Key Policy
Table of Contents
- Ownership of Materials
- Recharge Costs, Authorization, and Guidelines
- Key, Card, & FOB Returns/Mullion Removal Services
- Securing On-site Keys/Key Safe
- On Boarding/Off Boarding
- Access Authorizers
- Other Guidelines
- Definitions
UCR Campus Access Control & Key Management Policy
University of California, Riverside is a public campus in a large metropolitan area. As with most higher education institutions, a key/access policy is standard and consistent within UCs. Given the increasing focus on safety and security, a policy is critical to help improve our security for students, faculty, and staff.
UCR’s Facilities Services, plays an important role in supporting the physical security of UCR through our Lock shop/Access Control team. This team is responsible for providing access across campus to our faculty, students, and staff. Having an established policy to guide the access structure is vital to the success and safety of UCR. This policy outlines the ownership, guidelines, and eligibility for campus access. We must all share in the responsibility to keep the campus secured and limit the free travel of unauthorized visitors while not impeding the free travel of authorized access.
In an effort to improve the security and safety of campus, and in recognition of the significant increase in key/fob/card access over the last few years, Facilities Services will be implementing the following access control and key management policy beginning November 2022. This outlines the expectations for key requests, control of master keys, and subsequent charges related to access requests.
Executive Summary
The following policy is detailed over seven sections, including access ownership, departmental distribution, staff on and off boarding, as well as our recharge cost list.
This policy is designed to answer a majority of questions in relation to access support for our campus and will be updated and shared as needed.
As UCR continues to evolve as a campus, this policy will also be reviewed annually and updated as needed. Facilities Services also strives to improve access controls for our facilities over the next few years by implementing card access capabilities at the main entry point for each campus building.
1. Ownership of Materials
All locks, keys, electronic (card/fob) access cards, and access codes are the sole property of UC Riverside and managed by Facilities Services.
No one may place a lock on a UC Riverside facility, interior or exterior, that is not part of an approved UC Riverside system without the permission of Facilities Services and campus Access Control. This is critical for safety, allowing fire and police response access if needed, as well as support services on campus, such as Environmental Health & Safety and Facilities Services, to meet other requirement demands as necessary.
UC Riverside reserves the right to change locks, keys, and access levels as needed.
Departments must return all keys and access cards received from offboard employees or graduated students to Facilities Services.
UCR keys may not be copied through an outside source and all copies need to be processed by UCR Facilities Services via a service request at facilities.ucr.edu.
Keys will no longer be distributed for specific Facilities Services “owned/managed” spaces such as mechanical rooms, roofs, etc. Access to these secure locations will be reviewed via a service request and scheduled in advance as individuals will be accompanied by facilities staff due to safety and security concerns.
UCR has standardized all electronic access requirements as part of the UCR Campus Standards for new and existing builds and maintenance. Although some customized legacy systems still exist on campus prior to access campus standards, no department may install electronic building/space access without adhering to campus standards and processing a project request at rprojects.ucr.edu.
2. Recharge Costs, Authorization, and Guidelines
a. Faculty, Staff, and Students
- Access is provided to the extent necessary for individuals to perform their job properly, safely, and efficiently for the spaces they are assigned.
- Keys and electronic card access are issued solely for use only by the individuals to whom they are assigned. Keys or electronic access cards may not be shared by other individuals.
- All access should be requested via a service request to our work order system by the designated department or divisional representative as appointed by their leadership. Each department should communicate with Facilities Services their authorized key submitter(s) / key manager(s).
- All re-issuing/redistribution of keys must be handled through Access Control unless otherwise authorized by Facilities Services.
- Release of keys and electronic card access must be authorized by the responsible faculty or department head.
- The authorizing party accepts all responsibility for use, return, or loss of keys and electronic access cards.
- Keys and electronic card access for campus facilities may be issued to students for reasons of research, off-hour studies, student employment, or other legitimate and documented purposes.
- Department keys may be issued to the authorized requester for departmental use. The department head and/or authorized requester associated with a building or area must authorize all key requests.
b. Recharge Cost
Key Charges
Individual door key:
- $25 for the first key
- $15 for each additional key (per work order)
Sub / master key and KeyWatcher System:
- Requires approval by Facilities Services and requester’s department head.
- A Facilities Services project request must be submitted. Cost will be billed at the approved Facilities Services recharge labor rates.
- Note: Any sub or master key can require a managed KeyWatcher System.
Other Charges
Access card and fob charges
- $25 per item
Door mullion removal/return
- Service request required for scheduling; cost will be billed at approved recharged labor rates.
