Operating Policy and Procedure
HSC OP: 61.06 TTUHSC Building Entry and Access
PURPOSE: The purpose of this Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (“TTUHSC” or the “University”) Operating Policy (“OP”) is to outline access procedures for TTUHSC facilities as part of a comprehensive plan to ensure that a safe and secure environment is maintained for all employees, students, and visitors.
REVIEW: This TTUHSC OP will be reviewed on September 1 of every fourth year (E4Y) by the Vice President for Facilities and Safety Services (“VPFSS”) and the Texas Tech Police Department Chief of Police. Recommendations for revisions are to be forwarded to the President for final submission and approval by October 15.
POLICY/PROCEDURE:
1. Background
TTUHSC controls access to all buildings by limiting and controlling the use and function of both electronic badge access cards and mechanical keys. This serves to maintain security while providing access to university facilities for the benefit and betterment of the university community and to fulfill the mission of the university. This building entry and access policy reflects the complexity of the university’s multi-campuses; its academic, research, and service-oriented mission; and its commitment to provide necessary access to university facilities among the unique needs of diverse stakeholders, including patients, learners, faculty, staff, contractors, and visitors.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all TTUHSC faculty, staff, students, university contractors, and visitors who have authorized use of TTUHSC facilities. Additionally, this policy applies to all facilities owned by or leased to TTUHSC.
3. General Building Access
A. With the exception of public entry points described in Section 3 below, exterior access points to TTUHSC facilities are generally secured and locked, controlled by electronic access or mechanical key access. Entry through these exterior access points is limited to TTUHSC faculty, staff, students, and university contractors and visitors with authorized access badges and/or keys.
B. Some spaces may have additional authorization requirements due to certain special conditions, e.g., physical hazards, chemicals, radiation, and biological materials.
C. Interior access points may be restricted based on an individual’s roles and responsibilities, i.e., access to particular office suites within a building may be granted to only those individuals who are assigned to offices in such suites.
4. Public Entry Points
A. Individuals who do not have an authorized access badge and/or keys must use designated public entry points on TTUHSC’s campuses. These public entry points fall under two categories:
1. Clinical Patron Public Entry Point:
i. TTUHSC facilities that provide clinical patient care services will maintain a designated public entry point for patients and other patrons of these clinical spaces that will be open during normal business hours for when the clinic is open and operating.
2. Non-Clinical Public Entry Point:
i. TTUHSC facilities that do not provide clinical patient care services may maintain a designated public entry point. Such non-clinical public entry points must be obvious, inviting entrances that are accessible from 7:45am-5:00pm on days that the University is open and under normal operations for anyone who may not have an access badge and/or key. This generally will include the following individuals:
a. Employees or students in the process of securing an access badge;
b. Visitors on campus for University-related business, whether academic, research, or clinical; or
c. Vendors on the campus for service-related issues, including but not limited to working on building/building systems, delivering on campus, or meeting with employees for purposes related to their area of responsibility.
ii. Non-clinical public entry points will generally be staffed by a University employee during normal operations to assist individuals entering the facility. If their destination requires access into secured academic, research, or administrative space, an escort from the applicable host department/division is required.
iii. Only the President has the authority to declare a specific entry as a non-clinical public entry point. Upon the recommendation of the P&O Council, the Vice President for Facilities and Safety Services may request the President’s Cabinet review a specific entry as a non-clinical public entry points for the President’s approval.
B. Designated public entry points for all campuses, for both clinical and non-clinical public entrances, can be found within TTUHSC Factbook located HERE.
5. Building Access Variance for Events
A. From time to time, TTUHSC facilities are utilized to support events that will include visitors, guests, and/or outside speakers for which it may be appropriate to provide temporary exterior building access during the event.
B. Event organizers seeking a building access variance for events must submit a request for approval as part of their request to use TTUHSC premises under TTUHSC OP 61.07.
C. For a full consideration, a variance request must provide:
a. The specific exterior door that is being requested to be unlocked;
b. The time period for when it is requested that the door be unlocked;
c. Demonstration of ability to have a list of attendees and check-in individuals attending the event;
d. Identification of an event representative to be available to monitor the ingress and egress of individuals; and
e. Stated justification for the variance request.
D. All variance requests must be submitted no later than ten (10) business days prior to the event for which a variance is sought in order to receive consideration.
6. Emergency Access
If emergency access is needed to TTUHSC facilities, individuals may contact the Texas Tech Police Department who will facilitate the emergency access request.
7. Right to Change Policy
TTUHSC reserves the right to interpret, change, modify, amend or rescind this policy in whole or in part at any time without the consent of employees.
8. Campus Policy Management.
This policy is managed by individual campus space committees chaired by their respective Campus Business Operations Officer and overseen by the People and Operations (P&O) Council. The President’s office delegates final approval authority to all submitted changes to the P&O Council, except as otherwise provided herein for approval of non-clinical public entry points and variance requests.
9. Penalties for Violation of this Policy
It is the responsibility of all TTUHSC employees and students to maintain a secure campus. Permitting unauthorized individuals to enter into university buildings and facilities restricted from general public access by deliberately disengaging, deactivating, or otherwise circumventing locking devices or other security measures intended to control building and facility access is a violation of this policy. Persons who violate this policy are subject to disciplinary action in accordance with relevant TTUHSC disciplinary policy.
10. Related Operating Policies
A. For use of TTUHSC facilities for private or individual purposes, refer to TTUHSC Operating Policy 61.01.
B. For use of TTUHSC premises and amplification equipment, refer to TTUHSC Operating Policy 61.07.
C. For access to building equipment rooms, interstitial, and tunnel systems, refer to TTUHSC Operating Policy 61.16.
D. For control and issue of keys to university buildings, refer to TTUHSC Operating Policy 61.24.
E. For identification/access badges, refer to TTUHSC Operating Policy 76.02.