The purpose of the Key Control Policy is to protect the property and privacy of Muhlenberg College. To establish guidelines for facilities access control, to include management and control of keys and locking devices, to ensure maximum extent possible, the security of Muhlenberg College students, employees, equipment, property, buildings and other facilities. Recognition has been given to the fact that Plant operations have responsibility for the maintenance of all spaces, including all building systems. In addition, as such, may have a need for access to certain spaces occupied by others. Plant Operations also has the responsibility to effectively manage and control distribution of keys on campus. All keys remain the property of Plant Operations. It is the individual department’s responsibility, however, to manage access through security devices.
Scope
This policy applies to all Muhlenberg employees, students, visiting faculty, and contractors working for the College. This applies to all facilities owned, leased, or otherwise occupied by Muhlenberg College (Raker Biological Field Study, Graver Arboretum, 613 Albright).
Issuing Keys
Keys to College spaces; e.g. offices, lecture halls, classrooms, residence halls, storage rooms, mechanical rooms, College Houses, etc., will be issued to College employees with the approval of the appropriate Department Head, Dean, or Director. Each key issued to College employees, contractors, or students shall be documented by the Plant Operations Lock Shop. No key shall be transferred from one person to another without being returned to the Lock Shop for appropriate re-issue. Each key will be stamped with a unique number and issued by number to a specific individual.
Duplication
All keys referred to in this policy are the property of Muhlenberg College and are not to be duplicated by anyone other than the Lock Shop. Duplication of a key, or the possession of an unauthorized duplicate, may result in appropriate disciplinary action.
Key Retrieval
Upon termination of employment and/or student status, all keys must be immediately returned to the Human Resources, Office of Residential Services and the Plant Operations Lock Shop. Failure to return keys upon termination/separation may result in holding the employee and/or student responsible for the cost to rekey a room, office or building (or buildings) if they do not return their key(s) prior to leaving the College.
Forms and Procedures
All key requests are issued through the Plant Operations Work Requests System, https://assetessentials.dudesolutions.com/muhlenberg/MyRequest/Add submitted by either a Department Head or Administrative Assistant.
Enforcement
The policy and its enforcement are the responsibility of Plant Operations and are managed through the Lock Shop. All College Faculty, Staff, and Administrators shall ensure that keys are not issued to individuals, which would provide access to areas other than those to which the person issued the key would ROUTINELY need access. The Lock Shop shall have the responsibility to ensure that key requests and all appropriate authorizations have been obtained prior to issuing keys. The Lock Shop shall implement and maintain appropriate procedures to ensure that all keys issued to Facilities employees are accounted for, securely deposited in a lock box when not in use, and security maintained of the Master Key Systems used by Campus Departments.
Key and Building Security
- Grand Master and Master keys shall be physically secured when not in personal use. Keys must be locked in either: An unmovable key safe or an unmarked locked storage cabinet/drawer in a locked area.
- Grand Master and Master keys shall not be taken off College property unless the keys are to be used at a remote College facility (Raker/Graver). Departments are responsible for maintaining a check-out system for such keys.
- College keys shall not be left unattended, or in unlocked vehicles. Keys should be removed and physically secured when not in use.
- All students, faculty, and staff are responsible for maintaining the safety and security of buildings. Doors shall not be propped open or left in an unlocked position during hours when the building is normally closed to the public.
- College employees shall not unlock buildings or rooms for another individual. Key(s) are the responsibility of the person to whom they were issued and shall be kept on their person or secured in a locked desk, cabinet or safe.
- Keys shall only be used for College business, job related responsibilities or emergencies. Lost/Stolen key(s) shall be promptly reported to the immediate supervisor, Campus Safety, and Plant Operations. All costs associated with replacing locks and keys, due to the keys being lost/stolen, will be the responsibility of the Department in which the employee resides. Assigned keys determined to be missing will result in an investigation by the Department of Campus Safety.
- Student workers should have very limited access to keys which should be returned at the end of each work day. Student workers will not be issued keys to work in offices.
- Key(s) shall not be used to enter office areas or buildings for the convenience of the individual, during or after normal work hours, without the permission of the individual responsible for that area (Entering of the locked Athletics Facilities, Dining halls)
- Contractors/Vendors shall sign in at Plant Operations or Campus Safety where they will sign out an ID badge and the appropriate key(s), not master keys. All badges and keys MUST be returned at the end of the business day.
Residential Services RA Key Guide
Master Keys
Whether you work in a building with one master key, or an area with multiple master keys, you must carefully guard master keys and recognize the responsibility of the access that you have been given.
Authorized Uses of the Master Key
- In an emergency situation where life or property are in jeopardy.
- To assist a resident in gaining entry to their individual assigned suite or bedroom upon their request. Residents may not, for any reason, be given entry into a room to which they are not assigned, including another bedroom within their suite.
- To complete inventories, break checkouts, and semester closings.
- To enter a resident room in accordance with the policies and procedures set forth by Muhlenberg College and the Office of Residential Services for Right of Entry.