Individual unlock/lockout requests (if approved)
- Service request required for scheduling; cost will be billed at approved recharged labor rates.
c. Unlock/Lockout, Lost Stolen, or Damaged Keys
- For the security of everyone on campus, Facilities Services does not provide unlock services to individuals who have forgotten or lost keys. Access should be provided by another authorized user within their department or their department access person.
- In the extreme case where access will be provided by Facilities Services, the following criteria must be met:
- Requester calls Facilities Service’s front desk at 2-4214 between 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday.
- Facilities Services will grant authorization once access has been verified via UCR Space Management System and UCR Find People system.
- Access personal will arrive within one hour of authorization and requires employee photo identification to open location.
- Requestor will be charged according to time input on work order by staff.
- All lost or stolen access devices must be reported to UCPD and the report number must be forwarded to Facilities Services within 24 hours.
- The standard charge to re-key a lock is based on an estimate by Facilities Services through a work order.
- In the instance that it is necessary to re-key a number of locks, the charge will be the total of all expenditures required to complete the re-keying, which may include multiple core replacements and key replacements. The scope increases with the level of access granted by the key.
- All costs incurred such as labor and parts for re-keying shall be assumed by the responsible party or department. If unable to collect from the individual, the appropriate department will be responsible.
- Worn keys and cards will be replaced at no charge, provided the old key or card is returned to Facilities Services and shows no signs of intentional abuse. Any key or card that is returned damaged, with signs of abuse, will be charged for a new key or card.
3. Key, Card, & FOB Returns/Mullion Removal Services
- All keys, cards, and fobs must be returned to Access Control after no longer being needed or the employee is no longer employed by UCR. Returns should occur within 30 days from the end of employment. A receipt will be issued for all returned keys, cards, and fobs to show the return.
- For overall building and campus security, the temporary removal of any door mullions will be processed by Facilities Services staff via a scheduled work order request. Work orders can be submitted as a service request at facilities.ucr.edu.
4. Securing On-site Keys/Key Safe
- All keys, with the exception of building and office access, will not be allowed to leave campus property unless authorized by Facilities Services. These keys must be locked up in an on-site KeyWatcher key cabinet system.
5. On Boarding/Off Boarding
- All new employees, faculty, and staff, must have their HR department issue a key request to Access Control with their department head’s signature of authorization. Please understand that the process to create new key sets can take up to four weeks. Submit requests accordingly. Work orders can be submitted as a service request at facilities.ucr.edu.
- With the initial occupancy of a new building, new keys are no charge.
- All faculty, staff, students, and employees leaving the university or department who are in possession of keys to any campus location must have their HR department schedule the access return during their off boarding.
6. Access Authorizers
- It is the goal that each college, school, and campus administrative unit, as well as building (when the location has an official building manager — e.g. MRB) will be responsible for updating and informing Access Control of their list of authorized requesters.
- Please contact Facilities Services via email at facilities@ucr.edu with any authorized user updates.
7. Other Guidelines
The following policy is detailed over seven sections, including access ownership, departmental distribution, staff on and off boarding, as well as our recharge cost list.
This policy is designed to answer a majority of questions in relation to access support for our campus and will be updated and shared as needed.
As UCR continues to evolve as a campus, this policy will also be reviewed annually and updated as needed. Facilities Services also strives to improve access controls for our facilities over the next few years by implementing card access capabilities at the main entry point for each campus building.
General Contractor Support
- The following information is specifically for contractor-supported work as managed by Planning, Design & Construction or Facilities Services. Contractor access requires understanding of the following special guidelines:
- Contractor master or sub-master key access requests for existing buildings will be initiated by leadership of either Planning, Design & Construction or Facilities Services.
- The general contractor will be responsible for managing and securing all keys as well as issuing keys to all their sub contractors. Keys may be issued to sub contractors with a letter of authorization from the general contractor for the project.
- All charges accumulated through a lost or stolen key will be the responsibility of the contractor.
- All locks used to secure UC Riverside property shall be approved by Access Control.
- The contractor will be responsible for returning all keys at the end of each business day, unless previous arrangements have been made with Facilities Services.
Definitions
Change key: Operates a specific set of cores for operational purposes such as mechanical rooms, closets, etc.
Control key: Used to install and remove all cores in a series.
Core: The housing which contains the combination of pins and springs that controls the operation of a lock when the proper key is used.
Key central: Pick up and drop off location for keys located at the front desk of the Facilities Service building.
Key software: The electronic platform within which the key records and lock hierarchy is maintained.
Keyway: The combination of grooves and/or slots on the body of a key blank that match the core.
Lock shop/Access Control: The location in the Facilities Services building within which the locksmith operates.
Locksmith: The Facilities Services trades person responsible for the physical key program.
Master key: Operates all locks in a specific series.
Series: The name given to a combination of cores, keys, and locks operating on the same keyway.
Sub master key: Operates a subset of keys in a series by area.