Key Policy

Department of Public Safety, Hostos Community College
Key Issuance and Distribution Policy

Established September 1999 – Revised May 14, 2012

I. INTRODUCTION

This policy is being instituted to ensure that all College buildings and related equipment Key Issuance and Distribution Guidelines are maintained in as secure a manner as possible. This will be achieved by theimplementation of a “Key Distribution and Issuance Policy.”

II. GENERAL GUIDELINES

  1. It is the policy of Hostos Community College, of The City University of New York, that other than normal working hours, all buildings shall be locked in order to maintain the security of both the buildings and their contents.

  2. Faculty, Staff and Administrators that require access to a college building, after normal business hours and or on holidays, must obtain their department’s Chairperson, Coordinator and/or Administrative Unit Director's permission and must notify the Public Safety Office 24 hours in advance, at extension 6888.

  3. All keys issued remain the property of the College and must be returned under the following conditions:

    1. For Full-time Faculty and Staff -

      1. Upon transfer to another department and/or building.
      2. Upon termination of employment.
      3. Upon the request of the Division Vice President, Department Chairperson, Coordinator, or Administrative Unit Director.
      4. Upon being granted a leave of absence without pay for a period of 30 or more calendar days. However, staff members granted such leaves may retain their key(s) if they are authorized to have access to the building and/or their office during their leave time.
    2. For Students - Student Government / Clubs
      1. At the end of the academic semester or year (to be determined by the Dean of Students or his/her designee), or for a period after which the key(s) will not be used for at least 30 calendar days.
      2. Almost all rooms or spaces used exclusively by Student Government and Student Club Leaders are equipped with door locks which open with an assigned combination code.  These students are issued these codes every semester based on the results of student elections and other Student Life processes.  The names of these assigned students are certified via the office of the Director of Student Activity prior to the codes being issued.  On the rare occasion that a student is provided with a key to a room, the student is subject to the same procedures as faculty and staff.
      3. Upon the request of the Dean of Students or his/her designee.
  4. Individuals transferring to another department or building may be issued new keys by submitting an online “Key and Lock Repair Request” form located on the Public Safety webpage. The request must be submitted by the employee Chair/Director/Unit-Coordinator and or their assigned designee within the respective department. Individuals must return old key(s) to Public Safety before the new key(s) will be issued.
  5. It is the responsibility of the appropriate Vice President, Dean, Chairperson, Coordinator, or Administrative Unit Director, to ensure that all keys are returned under the provisions section C; sub-section 1.
  6. In no case, is a key to be transferred from one individual to another or to be obtained from any source other than from the Director of Public Safety.
  7. When any transfer or duplication of a key is made or used, the key shall be recovered and the individual(s) involved reported to the appropriate Vice President, Dean, Chairperson, Unit-Coordinator or Administrative Unit Director for appropriate action.
  8. Individual or private locks will not be allowed on any door and will be removed by the College locksmith upon request of the Public Safety Director.
  9. Procedures for the issuance and return of keys are subject to change by the Director of Public Safety to make keys available to plant personnel as required to meet, work requirements throughout the campus.
  10. The loss or theft of any key is to be reported immediately to the division Dean, department Chairperson and/or Coordinator, or Administrative Unit Director, who in turn will notify the Director of Public Safety at extension 6880. An official Public Safety Incident Report will be filled out when reporting lost and/or stolen keys.
  11. Lost / Stolen Key Replacement Fees.

There will be a charge for each lost or stolen door key(s).  The prices for keys replacement of lost or stolen keys are as follows:

Any Office/Building Key - $25.00 dollars each.

Building Master Key - $100.00 dollars each.

DATA PASS Electronic Key - $100.00 dollars each.

Illico Swipe Card-Key - $10.00 dollars each.

Desk / File Cabinet Keys - $3.00 dollars each.

The fee covers the cost of re-pinning the lock, issuing a new key to the employee as well as covering costs pertaining to the issuance of keys to other employees who might be affected by the required changes due to the lost/stolen keys. 

A Bursar’s receipt must be submitted to the Public Safety Office indicating that appropriate lost/stolen key replacement fee has been paid, prior to new key(s) being issued.

