Policy Author:
Business Affairs
Responsible Office – Department:
Business Affairs
Effective Date of Policy:
Approved by Cabinet May 5, 2015
Purpose of Policy
To provide a formal process for requesting facilities improvement projects identified by staff and faculty
Policy Narrative
The cornerstone of the procedures to be followed in proposing special facilities improvement projects is obtaining initial clearance from the member of the president’s cabinet with supervisory control over the individual faculty or staff member requesting such assistance.
Staff and faculty frequently go directly to the director of facilities requesting assistance in obtaining architectural renderings, cost estimates, or other types of information on particular project proposals, some of which are projects identified within the Facilities Master Plan and others that are not. While facilities services has tried to respond to such requests, the formal reply from facilities services often takes a significant amount of time away from ongoing pre-approved project work in order for them to comply with such random requests. Therefore, the university has established the following guidelines and procedures for special facilities improvement project requests from staff and faculty.
The procedure for requesting assistance on facilities improvement projects can be found on the Business Affairs website. Any questions regarding this procedure should be directed to the vice president for business affairs and treasurer.
Scope and Applicability of this Policy
Definitions of Facilities Improvement Projects Covered by Request Procedures
A Facilities Improvement Project Request is required for facility projects as follows:
- any project that involves facility renovations and/or rehabilitation
- new construction projects
- new space creation
- renovation of existing space
- sidewalks, roadways and other transportation infrastructure
- grounds improvements
- all special studies, facility assessments, master planning studies, concept studies and drawings, feasibility studies, maintenance, design, construction and/or project initiative that involves the movement of, or substantial modification to, walls or other fixed structures (or any combination of these)
- a project that requires a contract generally to be recommended by facilities services and approved by the vice president for business affairs and treasurer
- a project that will have a substantial impact on facilities operations, including energy conservation initiatives.
Additional Clarification of Projects that May Require Facilities Improvement Project Request Approval:
(a) Routine or Emergency Maintenance Projects
The policy and procedures set forth under this document are not intended to pertain to routine maintenance or to special maintenance issues that occur unexpectedly or which require immediate emergency attention by the director of facilities and his staff of professionals, or their contractors. Emergency requirements to address leaks, health and safety issues, power, or other critical infrastructure work that affect any of the campus properties, must be handled with urgency and are not subject to this policy and procedure.
(b) Requests Addressing Projects in Facilities Improvement Master Plan
The Facilities Master Plan contains the major facilities improvement projects that have undergone the most rigorous scrutiny, transparency, and analysis by the campus at-large, with input from faculty, staff, students, the director of facilities, the cabinet, the president, and experts throughout university leadership, including the board of trustees. The facility improvement projects contained therein constitute the highest priority project proposals for both the short-term and long-term benefit of the university, its students, faculty and staff.
A request from faculty or staff to accelerate or re-prioritize one or more of the projects contained within the Facilities Improvement Master Plan or which seeks assistance on one or more of such projects is subject to the facilities improvement request process that is addressed in this policy document.
(c) Requests for New Facilities Improvement Projects
Any request for assistance on a new facilities improvement project, that is not a routine maintenance nor emergency facility improvement request for service from the facilities services department, but which addresses a facility improvement project not contained within the Facilities Improvement Master Plan, shall be subject to the request process contained in this policy document.