08:19:00 Key, Fobs/Cards, Combinations Control

Purpose

This statement of policy regarding access control of buildings and property owned or operated by Walters State Community College will serve as the framework by which keys, fobs/cards, as well as combinations to campus buildings and areas will be issued, monitored, and maintained. The Campus Police Department will implement and oversee the procedures relative to key control and will work closely with the campus community to ensure that campus access needs are met while ensuring proper maintenance, monitoring, and control over institutional keys, fobs/cards and combinations.

Policy

I. Objectives

1. To allow appropriate campus access while achieving maximum physical security with minimum logistics.
    
2. To maintain control of the campus access system including key duplication, fob/card programming and distribution as well as the assignment of combination numbers for area access.
    
3. To maintain a recorded chain of accountability for all keys and fobs/cards issued.
    
4. To restore physical security in a timely manner in the event  access control is compromised.

II. General Access Control Guidelines and Responsibilities

1. Keys, fobs/cards and combinations to college buildings and facilities will be issued to individuals upon proper approval in accordance with this policy.
    
2. Keys, fobs/cards and combinations will be issued only to current employees or individuals otherwise approved by the president.
    
3. Security of a college key, fob/card or assigned combination is the responsibility of the person to whom the key, fob/card or combination is issued.
    
4. For emergency preparedness and key, fob/card or assigned combination security purposes, employees are encouraged to maintain college keys, fobs/cards and combinations in their possession at all times.
    
5. The loss of a college key, fob/card or assigned combination must be reported, in writing, (e.g., memo, e-mail, etc.) immediately to the proper approving official, department head, or immediate supervisor and to Campus Police.
    
6. The duplication of any college key, fob/card or assigned combination by anyone other than the Campus Police Department is prohibited.
    
7. Employees are responsible for locking doors to classrooms, laboratories, work areas, and/or offices after use to ensure the safeguard of college property. Under certain circumstances and when working alone in a building after hours or on weekends or holidays, employees are responsible for securing exit doors as they enter or leave a building.
    
8. Requests for keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations must be initiated by employees by completing the Campus Access Request form available on the Walters State website under student services, campus safety forms.
    
9. After the Campus Access Request form is submitted through proper channels for approval, the request is forwarded to the Campus Police Department to be processed.
    
10. Once the properly approved Campus Access Request form has been received and processed by Campus Police, the initiator will be notified that the key(s), fob/card or assigned combination is/are ready to be picked up in the Campus Police office. Requesting individuals will be required to sign for receipt of the keys, fob/card or assigned combination.
     
11. Once keys, fob/card or assigned combinations are issued, routine access to needed work areas is the responsibility of the key, fob/card or assigned combination holder.

III. Guidelines for Campus Access/Key Request Approval

1. A Campus Access Request form must be completed.
   NOTE: Key, fob/card codes will be provided by the Campus Police department at the time the request is received in the Campus Police office.
    
2. The access request form must be signed by the person initiating the request, along with all approving individuals. Approval for issue of building entrance keys, interior department keys, department master keys, and classroom keys as well as the replacement of lost or damaged keys must be approved by the department head/division dean, building/campus dean, and appropriate vice president.
    
3. To obtain a building master key, great grand master key, or combination lock code, the justification section of the Campus Access  Request form must be completed. In addition to the signatures outlined above, the president’s signature must be obtained.

IV. Privately Owned Locks

Privately owned locks generally are not permitted on college facility doors except for lockers designated for personal use. In circumstances where outside agencies lease college properties and require private locks, a request in writing should be submitted to the president or vice president for Business and Finance for approval. A key, fob/card or assigned combination to the private lock must be supplied by the contracting agency to the Campus Police Department to be securely maintained on file for emergency entry purposes.

V. Issuance of Keys, Fob/Card or Assigned Combination to Adjunct Faculty, Contract, or Temporary Employees

Because of the difficulty in tracking and collecting keys issued to adjunct faculty, contracted, or temporary employees, it is necessary for department heads to request, re-issue and collect keys issued to these individuals. Keys requested for adjunct faculty, contracted or temporary employees will be placed on the department head’s/division dean’s key record. The department head/division dean should maintain a listing of individuals to whom keys are re-issued and collect those keys when no longer needed by the individual. The department head/division dean may maintain the keys for re-issue as needed. Keys no longer needed by the department head/division dean should be returned to the Campus Police Department to be removed from the department head’s/division dean’s record. Fobs/cards will be immediately deactivated upon notification to the Campus Police Department. Combinations will be changed.