Master Key Policies
- You may never use a master key to enter a fellow staff member's room for any kind of prank, etc. If you have a legitimate reason to enter a fellow staff member’s room, you must have their permission or permission from your HR, ORS, or Campus Safety.
- If a student asks you to let someone else into their room for them, you must run the request by ORS to make a decision about this. Do not just assume that because a student says that it is ok, that it is approved. They may have a roommate who is not OK with it, or they may be trying to get rid of something from their room before ORS or campus safety can check a room.
- You may never give your master key to another student (including another staff member- they are responsible for their own key).
- If you think that you lost a master key, you MUST notify ORS immediately. If the office is not open, you must call the ORS On-Call phone to let us know. Losing a master key means that the entire building must be re-keyed. We need to know immediately so that we can make an informed decision about whether or not to re-key.
- If you find a master key anywhere besides where it belongs, you must report it to your HR and/or ORS IMMEDIATELY. If the office is not open, you must call the ORS oncall phone to let us know.
Right of Entry
RAs may be required to enter a room in accordance with the student staff position description (including policy enforcement, inspection, and check out purposes). Entrance to a residential room must comply with the room entry procedure as outlined in the College Housing Lease in the Student Guide. Prior to entering a resident room, staff members are expected to knock, announce themselves as a Residential Services staff member, and state that they are “keying in.”
Procedure for Entering a Room
Knock three times.... (It’s (name) the RA) wait 3 seconds
Knock three times (It’s the RA...is anyone there) wait 3 seconds
Knock three times (this is the (name) the RA....I’m keying in)
“KRAKEN”
- Because the “KRAKEN” accesses the master key, it should be treated AT ALL TIMES as a master key. This means that it can never leave the building (or area for BRS) unless you are returning it to ORS directly. That means you should not bring it to class on your way to get your mail, etc. It also means that you need to keep your KRAKEN on a separate key chain from your room key.
- Your room must be locked when you are leaving it (to go to the bathroom or down the hall). You have a KRAKEN in your room which you must treat as a master key.
- You may never give your KRAKEN to another student (including another staff member- they are responsible for their own key).
- Keep your KRAKEN stored in a secure place, not just the top drawer of your desk (that is where people look first for valuables to take). Never let another student (including your friends) see where you store your KRAKEN. If a student comes to you for lock out, ask them to go back to their room to wait for you. If you have a friend in your room, ask them to wait outside while you get your KRAKEN. Close your door, take out your KRAKEN and go get the master key alone. Bring the master key to the room, let the student in, return the master key, and take your KRAKEN back to your room.
- If you think that you lost a KRAKEN key, you MUST notify ORS immediately. If the office is not open, you must call the ORS On-Call phone to let us know. Because of the way the KRAKEN system is set up, we can secure master keys very quickly which allows us time to look for a missing KRAKEN without having to immediately rekey anything.
- If you find a KRAKEN key anywhere besides where it belongs, you must report it to your HR and/or ORS IMMEDIATELY. If the office is not open, you must call the ORS on-call phone to let us know.
- Staff members facing disciplinary action with the College or ORS (related or unrelated to master key usage) may be asked to turn in the KRAKEN for the duration of the investigation/proceedings.
- KRAKEN must be returned at the end of the employment contract, or if employment is terminated.
Duty with the KRAKEN and Master Key
While you are on duty, you must use this procedure for every individual round.
- At the beginning of the round, take your KRAKEN, go to the KRAKEN box, and take out the master key.
- Make the round then return the master key.
- Take your KRAKEN back to your room.
- At the beginning of the next round, go get the master key again.
- Do not keep the master key in your room between rounds, do not keep the master key overnight.
Identifying Residents
- If you do not know a resident from another floor, ask them for their Muhlenberg ID before you go to their floor. Double check that the name on the door matches their ID
- If they locked their ID in the room, you can wait to check the ID until you let them in
- If they lost their Muhlenberg ID, ask them for some other kind of ID and direct them to Campus Safety to report their lost ID.
Room Keys
Your room must be locked when you are leaving it (even to go to the bathroom or down the hall). If you are an RA in a traditional building, you have a KRAKEN in your room which you must treat as a master key. If you are not, you are responsible for encouraging security in the buildings and should be role modeling safety. You may also have confidential information in your room and should not allow people into your room without your supervision.
Unless you have temporarily locked yourself out, you may not use the master key in place of your room key. If you lose your room key, you must report it missing immediately. Not only are you responsible for role modeling safety, but as an RA you are held to a higher standard and must let us know if you have lost your key.
Resident Keys
If you find a room key and don't know whose key it is, you must bring it immediately to ORS. If we are not open, you can drop it off in the key drop and we will return it to the owner. If another student finds someone else's key and gives it to you, you must bring it immediately to ORS. If we are not open, you can drop it off in the key drop and we will return it to the owner.
When students are moving out, they are responsible for returning their own keys. DO NOT accept a room key from a student who is moving out, unless you are given explicit permission from ORS and are bringing the key down immediately to the office.
