Campus Key Procedures

Standard Operating Procedures

In order to ensure both the integrity of The College's keying system and the overall security of the campus community, the following procedures regarding access control have been established and will be strictly enforced.

Exceptions to these procedures may be requested through the Office of Access Control Services and will be reviewed on an individual basis. Any request, however, that compromises the integrity and security of Access Control at The College, or that represents a potential safety hazard, will be denied regardless of the justification provided.

• Key Requests & Issuance
• Authorization Signatures
• Key Return Obligations
• Lost, Stolen or Broken Keys
• Vendors & Contractors
• Departmental Keys
• Locks, Locking Mechanisms or Systems
• Other

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Key Requests & Issuance

• The Office of Access Control Services is responsible for all "hard" cut keys, Saflok keys, and Locknetics entry keys. Access to facilities via the TCNJ identification card is also handled through the Office of Access Control Services but shall be addressed through a separate document.
• All Faculty/Staff requests for keys must be made through the submission of the "Departmental Faculty/Staff Key Request Form" to the Office of Access Control Services. Only forms with original signatures will be accepted, no faxed copies.
• The key request form must be completed in its entirety and include the signature of the Chairperson or Director when requesting suite, room or file keys and the signature of the respective President's Advisory Council Member when requesting campus, building or multiple suite masters.
• All key requests for campus master keys require final review and approval from the Associate Vice President for Facilities and Administrative Services and will be handled through the Office of Access Control Services.
• Master keys of any level will only be issued when the President's Avdosory Council Member has furnished a thorough justification of need and it has been determined that the request does not compromise safety, security or the integrity of the keying system.
• Requests for the replacement of lost or stolen keys must be accompanied by a copy of the police report.
• All keys will be issued through the Office of Access Control Services and can be picked up through the Department of Facilities and Administrative Services in the front office of the Facilities Building. Employees will be notified when their key(s) are ready for pick-up and the times available to do so.
• Requestors must pick up their own key(s) and will be required to sign for the key(s) after showing a valid College ID card.
• The hours available for key pick-up are:
• 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday
• Special arrangements for off-hours key pick-up can be arranged by contacting the Office of Access Control Services at 771-2696.
• Within two weeks of notification, unclaimed keys will be returned to the key inventory within the Office of Access Control Services and the request destroyed. A new key request form will be required to start the process over. Copies of the original will not be accepted.
• All keys issued become the full responsibility of the individual to whom they have been specifically assigned, including providing for the safe keeping and security of the keys.
• Both State of New Jersey law and The College of New Jersey procedure strictly prohibits the duplication of any campus keys by anyone other than the Office of Access Control Services. Anyone caught tampering with any key and/or lock system at The College will be prosecuted to the extent possible by law. In addition, the matter will be turned over to the Office of Human Resources for subsequent disciplinary action, up to and including, termination of employment.

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Authorization Signatures

• It is the responsibility of each key requestor to submit to the Office of Access Control Services an original signature of the appropriate Chairperson, Director or Dean who has ultimate key approval responsibility.
• It is the implied expectation that an approval signature by a Chairperson, Director or Dean indicates that the individual key request has been evaluated and approved based upon actual need.
• For security reasons, change keys should always be requested in lieu of master keys.