VI. Issuance of Keys, Fob/Card or Assigned Combination to Cohort Program Administrators

Because of the difficulty in tracking and collecting keys issued to cohort program employees, keys, fobs/cards should be requested, re-issued, collected and returned to Campus Police by a cohort program administrator. Keys requested by a cohort administrator for use by a cohort employee will be placed on the cohort program administrator’s key record. The program administrator may maintain the keys for re-issue as needed. Keys no longer needed should be collected by the program administrator at the end of the work term and returned to the Campus Police Department to be removed from the cohort program administrator’s key record.

The Campus Access Request form should be submitted by the cohort program administrator for building entrance keys and interior keys. The cohort program administrator will be responsible for logging and re-issuing the keys to cohort program faculty, as well as retrieving the keys at the end of the teaching term. The Campus Access Request form should be forwarded to the appropriate Walters State building dean for approval and/or the vice president for Student Services. Once approved, the request form will be forwarded to the Campus Police Department to be processed. Once completed, the cohort program administrator will be contacted. The keys must be received and signed for by the cohort program administrator. Building entrance keys and interior keys should only be issued by the cohort program administrator to currently employed cohort program faculty. Keys should not be issued to cohort program student assistants.

VII. Issuance of Keys, Fobs/Cards or Assigned Combinations for Temporary Use

Temporary issuance of keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations for emergency situations or use during special events must be approved by Campus Police. A Campus Police staff member will consult with the appropriate administrative staff for additional approval as necessary.

VIII. Issuance of Keys, Fobs/Cards or Assigned Combinations to Full-Time and Regular Part-Time Employees

A request for building entrance and interior keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations should be initiated by the requesting employee member who will be responsible for and have the keys, fobs/cards or combinations in his/her possession. Building entrance and interior keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations should only be issued to current employees. Employees should initiate a request for a key, fob/card or assigned combination to their office, laboratories, work area, and/or classrooms used for instruction.

IX. Responsibilities of Department Heads/Division Deans or Supervisors

Department heads/division deans or supervisors are responsible for the following:

1. Approve keys, fobs/cards or combinations to be issued to full-time or regular part-time employees.
    
2. Request and approve keys, fobs/cards or combinations to be re-assigned by the department head/division dean, or his/her designee, to any adjunct faculty, temporary part- time, or contracted employee.
    
3. Ensure all keys, fobs/cards or combinations are returned to the Campus Police Department from employees who are full-time or regular part-time upon termination of employment, transfer to another department or building, or if the need for the key, fob/card or assigned combination no longer exists.
    
4. Ensure adjunct faculty members return keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations to the department head/division dean who requested and re-issued them.
    
5. Report all incidents of lost keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations in writing, to the immediate supervisor and Campus Police. Provide the following information:
   1. Name of individual to whom key(s), fob(s)/card(s) or combination(s) were issued
       
   2. Key, fob/card or assigned combination code number (if known)
       
   3. Room, building, or area to which the key provided access
       
   4. Date loss discovered and circumstances concerning the loss

X. Transfer of Keys, Fobs/Cards or Assigned Combinations

Transferring of keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations from one individual to another should not occur without proper approval. A Campus Access Request form should be submitted with transfer information completed. Once the form is approved and received by the Campus Police, the transfer and receipt for keys, fobs/cards or combinations may occur. The individual to whom the key, fob/card or assigned combination was officially issued will remain the record key holder unless appropriate notification to transfer the key is made to Campus Police.

XI. Request for Duplicate Key

Campus access records are checked when a request for a key, fob/card or combination is received to ensure the request is not for a key, fob/card or combination previously issued. If the requesting individual’s campus access record indicates that the key, fob/card or combination was previously requested and not returned, the requesting individual is notified to resolve the issue. A duplicate key, fob/card or combination cannot be issued until the original key, fob/card or combination has been accounted for. A duplicate key, fob/card or combination may be issued if needed, but written justification for an additional issue must accompany the Campus Access Request form and the original key, fob/card or combination must be accounted for.