Residents should never loan their key to anyone else and you should remind them of this anytime you see it happening. As an RA, you are held to a higher standard and may never accept a room key to let yourself into another room without ORS permission.
Keys in general
You may never take a key from a fellow staff member in your building or any other building unless you have gotten explicit permission from our office. You may never loan a master key, KRAKEN, or other key to another student (even if they are a fellow staff member).
Whether it is a master key, KRAKEN, or someone else's room key- any time that you are returning a key to ORS, it must be your first stop. You should not be stopping in Seegers or at class, etc. This is how keys are lost. If you are taking a master key or KRAKEN back to your room from ORS, your room must be your first stop.
Residential Services reserves the right to review the employment status of any staff member whose master/KRAKEN/room key has been lost, stolen, or misused, as well as the status of any staff members who may have been aware of the incident.
Campus Safety Key Control
Assigned Officer Keysets
Keysets assigned to officers contain both residential and academic master keys, as well as a variety of other keys necessary for officers to access secure areas of the College such as fire panels, universal padlocks, storage areas, etc. Each officer assigned a keyset is designated with a number consistent with that officer’s radio identifier.
Officer keysets are maintained in a lockbox located in the Campus Safety Dispatch Area. Officers are required to pick up their keysets at the beginning of their shift or assignment and return the keyset to the lockbox at the conclusion of their shift or assignment.
Prior to the assignment of a keyset, it will be inventoried to ensure it is complete with all predesignated keys. Each issued keyset must be maintained in its original, complete condition and not tampered with by removing individual keys from the keyset.
Keyset return is verified by the on duty dispatcher at the beginning of each shift. The dispatcher will physically check for each officer’s keyset and note its presence, and any irregularities, in the Omnigo Dispatcher note page . Any officer keysets determined to be missing and are not assigned to an officer currently on duty will be investigated. Officers associated with the missing keysets will be immediately contacted to determine the location of the keyset.
Officers who have inadvertently maintained possession of their assigned keyset in an off duty capacity will be required to return the keyset, without delay, to the Campus Safety office. Keysets determined to be missing after contacting the associated officer will result in notification, without delay, to the Director of Campus Safety or their designee. Officer assigned keysets determined to be missing will result in an investigation.
Campus Safety Vendors
Vendors who are on campus to conduct work on behalf of the Department of Campus Safety must report to the Campus Safety Dispatch Area for key assignment. Vendors must provide their name, company name, contact information, and specific area(s) the work will be conducted. Vendor presence and nature of the vendor work assignment must be authorized by way of an email from the Director of Campus Safety or their designee and any College department(s) that will be impacted by the work.
Dispatchers must verify the email authorizing the vendor's work assignment before issuing master keys and or keycards to the vendor. Residential master keys, academic master keys, and/or access cards will be issued as needed according to the area of access required to conduct the necessary work. All issued keys or access cards must be returned to the Campus Safety Dispatch Area at the end of the work assignment each day. Issuance and return of keys or access cards must be documented in the Omnigo Dispatcher note page by the dispatcher on duty.
Vendors who have inadvertently maintained possession of their assigned keys or access cards while off campus will be required to return the keys/access cards, without delay, to the Campus Safety office. Keys or access cards determined to be missing after contacting the assigned vendor will result in prompt notification to the Director of Campus Safety or their designee. Vendor assigned keys or access cards determined to be missing will result in an investigation
Non-Campus Safety Vendors
Vendors are often on campus to conduct College related work outside of normal business hours. Vendors who arrive on campus to conduct this after hours work on behalf of sponsoring departments such as Plant Operations, the Office of Information Technology, or campus partner Sodexo, etc., must report to the Campus Safety Dispatch Area for key assignment. Vendors must provide their name, company name, contact information, and specific area(s) the work will be conducted. Vendor presence
and nature of the vendor work assignment must be authorized by way of an email from the sponsoring department to the Department of Campus Safety, as well as any other department that will be impacted by the contracted work.
Dispatchers must verify the email authorizing the vendor's work assignment before issuing master keys and or keycards to the vendor. Keys or access cards, including but not limited to residential and master keys, must be provided in advance by the sponsoring department. These keys or access cards must consider the area of access required to conduct the necessary work.
All issued keys or access cards must be returned to the Campus Safety Dispatch Area at the end of the work assignment each day. Issuance and return of keys or access cards must be documented in the Omnigo Dispatcher Note page by the Dispatcher on duty. The day time Dispatcher on duty will notify the sponsoring department, via email, an inventory of all keys or access cards previously provided that are currently in possession of Campus Safety.
Vendors who have inadvertently maintained possession of their assigned keys or access cards while off campus will be required to return the keys/access cards, without delay, to the Campus Safety office. Keys or access cards determined to be missing after contacting the assigned vendor will result in prompt notification to the Director or supervisor of the sponsoring department. Vendor assigned keys or access cards determined to be missing will result in an investigation by the Department of Campus Safety.