III. DISTRIBUTION GUIDELINES

A.   Key issuance will be made according to the following policy:

Public Safety Officers will have access to a set of keys, kept at each post, to the following locations within each facility:

  1. All perimeter doors;
  2. All Detex alarm systems;
  3. Fire Alarm Panels and related equipment;
  4. Elevator access keys and floor stop switches;
  5. Bathrooms;
  6. Locker rooms;
  7. All other areas deemed necessary by Public Safety Director

Maintenance Personnel will be issued the following keys for each building as required:

  1. Classrooms;
  2. Electrical closets, including all doors leading to electrical service panels;
  3. Janitors Closets;
  4. Mechanical rooms, including Elevator Motor Rooms;
  5. Detex Alarm Systems;
  6. Elevator access keys and floor stop switches;
  7. Roof access keys;
  8. Assigned Building Master.

Engineering Personnel will be issued the following keys;

  1. Building master key;
  2. Detex Alarm Systems;
  3. Assigned Building Masters

Housekeeping Personnel will be issued the following keys based on shift and building assignments:

  1. Janitors Closets;
  2. Bathrooms;
  3. Key operated light switches;
  4. Elevator access keys and floor stop switches;
  5. Classroom and laboratory keys.
  6. All other required individual change keys.

Cabinet Members:

  1. Issuance of all required keys upon the approval of the College President

Chairpersons, Coordinators and Administrative Unit Directors:

  1. Issuance of all required keys upon approval of the appropriate Division
    Vice President and / or Dean.

Faculty and Staff:

  1. Issuance of all required keys upon approval of the appropriate Chairperson, Coordinator and or Administrative Unit Director.

Adjuncts & College Assistants:

  1. Issuance of keys upon approval of the appropriate Chairperson, Coordinator and / or Administrative Unit Director.

College Work Study Students:

  1. Not authorized to be issued keys.

B. LOCK OUT POLICY/PROCEDURES

  1. When access is needed to a room, contact the Public Safety Office at extension 6888. The College Locksmith or a Public Safety Officer will be dispatched to assist within a reasonable time, from the time the request is made, based on the department’s staffing and workload at the time.

  2. The Public Safety Dispatcher/Office will require the following information before dispatching assistance:

    Name; Department; Room Number: Building; Extension; Present Location.

    NOTE: Be prepared to show a valid ID when assistance arrives.

  3. Access to rooms will not be provided to College Assistants and/or Work Study Students without the prior approval of a full-time member of the department/unit.

C. KEY REQUEST PROCEDURES

  1. Requestsfor key(s), lock repair and lock changes are submitted online on the Public Safety webpage.
  2. The designated key requestor must correctly complete and submit the“Key and Lock Repair Request” form.
  3. A separate request must be submitted for each individual requesting a key(s).
  4. The Director of Public Safety/designee will review the request for approval.
  5. Improperly completed requests will be rejected and will need to be re-submitted with corrections for further processing.
  6. Keys are usually ready for pick up within three (2) business days after the request has been approved by the Director of Public Safety.
  7. Completed key requests can be picked up in the Public Safety Office, located in room C-030, on the A.J. Griffith Place Level of the East Academic Complex building, during the hours of 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday thru Friday
  8. Keys will be issued when a valid college ID is shown and only by the requesting party.
  9. Upon receipt of the key(s), the requesting party will sign and date that he/she has received their key(s).
  10. It is the requesting party’s responsibility to contact the Public Safety Office, at extension 6889, in order to determine if his/her key(s) are ready for pick-up.

D. RETURNING KEYS

The Department Will be Responsible for the Following:

  1. Upon determining that an individual is transferring or terminating employment with the College, the division Dean, or department Chairperson, Coordinator or Administrative Unit Director will instruct the individual to return the key(s) to the Department of Public Safety, who will make certain that the key(s) match the on file Public Safety Key Inventory maintained on the employee.

The Department of Public Safety Will be Responsible for the following:

  1. Upon return of the key(s) will issue a “Key Return Release Form. The gold copy will serve as a receipt and allow the Bursar to release the individual’s final paycheck, the white copy will remain with the Locksmith, the yellow and pink copies will be sent to Public Safety and Personnel, respectively.

Note: Failure to return keys at the end of employment and / or failure to pay a lost or stolen key/lock fee may subject the employee’s paycheck to be withheld until such time payment is made at the Bursar’s office.

E. LOCK/HARDWARE REPAIRS

  1. In order to request lock changes, repairs and /or additional locks, submit an online “Key and Lock Repair Request” form. The request must be submitted by the designated key requestor in the respective requesting department.
  2. A properly completed and approved form will take 3-4 days for the College Locksmith to complete providing the materials needed are in stock. A longer period of time will be required if parts and/or materials have to be ordered.

Note: Requests for additional locks in any building will be denied. All offices, storage rooms and laboratories have been provided with high security, dead-bolt type locksets.

Revised: May 2012