DO. Facility Access
CONTROL PROCEDURE
The term "key(s)" refers to physical keys and electronic access credentials. Electronic access credentials includes fobs, access control cards, sensors, mobile applications, software, and all other items or technology designed to permit access to secured rooms or buildings. Keys to college rooms and buildings are issued on a restricted basis to full-time employees through the office of the Executive Director of Administrative Services. Electronic access credentials may be issued in lieu of physical keys. Part-time employees shall be issued physical keys, only through their supervisor, who shall fill out the key request form and assume responsibility for the use and return of the keys. Part-time employees should turn in their keys to their departmental chairperson at the end of each semester. Part-time employees may receive electronic access credentials issued directly to them for areas of which they are permitted to access and that have electronic access control available.
College keys are the responsibility of the individual to whom they are issued. They may not be loaned, duplicated, or transferred to any other individual under any circumstances. Neither should keys be left in doors or placed where they might be stolen.
REQUEST AND ISSUE
Key Request Forms for physical keys and electronic control credentials can be requested from the office of the Executive Director of Administrative Services. The form is to be completed and signed by the individual requesting keys, signed by the individual’s supervisor and returned Executive Director of Administrative Services for approval. Physical keys and records will then be prepared by the Director of Physical Plant who will notify the person requesting keys. Electronic access credentials will be provided by the Executive Director of Administrative Services or their designee.
KEY REPLACEMENT
Lost or stolen keys must be reported immediately to the Executive Director of Administrative Services. Replacement keys, fobs, access control cards, and any other physical device used to control electronic access will be provided for a fee. The replacement key request follows the same procedure on the initial request.
LOST OR STOLEN KEYS
In the event of a lost or stolen key, the individual’s supervisor, and the Director of Physical Plant shall determine if a lock change is necessary. The cost of re-keying an area will be the responsibility of the person who lost their keys if it is proven to be through neglect, loaned or duplicated keys. A charge of $20 per lock will be made for changing locks. Electronic access credentials can be electronically terminated so that new locks are not required. In the event of loss of both an electronic access credential and a physical key, locks may require replacing for which the cost will be the responsibility of the person who lost their keys.
ELECTRONIC ACCESS CONTROL
South Plains College facilities have electronic access control allowing remote lock and unlock. The external doors of facilities may be placed on schedule of either unlocked or locked for specified dates and times. When unlocked, no electronic access credential is required to gain entry. When locked, a facility may still be accessed with a credentialed key fob as described in the "Request and Issue" section of this policy. Egress is permitted at all times.
ACCESS CONTROL COMMITTEE
Each year, the Access Control Committee will be selected and chaired by the Executive Director of Administrative Services. This committee will be a sub-comittee of the current Grounds and Building and Grounds Committee.
The members will include the Executive Director of Administrative Services, the Dean of Students, the Chief of Police, and the Campus Security Analysist as standing members defined as "Officers." The remaining positions are defined as "Facility Liaisons" and will be filled with members of the Building and Grounds Committee as selected by the Chairperson.
The Facility Liaisons serve as an advisory body and communications link to the Officers of the Access Control Committee. Facility Liaisons will be responsible for providing schedules of facility hours open to the public for the purpose of creating electronic access control schedules referred to as "unlock - lock schedules." Facility Liaisons shall coordinate with Department Chairpersons of their assigned facilities when creating schedules.
SCHEDULES FOR ELECTRONIC ACCESS
Facility schedules for electronic access control shall be implemented by the Campus Security Analysist for South Plains College.
Only one Facility Liaison for each South Plains College facility is responsible for submitting the desired unlock – lock schedule to the Campus Security Analyst. To ensure security and consistency, all doors within the department must adhere to the same unlock/lock schedule.
Unlock - lock schedule changes will take 24 hours to be enacted and should be submitted with that timeline in consideration when planning for upcoming changes. If a change is not submitted in advance, please contact Campus Police to unlock the door if needed.
In the event of inclement weather that necessitates early closure or cancellation, the lock schedules will be adjusted accordingly. If a department requires that certain areas remain unlocked during this time, contact the Campus Security Analyst immediately by emailing olozano@southplainscollege.edu.
It is essential to inform department personnel if there is an alarm system in the building as their fob will grant them 24/7 access and they may access the building during a time in which the alarm is armed. Personnel will need to disarm the alarm by entering their code when they enter the building. Failure to provide code will trigger the alarm. Personnel should never share alarm codes.
Any individual other than a Facility Liaison requesting a unlock - lock schedule change will be referred to the corresponding Facility Liaison for submission of the change requisition.
Each facility may have a different unlock - lock schedule based on the activity of the facility. All exterior doors for a single facility shall maintain congruent schedules.
EMERGENCY LOCKDOWNS
For the purpose of this policy, the term lockdown refers to temporarily disengaging electronic access permissions to all or some individuals. A South Plains College facility, campus, center, and or all of South Plains College facilities may be remotely locked down in the event of an emergency for which the immediate securing of facilities is critical to the continued safety of occupants or to prevent access to the facility.
Only authorized individuals may initiate an emergency lockdown. Authorized individuals include those holding the following titles:
- Campus Security Analyst
- Emergency Management Coordinator
- Executive Director of Administrative Services
- Campus Police/ Security
- Dean of Students
- Dean or Executive Director of a Center or Campus
Revised 9/12/2023
