Key Control

Purpose:

To maintain a strict control and reporting of the distribution and maintenance of keys.

Review and Responsibility:

• Responsible Party: Director, NSM Business Operations
• Review: Every two years, on or before August 31

Approval:

• Director, NSM Business Operations - Fred McGhee
• Dean, NSM - John Bear
• Date of Dean's Approval: 09/01/2008

Statement

For security of assets and other sensitive documents, there will be strict control of the allocation of keys.

I: Employee Request

Research Students, Faculty Members, Staff and Researchers are given keys upon request in the following manner:

• Research Student - Key request authorized by the PI for labs.
• Researchers - Key request authorized by their PI for labs.
• Faculty - Request individual keys for their labs offices and the main office.
• Staff - Key request authorized by DBA or PI for which the individual works for the main office and other areas of responsibility.
• Facility Manager (Staff) - Key request authorized by the chairman for all teaching labs and general areas, and in some cases, key are issued for faculty members areas as authorized by individual faculty members. This is generally the person on call in case of emergency. This information is posted on each door.

II: Employee Termination

When employees are leaving the university or being terminated, a list of the keys issued to the employee is requested from Key Control. The employee is asked to return the key on the list to the department. The department then returns the keys to Key Control with a memo or note. This process is part of employee out- processing for Departmental Payroll and Human Resources.

Once per year the department will request from Key Control, a list of all employees with keys and the date the keys were issued to them.The department will reconcile this list to the departmental database. This list will also be verified to ensure that terminated employee keys are being returned.

In the event that keys to a secure area are still outstanding and not turned in by a terminated employee, the faculty member, chairman, or Business Administrator can request, from key control, a change of lock for that area.

III: Principle Investigator/Director Request

There have been instances where faculty members will request several keys for their area, then distribute them to students and researchers. Each year, the department will distribute the reports to faculty members and staff only, so that they are aware of the outstanding keys.

IV: Obsolete Keys

Any obsolete key or keys that have been changed due to a new lock being installed that still remain on the key control record list should be researched and updated with Key Control.

V: Key Log Maintenance

Key control forms are logged into the departmental database for easy reference by the department.

VI: Filing

The Key Control forms are filed in the personnel folder of the individual key holder.