Key Control

Buildings will be locked before and after stated hours of operation for the protection of their content as well as for those employees or students in them. Other than during normal working hours, all buildings shall be locked in order to maintain the security of both the buildings and their contents. Please refer to the Building Access Policy for additional information.

Employees may be issued keys to departmental and general classroom/public areas within university buildings upon request. For requests for keys to areas not controlled by the requesting department, additional documentation and/or approvals may be required.

• Keys are issued for entry to University buildings for the purpose of conducting University business only.
• An authorized employee entering or leaving a locked building shall not permit any individual to enter who would not normally be permitted to enter the building during the hours it is locked.
• An authorized employee may have guests so long as the guests stay in the proximity of the employee having the assigned key. The authorized employee assumes full responsibility for their presence.
• An individual entering or leaving a locked building shall be responsible for securing the door and may be held responsible for any loss or damage to University property resulting from failure to do so.

The types and number of keys issued will be limited to the minimum required by regular work assignments.

• The permanent issuance of building master keys will be primarily limited to the president, vice presidents and those service departments needing access throughout the facility. The permanent issuance of building sub-master keys will be primarily limited to department chairs or directors. Master and sub-master keys will be given out only when there is a demonstrated need for them. Additional documentation to demonstrate need and/or administrative approval may be required.
• Two or more keys may be issued to those requiring access to several rooms throughout the entire building. For requests for keys to areas not controlled by the requesting department, additional documentation and/or approvals may be required before a key is issued.

Students, with approval of the responsible department and only on a temporary basis, may be issued keys to areas other than the residence halls, such as in areas designated as student office areas (i.e., the Campus Publications office areas). Students may obtain keys upon request of the individual responsible for that area or building. Each key needed for this purpose will be requested, for issue in the student’s name, by the responsible individual and it shall be that department’s responsibility to ensure the return of the keys when the student is no longer associated with the activity or leaves the campus for a period longer than 30 days.

Special assignment of keys, where required (such as contractors, housekeeping, food service, etc.), may be authorized by the Director of Facilities Services.

Duplication of keys, by anyone other than Facilities Services personnel authorized to do so, is strictly prohibited.

All keys remain the property of the University and shall be returned to the Facilities Services Department under the following conditions:

• Upon the individual’s transfer to another department or building. Individuals transferring to another department or building may be issued new keys only after clearing any outstanding key control obligations (returned keys and/or lost key fees).
• Upon the individual’s termination of employment
• Upon request of the requesting department’s chair or director, or their designee.
• Upon the individual being granted a leave of absence without pay for a period of 30 or more calendar days; however, employees granted such leaves may retain their key(s) if they are authorized to have access to the building and/or office during the leave.
• At the request of the Trinity University Police Department (TUPD) personnel. Keys must be surrendered at the request of any TUPD representative or other law enforcement official in the performance of his or her duty.
• At the request of Facilities Services personnel authorized to manage or audit this policy.

It is the responsibility of the appropriate department chairperson or director or their designee to ensure that all keys are returned under the provisions above. Departments may request a list of individuals assigned keys to areas under its jurisdiction or employees within its department. These lists can aid the department in identifying those keys that need to be returned and for completion of the annual key control inventory.

Each department is responsible for maintaining an annual inventory of keys issued to individuals within its department. Departments will be asked to certify the accuracy of their key inventory each calendar year.

Departments are ultimately responsible for return of all keys issued to employees assigned to their department upon resignation, termination, or retirement of their employees.

In no case is a key to be transferred from one individual to another, or to be obtained from any source other than the Facilities Services Department. When any transfer or duplication of a key is made without University consent the key shall be recovered and the individual(s) involved reported to the appropriate administrative head or the Trinity University Police Department for appropriate action.

The loss or theft of any key is to be reported immediately to the department chair or director, who in turn will notify the Facilities Services Department and the Trinity University Police Department. Replacement fees will be imposed for lost or stolen keys, regardless of the circumstances.

Lost keys turned in to a department are to be forwarded immediately to either the Facilities Services Department or the Trinity University Police Department.

Procedures for the issuance and return of keys may be altered by the Director of the Facilities Services as needed to meet work requirements throughout the campus.

Requests for keys are to be submitted through SchoolDude’s online portal, myschoolbuilding.com. Requests must include the employee name, ID number, room number for access. For more information about using the online request system, please refer to the Service Request (Work Order) policy.

Keys may only be obtained in person directly from the Facilities Services Department. We do not deliver keys and no walk-in requests for keys are accepted. All requests must be submitted in advance. Individuals will be notified when keys are ready for pick-up. Keys may be picked up by an appropriate department representative. The requester is responsible for the key immediately upon issue, regardless of who picks up the key. Individuals wishing to not have keys released to department representatives should note their desire at the time of request.

All keys are identified with a unique key number. Please verify that this number matches the issuing record to confirm a match at the time of issue.

It is recommended that individuals return keys in person to the Facilities Services Department. Departments collecting keys will transfer them to the Facilities Services Department.

NOTE: Departments who opt to collect keys from terminating employees, rather than having the individual complete the clearance process in person with Facilities Services, are responsible for returning the keys to the Facilities Services Department in a timely manner. Failing to deliver keys expeditiously will cause a delay in the release of a terminating employee’s final paycheck.

All keys are identified with a unique key number. All returned keys will be verified against the issuing records to confirm the key numbers match. Any key not accounted for will be considered lost.

The loss or theft of any key is to be reported immediately to the department chair or director, who in turn will notify the Facilities Services Department and the Trinity University Police Department. Replacement fees will be imposed for lost or stolen keys, regardless of the circumstances.

A damaged/broken key is will not be considered “lost” if all pieces are returned to or recovered by Facilities Services and the key is identifiable in some way as the key of record.

The replacement fee for lost/stolen keys fees are as follows:

• Access and Sub-sub-master keys, $20 each
• Sub-master and Master keys, $200 each

Key replacement fees will be deducted from the employee's final paycheck for each key not returned. If the key replacement fees are not recovered from the employee, the department will be billed.

Departments may request a lock change of affected area at a cost of $50 per door. A service request is required for lock change with account number against which to charge the recore cost.

A key that has been lost or stolen will not be reissued to the employee until the key replacement fee has been paid to the Facilities Services Department and a new SchoolDude service request has been submitted.

Notify the Facilities Services Department immediately via email when a key is recovered and return the key to the Facilities Services Department as soon as possible.

Replacement fees may be refunded upon request for keys recovered within in the same fiscal year provided the key is returned in usable condition and locks have not been changed.