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Key Return Obligations

• All keys are to be returned to the Office of Access Control Services when an employee no longer needs the previously assigned keys, transfers to another department within The College, or terminates employment with The College.
• The Office of Human Resources will notify the Office of Access Control Services on all personnel actions involving new hires, transfers, terminations, extended suspensions, extended leaves without pay, and periods of disability. Sensitive personnel matters shall only be shared with the non-unit leadership within The Office of Access Control Services.
• For employees ending employment with The College, The Office of Access Control Services will provide the Office of Human Resources with a list of assigned keys as well as a Key Return Form prior to an employee's exit interview. All issued keys will be obtained by the Office of Human Resources during the exit interview and will be subsequently returned to the Office of Access Control Services along with the signed Key Return Form.
• For employees transferring employment within The College, all issued keys must be returned to the Office of Access Control Services by the individual employee being transferred. Additional keys will not be issued until all other keys have been returned to the Office of Access Control Services and the key files updated.
• For any employee who shall be on an extended suspension, leave without pay, or disability, The Office of Access Control Services shall work with the Office of Human Resources and the employee's supervisor to secure the employee's keys while that person is on suspension or leave. Keys will be returned to the employee when there is clearance by Human Resources to return to his/her work unit. As these individuals will not receive an exit interview, Human Resources shall inform the supervisor of his/her responsibility to ensure that the keys are returned. Human Resources shall also inform the leadership within the Office of Access Control Services of any impending disciplinary matters, which may result in extended suspension to ensure that keys are returned. The Office of Access Control Services will issue the supervisor a list of keys and a Key Return Form, which is to be returned to The Office of Access Control Services.
• For employees whose employment is terminated involuntarily and/or not in good standing, The Office of Human Resources shall notify the leadership within The Office of Access Control Services of the pending termination. Human Resources shall also inform the supervisor of his/her responsibility to ensure that the keys are returned. The Office of Access Control Services will issue the supervisor a list of keys and a Key Return Form, which is to be returned to The Office of Access Control Services.
• The transfer or the "loaning" of keys from one individual to another is not permitted. Any person caught transferring keys and/or being in receipt of unauthorized keys, will be referred to the Office of Campus Police Services for criminal investigation and to the Office of Human Resources for appropriate disciplinary action.
• All keys should be returned to the front office of the Facilities Building, during the hours listed for pick-up by the employee assigned to them.
• Upon key return, the employee's computerized key file will be updated and a receipt for the key(s) issued to the employee.
• Any key returned, which is not found to be a part of an employee's approved inventory, may be considered as unauthorized use. Therefore, the matter may be referred to the Office of Campus Police Services for criminal investigation and to the Office of Human Resources for possible disciplinary action.

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Lost, Stolen or Broken Keys

• Lost or stolen building or office keys shall be reported to the Office of Campus Police Services and to the Office of Access Control Services as soon as the discovery is made in order to ensure that appropriate security measures can be taken. Desk, storage cabinet and file cabinet keys are not included as security risks.
• To maintain both the security of the campus and the integrity of the keying system, all locks operable by the lost or stolen key will be replaced as soon as possible by the Office of Access Control Services or an outside vendor. Use of either labor force will be based upon the staffing availability and the seriousness of the breech in security to the campus.
• Broken or bent keys shall be handled through a routine work order request, providing both portions of the key are available. All other keys will be treated as lost or stolen.

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Vendors & Contractors

• All vendors and contractors requiring access to portions of The College must make arrangements for college-approved escorts at least 48 hours in advance. Temporary key assignments will be issued to the escorts through the Office of Access Control Services after receiving authorization from the chairperson or department head involved.
• Escorts will be required to return the keys to the Office of Access Control Services at the end of each working day. In the event that work is being performed beyond normal working hours, arrangements to return the keys to the Office of Campus Police Services will be made.

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Departmental Keys

• Departmental keys are non-master keys that will be held and assigned by a specific department to authorized individuals within that department. These keys will remain secured within the department at all times and will be signed out and returned daily. These keys are not to leave the campus for any reason. Deviations of this procedure must be reviewed and approved by the Assistant Director for Facilities and Administrative Services.
• The department head or designee will be assigned the custody of the keys and will therefore be responsible for the security of the keys and their use at all times.
• Departmental keys must be kept in a secured area.
• Departmental keys that are issued to adjunct faculty members are also the responsibility of the department chair.
• Permanent records must be maintained on file by the department head or designee showing all departmental key assignments, which includes the user's name, destination and purpose, date/time released, and date/time returned.

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Locks, Locking Mechanisms or Systems

• All door locks, padlocks, locking mechanisms or any other means of locking must be approved, authorized and installed by the Office of Access Control Services.
• Any lock, lock mechanism or system that is not found to be compliant with The College's keying system will be removed by the Office of Access Control Services.
• Requests for special door or other locking systems must be made in writing to the Supervisor of the Office of Access Control Services. Full justification, along with as much information as possible describing the proposed system, must be included in the request. All requests will be reviewed based upon security, safety and financial (purchase, installation and maintenance) considerations.

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Other

• Request forms and information regarding access control may be obtained via telephone at 771-2881; via the Internet at http://www.tcnj.edu/~lockhelp, or in person at the front office of the Facilities Building.