing issuance of keys lies with the department managers and administrators.  The objective of this policy is to assign responsibility for keys and their use to individual employees, students, and others using the keys and those allowed to authorize the issuance of keys.

SECURITY OF BUILDINGS

Personnel who require access to buildings and rooms must request keys through their department chair, school dean/director, or supervisor.  Individuals granted special access to rooms and buildings must assume personal responsibility for facilities and equipment during the time they are using these facilities and equipment.  Should a faculty or staff member require access to a particular building or room after normal instructional or working hours, presentation of identification to Public Safety may be requested.  Failure to present proper identification is grounds to deny the request for access to the building.  Graduate assistants and other students who require entrance to a building during other than normal hours must have proper identification and prior approval in writing from the appropriate administrator.  This authorization must be on file with Public Safety.

It is the responsibility of the person assigned to an office to ensure that the door is locked at the conclusion of work.   Further, it is the responsibility of the last instructor teaching in a classroom to ensure that the door is secure and the lights are turned off when the class session is completed.  In areas where equipment technicians are employed, it will be their responsibility to secure all doors at the end of the working day.  Public Safety will ensure that all buildings are secured every night.  An individual desiring to remain in a building after normal closing hours is requested to notify Public Safety.

Anyone who has difficulty in gaining authorized access to an area or who needs assistance in securing a building or room should contact the Public Safety Department at extension 5165.

"Normal" working hours are from 7 AM to 10 PM, Monday - Friday.

TYPES OF KEYS

Grand Master:
There shall be no grand master key for the campus.

Building Master Keys:
Building master keys will open all exterior and interior doors in the designated building except special locks which for a specific reason are not on the master system.  Request for master keys must be approved by a senior manager such as a vice president. 

Master keys shall be maintained only by the Departments of Public Safety, Physical Plant, Physical Planning and Development, and Accounting.

Department Master Keys:
Department master keys will open exterior building doors and interior doors in designated department areas.  Requests for these keys may be approved by the school dean or the appropriate manager of the department.

Individual Keys:
Individual room keys are the most frequently issued and may be authorized by department chairpersons or first level supervisors for issuance to faculty, staff, and upon justification to students, dependent upon need.   Generally a room key will also open designated exterior doors to allow building entry.

KEY ISSUE

All campus keys are maintained and issued from the Physical Plant Office.  No other department is authorized to issue keys.   The Physical Plant Department maintains records on all campus keys.  Keys must be returned to the Physical Plant Department in person when there is no longer a need.

To receive an authorized key, faculty and staff shall obtain a key authorization card and have it signed by the appropriate person authorized to approve the issuance of the key and bring it to the Physical Plant Office during business hours.  The key will be issued only to the recipient who will sign the receipt portion of the card.  Physical Plant staff will enter the key number and update the key files.  Keys shall not be transferred by campus mail.  Keys are not to be loaned or transferred to others.  Individuals who are issued keys shall be held responsible for their use.

For the convenience of faculty members, department secretaries may pick up keys using an authorization card signed by the faculty member and department chair authorizing the issue.  Department secretaries may also send authorization cards to Physical Plant by campus mail.  If the card is received by mail, Physical Plant will prepare the key and inform the department by phone when the key may be picked up.

STUDENT KEYS

Keys may be issued to registered students when authorized by department chairpersons or higher authority upon recommendation of faculty only when those students are involved in research or work projects which require access to facilities at times when university police, custodial staff, or technicians cannot open doors for them.  Student keys shall be issued for one quarter only and must be reissued if the student is to maintain possession of the key for more than one quarter.  A new approval card is required for each quarter of issue.

Keys for students may be requested on the same authorization card used by faculty and staff.  In addition to the information required for faculty and staff, the card must specify the quarter for which the key is to be issued and the student's permanent address.  Students must display a current student I.D. card to Physical Plant when they receive a key.

Prior to the end of the term, a reminder notice will be sent to each student at their home informing them of the date the keys must be turned in to the Physical Plant.  Keys not turned in by the designated date will result in a hold being placed on the student's record.

RETURNING KEYS

All keys shall be returned to the Physical Plant by the person to whom they were issued so that the employee or student may be assured that his/her record is cleared.  The Payroll Department will withhold final paychecks for employees and the Admissions and Records Department will withhold grades, transcripts and registration from students until clearance is obtained from Physical Plant.

If an employee or student has no keys, the department secretary may call Physical Plant and receive a verbal authorization to clear the record.

LOST KEYS

Lost keys shall be reported immediately to the Department of Public Safety and Physical Plant.  The employee who was issued the key shall complete a "Lost Key" form and shall be assessed a $10.00 fee for a replacement key.  The person to whom the key was issued is responsible for its use.   Fees to re-key the affected locksets may be assessed to the party who lost the key.