XII. Request for Lock Change or Re-Keying

Requests to have locks changed or re-keyed must be approved by the president or campus dean. A Campus Access Request form with the appropriate Lock Change/Rekeying Request section completed should be submitted for approval. Once approved and received by the Campus Police Department, arrangements will be made with facilities management personnel for work to be performed.

XIII. Return of Keys

Keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations should be returned to the Campus Police office on the Greeneville, Morristown, and Sevierville campuses. Keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations may be returned to the main office at the Claiborne Campus. If office staff or a Campus Police officer is not available at a campus site, keys may be returned to the Morristown Campus Police office. It is preferable that keys, fobs/cards or combinations be returned by the person to whom they were issued; however, exceptions may be warranted. A receipt will be written by the on-duty Campus Police officer for return of all key(s), fob(s)/card(s) or combination(s). A copy of the receipt will be given to the individual returning the keys, fobs/cards or combinations. The keys, fobs/cards or combinations will then be removed from the individual’s campus access record by the campus access system manager if the returned items match the keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations initially issued via the approved Campus Access Request form.

XIV. Removal of Keys/Locks from the Master System and Limited Access Areas

Due to emergency preparedness concerns, it is not recommended that locks be removed from the master key system, such that the building master keys or the great grand master key do not allow entry. Requests to have locks removed from the master system will require the completion of the Campus Access Lock Change/Re-Keying section of the request form along with written justification to the president or campus dean. Approval must be received from the president of the college and/or campus dean for any area to be removed from the master key system. It is highly recommended that items of a confidential nature be locked in individual locking cabinets to limit access. Access to confidential areas or information can be further limited by requesting an electronic lock be installed and the number of keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations approved for issue to the area by the department head/division deans. Further control can be established by the department head/division dean requesting and then re-issuing keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations at his/her discretion.

XV. Responsibilities of the Campus Police Department

Individuals who do not possess college keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations but need to enter a college building may request assistance from Campus Police. Upon receipt of such requests, Campus Police personnel will make positive identification of the individual and, if appropriate, secure permission from a proper college official before providing access to the building/area. Officials of the college who wish to allow personnel to enter a college building/area under their authority must receive approval of the building dean and notify Campus Police by written memo, or by e-mail, of the person’s name and the circumstances regarding the need for access. Campus Police will verify approval for use of building/area by the appropriate building dean or vice president. Students may not be allowed entrance to building/areas without appropriate supervision of a college official or staff member.

The Campus Police Department is responsible for the duplication and replacement of keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations. The duplication of college keys, fobs/cards or combinations by any other person or department is prohibited. The Campus Police Department may duplicate college keys, fobs/cards or combinations only upon receiving a properly prepared and approved Campus Access Request form signed by the appropriate approving officials. In addition, the Campus Police Department will maintain a current record of all keys, fobs/cards or assigned combinations issued to all full-time and regular part-time staff. The Campus Police Department will maintain an electronic database with information necessary to track keys, fobs/cards or combinations issued.

XVI. Contractors and Concessionaires

When access to college facilities is required in connection with a commercially contracted project, the Facilities Management Department will coordinate the contractor’s or concessionaire’s access requirements with the vice president for Business and Finance or Campus Police. The facilities management supervisor will arrange for pickup of the key, fob/card or assigned combination after proper coordination. Subsequent to the admittance, Facilities Management will ensure that the contractor or concessionaire is thoroughly familiar with his or her responsibilities. Upon completion of the need for admittance, Campus Police personnel will visually check the area for damage or other problems before securing it. Facilities management staff should collect or arrange for return of the issued key(s), fob(s)/card(s) or assigned combination(s).

XVII. Individuals Not Employed by the College

Individuals not employed by the institution may complete and submit a Campus Access Request form. The request must be approved by the vice president for Business and Finance and the president of the college. A written justification must also be given or accompany this request.

05/16; 03/21; 08/22