1 – Purpose: The purpose of this section of the policy is to provide personal security for students, faculty, staff, visitors and others while on the UNT campus, and to provide security over all real and personal property on the UNT campus to the extent possible through the controlled distribution and use of keys. UNT auxiliary departments do not automatically fall under this policy. However, if an auxiliary has chosen or chooses in the future to secure their properties through the University key system, the provisions of this policy do apply to them.

2 – General Policy: Keys shall be issued only to UNT employees and other individuals who (1) have a substantial need to lock or unlock buildings, interior doors, gates and the like, AND (2) have been approved to receive a key on a properly completed Key Request Form (see Exhibit 1). Issued keys are state property, entrusted to key holders for their exclusive use and only for the conduct of official University business. Key(s) are to be returned to the Access Control Office (ACO) when they are no longer needed.

3 – Enforcement: When issued, keys are the sole responsibility of the key holders identified on the Key Request Form. The key holders are the only ones allowed to use the keys and are responsible for maintaining custody of the keys issued to them at all times. Failure to maintain custody of keys compromises the security of persons and property. Violations of these policies may be grounds for serious disciplinary action.
See also 8.1., Section 4 D.

4 – Authority: Given the number of University buildings and the many individuals needing access to same, it is imperative that rules and guidelines governing the issuance of keys and the approval of individuals to receive keys be clearly stated and consistently enforced. Control over keys is established through the joint efforts of the

(1) Associate Vice-President for Facilities (AVP);
(2) Key Authorizers; and the
(3) Access Control Office (ACO) of the UNT Facilities Department.

A. – AVP for Facilities: Upon submission of the Addition or Revision of Authorizer form (see Exhibit 2) to and subsequent approval by the AVP for Facilities, by either the Chancellor, the President, a Vice-President, or an administrator holding another title who reports directly to the President, an individual may be designated as a Key Authorizer for a specifically defined area within a building or buildings. Once so designated, a Key Authorizer will be added to the master database of Key Authorizers maintained by the ACO.

When Key Authorizers cease to be employed by the University, or for other reasons cease to be the Key Authorizer for a given area, the Chancellor, President, et.al. as named above shall complete the Addition or Revision of Authorizer
(see exhibit 2) and submit it to the AVP for Facilities. The ACO will be advised of the change in Key Authorizer and will update the database accordingly. A similar procedure will be followed whenever the space utilized by an organizational unit within the University changes and the occupancy of space changes such that one or more Key Authorizers’ jurisdictions change.

B. – Key Authorizers: By virtue of this designation, a Key Authorizer may approve requests for keys for rooms in their defined area of authority by signing Key Request Forms on the appropriate signature block. Key Authorizers are NOT authorized to approve Key Requests for rooms outside their defined area of authority.

Key Authorizers are responsible for maintaining records, as needed, to meet internal departmental needs, to include at a minimum a listing of all keys issued and currently outstanding. Also, they are responsible for insuring compliance with these policies among key holders and others, especially in prohibiting the exchanging or loaning of keys amongst individuals who are not authorized to hold those keys.

C. – Access Control Office: Upon receipt of a completed Key Request Form containing the appropriate original Key Authorizer signature, the ACO is authorized to prepare and issue the requested keys. The ACO is prohibited from issuing keys to any individual unless a properly completed Key Request form with appropriate signatures is submitted to them. This Office is located in the Facilities Complex at 2204 W. Prairie Street on the far west side of the campus.

The ACO has the responsibility for maintaining records of all locks, key codes, key holders, key authorizers as well as all key transactions (issuances, replacements, deletions, etc.) Access Control is also responsible for collecting and depositing all fees collected for replacing lost keys with the UNT Cashiering Office.

D. – Key Holder responsibilities: Anyone to whom a key(s) has been issued is a key holder. Once a completed Key Request has been submitted to the Access Control Office, the key holder will be notified when their key(s) is ready. During off-peak months of the year, keys may be issued to key holders on the spot at the time they submit their Key Request Forms. In busier times, Access Control will prepare the requested key(s) within 24 hours.

Once keys have been prepared, key holders will be notified that their key(s) are ready to be picked up in the Access Control Office. Such notification could be by phone, by e-mail or other means. From that point, key holders must pick up their key(s) within 14 calendar days from the ACO. If said key(s) are not picked up, Access Control will inventory the keys and assess a charge of $10.00 per key to the department whose Key Authorizer approved the Key Request for each key not picked up within the allotted time, OR the ACO will deliver the keys if time permits to the keyholder and assess the requesting department a delivery fee of $10.00 per Key Request.

Further, key holders are expressly forbidden from exchanging, duplicating, or loaning their keys to anyone else, or to accept custody of some other key holder’s keys. Key holders must take reasonable measures to protect their keys from theft, loss or unauthorized use. Any inappropriate use of keys by key holders will result in the immediate surrender of the keys to the appropriate Key Authorizer or directly to the ACO.