The original copy of the Bursar's cash receipt, together with a new authorization card signed by the appropriate administrator, is to be presented to Physical Plant to obtain the new key.

If a replacement key is not required, the Bursar's cash receipt must be delivered to Physical Plant to clear the person's record.

If a lost key is found and returned within the fiscal year that it was lost, a refund of the replacement fee may be made.

In the event that a Building Master Key or Sub-Master Key is lost, the person losing the key may be held liable for costs incurred in re-pinning all areas accessible to the lost key.

RE-KEYING LOCKS

On occasion, re-keying of locks may be requested due to increased access needs, lost keys, or a variety of other reasons.

Re-keying of locks is not a maintenance function.  This request must be initiated by a school dean or higher authority and requires approval of the Physical Plant Director.  Such requests shall be funded by the requester as chargeback work.

SPECIAL KEYS

Each quarter, Physical Plant receives many requests to remove locks from the master key system.  This requires considerable work and expense, and has an effect on campus emergency procedures by requiring emergency personnel to carry many special keys.  On some occasions, it removes areas from normal custodial care.  All requests of this nature must be approved by the appropriate vice president, in consultation with the Director of Physical Plant.   Approval of such requests shall be re-evaluated annually to determine if the need for the variance continues.

Hazardous materials or other specialized access areas shall be keyed on an individual system with no master key.  Only authorized employees will be issued keys for such locks.

Electrical and mechanical rooms are individually keyed for security purposes.

Exterior door keys:
Open only designated exterior doors.

Floor master key:
Opens all locks on a floor, for custodial use.

Restrooms:
Individual door keys will open local restrooms.

All requests for special keys must be made to the school dean responsible for the area or vice president in charge of the division.

DESK, FILE, AND SAFE KEYS

Desk, file, or safe keys are not maintained by Physical Plant as these keys do not operate doors or building security barriers.  Physical Plant does not maintain a record file of these keys.  It is recommended that each department maintain a file of these keys including a spare key so that copy keys can be made in the event of loss.  Should Physical Plant service be required for these keys or locks, such service shall be rendered on a chargeback basis.  Requests for desk, cabinet, or file keys must include the campus property number posted on the furnishing.

TRANSFER OF KEYS

Employees shall not loan or transfer keys to anyone.  The person to whom a key has been issued shall be held responsible for the use of that key until it has been properly returned to the Physical Plant key issue system.

TEMPORARY USE OF KEYS

STUDENT ASSISTANTS, LIBRARY PATRONS, ACCOUNTING OFFICE, PHYSICAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Short term use of keys may be appropriate by student assistants or users of facilities in special circumstances.  With the authorization from the vice president, a management employee may obtain keys from Physical Plant through the key issue process.  The key may be temporarily assigned for periods of 8 hours or less to student assistants or others for special use such as elevator access.  A formal check-out system shall be maintained to assure control of such use.

The employee or person to whom the key is issued shall be responsible for the use of the key and shall assure the key has been returned by the end of each workshift.

CONTRACTORS AND VENDORS

Contractors or vendors may be issued a key only upon written authorization from the Director of Physical Plant.  Administrators shall make a written request to the Director of Physical Plant to issue a key to a contractor or vendor.  Specific terms of access shall be made in writing.  The request shall be evaluated as to the need for access and methods available to provide access without issuing a key.  A key shall be authorized only when no other reasonable means of access is available.  The key shall be issued by the Physical Plant system outlined above.  The contractor or vendor shall be notified that they are responsible for any results from use of the key including loss or re-keying as previously described.  The vendor or contractor may be requested to post a bond or deposit as collateral until the key is returned.

USE OF UNAUTHORIZED LOCKS

All locksets and padlocks used on campus facilities shall be issued by the Physical Plant Department and be compatible with the campus key system.  All other locks are not allowed and shall be removed by Public Safety or Physical Plant personnel.   Locks which are removed shall not be returned nor will claims for reimbursement of cost be considered.

DUPLICATIONS OF KEYS

Duplication of keys by anyone other than an authorized Physical Plant employee is prohibited.  Use of locksmith contractor services is strictly prohibited.

POSSESSION OF UNAUTHORIZED KEYS

Any person found to be in possession of an unauthorized key shall be liable for its use and subject to disciplinary or legal action.  Unauthorized keys shall be returned to the Physical Plant Department.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE

Employees leaving employment of the University for longer than six months shall turn in keys to the Physical Plant and may have them re-issued upon return.  A new authorization card approved by the appropriate administrator will be required.

NON-STATE OPERATED BUILDINGS

The Physical Plant Department does not maintain locks or keys for non-state operated buildings, i.e., auxiliary services buildings such as residence halls or buildings owned by the Foundation.

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