Key Control
Purpose and Scope
Westmont College maintains locking systems for the protection of students, staff, faculty, facilities and property while attempting to responsibly balance the sometimes opposing concepts of security and convenience. This policy establishes a framework by which keys will be issued, monitored and maintained.
Building Access
The buildings and facilities of Westmont College are available for general use by Westmont employees and students for educational purposes. The buildings are opened (outside doors unlocked) for regular scheduled business, activities, classes, and labs as required. Generally, the curfew of all buildings is midnight.
Definition of Locking Systems
Westmont's locking systems include all locking devices such as door locks, padlocks, combination devices and keys. All of the above locking system components are property of Westmont College.
Administration of Locking Systems
The Vice President for Administration is authorized to establish and administer regulations and procedures in order to provide physical security of Westmont College facilities and its occupants, and to provide for administration and control of campus keys. The administration of key control shall be delegated to the Office of Public Safety.
Control of Locking Devices
The Office of Public Safety shall be responsible for the maintenance of key control including the issuing of keys, key control record keeping and lock change authorizations.
No individual may use personal locking devices except for personal lockers at the gym and in work areas. Locks owned by Westmont may not be changed or re-keyed without approval of the Director of Public Safety.
All unauthorized locking devices will be removed. Any damage or repair necessitated by the removal of unauthorized locks will be the responsibility of the department or individual found in violation of this policy.
Key Authorization and Eligibility
Executive Officers, Department Heads or their specific designees shall be the only personnel authorized to request keys or lock changes within their respective departments. Department heads are requested to carefully consider all requests for keys so that the protection and security of Westmont facilities and property are maintained.
In no case shall the issuance of keys be authorized by the same person to whom the keys are to be issued, except in the case of the Executive Team.
Grand master keys will be issued to employees having a continuing need for the key(s) only upon the appropriate justification and the approval of the Vice President for Administration.
Master keys will not be issued to students except for residential areas.
Obtaining a Key
Department Head or designee will request a key via the Online Key Request system.
The Office of Public Safety will process all completed and approved requests. All keys shall be picked up and signed for by the individual receiving the key.
Recipients of Westmont keys will be responsible for their safekeeping and at no time should leave them unattended (i.e., hanging in a door lock, lying on a desk, etc.).
Westmont keys are not to be loaned to anyone for any reason.
Return of Keys
All keys shall be returned to the Physical Plant Main Office upon ending of employment, transfer to another department, or upon the request of the Director of Public Safety.
Keys shall not be exchanged between individuals.
Duplication of Keys
The duplication of keys by anyone other than the Westmont locksmith is prohibited unless authorized by the Director of Public Safety.
Lost Keys - Residence Halls
If you lose your room key, report the loss immediately to your resident director, who will issue a spare key and ask security to re-key the lock. The re-keying charge is $30. In order to prevent non-occupants from gaining unauthorized access to your room, do not attach your room key to any kind of identification card.
The loss or suspected loss of any keys is to be reported to the Resident Director of the Director of Public Safety immediately.
Lost Keys - Academic and Administrative Buildings
The Office of Public Safety shall investigate each incident of lost keys and may authorize lock changes needed because of a breach of security. Charges for replacement keys, master keys, new locks and hardware will be billed to the employee's department. An appeal to the Vice President of Administration or the Chief Academic Officer may be made in regards to the billing.
Charges for replacement keys, master keys, new locks and hardware will be billed to the employee's department. An appeal to the Vice President of Administration or the Provost may be made in regards to the billing.
Inventory
Once each year, every department will be provided an inventory list of keys that have been issued. The department will be required to certify the accuracy of the list.