If a key is lost, the key holder must report this to the Access Control Office immediately so that appropriate measures can be taken promptly to maintain building or property security. Replacement keys may be issued if deemed appropriate by the Access Control Office and the Key Authorizer involved. In such cases, a $10.00 fee per lost key will be assessed by Access Control which can be paid by the key holder who lost the key, or by the department if approved by the Key Authorizer. No departmental charges will be made without the Key Authorizer’s knowledge. Should the security of a given area be so weakened by the loss of a key or keys, the Facilities Department will determine whether there is a need for rekeying the security-compromised areas. The cost of rekeying, issuing new keys, updating the key database, etc. shall be borne by the department whose keyholders lost their keys necessitating the rekeying project.

Upon termination of employment, all keys issued to a key holder must be returned to the Access Control Office. It is important for key holders to know that returning their keys to their department, to the key authorizer for their area, or to anyone else other than the ACO does not satisfy this requirement. Failure to comply with this requirement may be construed as theft of state property and appropriate action, which could include both legal and law enforcement action, may be initiated by the University in response. Keys that have been lost by the terminating employee will be handled according to the “lost key” provisions stated above.

When terminating employees fail to turn in assigned keys, the Access Control Office will undertake a risk assessment to determine whether rekeying doors and/or locks is necessary to restore the level of security needed. If such assessment reveals that rekeying or other actions are necessary, the AVP for Facilities will be advised and will forward this information to the UNT General Counsel’s Office for review and determination as to whether litigation to collect for damages is appropriate. In all cases of keys not being returned, the Access Control Office will notify Human Resources of this fact for inclusion in the terminating employee’s file so that this information is available when/if said employee seeks re-employment with the University.

5 – Audits: The Access Control Office shall have the authority to audit the records of Key Authorizers at times of their choosing. Access Control will give appropriate advance notice prior to commencing an audit. The primary purpose of auditing is to determine that departmental records are accurate, that said records are in agreement with the corresponding records maintained by the Access Control Office, that all keys issued to departmental personnel can be accounted for, and that the policies contained herein are being adhered to.

Significant violations of key policies will be reported to the AVP for Facilities for appropriate action.

6 – Temporary Issuance of keys: Occasionally it is necessary in the conduct of University business to issue keys on a temporary basis to individuals who are not employed by the University. Examples include construction contractors, or vendors needing access to facilities during off-hours to perform contracted work. Additionally, UNT employees will occasionally require access to certain facilities on a temporary basis, as for a weekend activity or the like.

When these circumstances arise, the Access Control Office will LOAN keys to individuals on a temporary basis provided each of the following conditions is met:

A. A Temporary Key Request form (see Exhibit 3) is properly filled out; and

B. A person known to the Access Control Office to be a University employee
signs and accepts responsibility for the temporary key(s) stating on the form the reason a temporary key(s) is needed and an estimated date for its return. Access Control may request proof of UNT employment.

In signing this form, the UNT employee takes responsibility for the key and for its return. Said employee may, in turn, give custody of the key to an outside party (i.e., contractor). However, if the key is lost or not returned for any reason, the employee who authorized the Temporary Key Request will be subject to the actions described above at 4.D above.

When the temporary key(s) is returned, Access Control will update its database accordingly and the authorizing University employee will be relieved of any responsibility for the key(s) at that time.

7 – Access to Forms:

A. The forms shown in exhibits 1 through 4 can be viewed and printed from the Facilities’ web home page which can be accessed at www.facilities.unt.edu.

8 – Other:

A. Only the Chancellor, the President, the Senior Vice-President for
Administration, or the AVP or his designee, may authorize Grand Master keys for UNT Facilities.

B. Only one designated Key Authorizer may authorize Building Master keys. When multiple organizational units occupy space in a single building, the Key Authorizer for the building will be the one from the unit occupying the greatest amount of space in the building. This person may be the building representative or someone else from the representative’s department. Any conflict in establishing the Key Authorizer will be settled by the AVP for Facilities whose decision will be final.

C. Keys to mechanical rooms and custodial closets may be authorized only by the AVP for Facilities or the Directors reporting to the AVP.

D. It is unlawful for any person or group other than the UNT Access Control Office to produce, duplicate, or alter a University key. Only Access Control may rekey or reassign a University lock. Those violating this provision will be subject to disciplinary action.

E. Removal of a lock from the grand master keying systems requires written approval from the AVP. All locks removed from the Grand Master will be rekeyed under a special “Protected Master” issued by Access Control to only the University Police and Denton Fire Department.

F. Due to the security impact of the regulations herein, any deviation from them will require the completion of a Deviation From Access Control Policy form signed by the AVP or his designee (see Exhibit 4).

G. Only hardware approved by the Facilities Department may be used on UNT facilities. This assures compliance with fire, life safety and ADA code requirements. Any other hardware installed without the approval of the Access Control Office will be removed and replaced with University approved hardware at the expense of the department found to be in violation of this policy.

H. Keys to desks and filing cabinets are not covered under this policy UNLESS they are keyed to the University System. System keys may be ordered through the Access Control Office, or by submission of a work order to Facilities at www.facilities.unt.edu.