Police

Facility Access Policy

 

Santa Monica College is an open campus in an urban area. Many visitors and local persons transit the campus. It is the College’s policy and the responsibility of all College personnel and students to ensure doors to facilities are kept closed and locked at all times when the facility is not in use or has limited occupancy in order to discourage unwanted entrance. Breaches of physical security jeopardize everyone's personal safety and security, as well as the property of the College.

I. Key/Access Control

  1. The College locksmith is responsible for performing all work pertaining to lock cylinders, rekeying, cleaning, cutting, issuing, maintaining records, and ordering supplies.

  2. Campus Police exclusively issues all keys, electronic door keys or fobs, and access cards (collectively referred to as “keys”) to building entrances, rooms, desks, cabinets, etc.

  3. No door locks are to be installed unless they are College-owned and installed by the College locksmith.

  4. No person is permitted to duplicate campus keys.

  5. Lost keys are to be reported immediately to Campus Police. A Report of Loss/Lost District Key Report form will be completed. If a replacement key is needed, a key request form must be completed. In the event lost keys are found, they must be returned to the Campus Police immediately.

  6. All keys must be returned to Campus Police when an employee is leaving College employment.

II. Key Issuance

  1. Keys are issued to staff, academic employees, or approved contractors upon completion of a key request form. The keys must contain the following approval:

    1. For staff – the head of the department.

    2. For academic employees – the department chair and the administrator of the area.

    3. For contractors – the Vice President overseeing the contractor.

  2. Student Keys.Normally students are not issued keys for building access. Any exception must be approved by the Superintendent/President.

  3. Entrance keys are issued only to persons who are required to routinely work before or after normal building hours.

III. Outline of Key Control Responsibilities

  1. Department chairs, managers, and administrators will be responsible for authorizing the issuance of keys in accordance with established guidelines.

  2. Personnel to whom keys have been issued are responsible for:

    1. Signing a key history card.

    2. Overall responsibility for security of keys and proximity access cards issued.

    3. Reporting loss or theft of keys and proximity access cards to Campus Police.

    4. Return of keys when leaving College employment.

    5. Not transferring (or loaning) issued keys to any other person.

IV. Access Levels

  1. Students

    Students generally are not issued keys. Exceptions include issuance of keys for music practice rooms, temporary access keys for Library conference rooms, and similar situations.

  2. Faculty, Administration & Staff

    access will be given to areas needed to perform their job duties, as requested by the supervisor or department chair, including:

    1. External door(s). External door keys are only issued to those with authority to have a master key set. However, as described in Part V below, electronic access can be provided on an as-needed basis.

    2. Internal office, workplace, classroom, or lab door(s).

  3. Contractors/Vendors

    Access will be given to areas needed to perform their job duties.

V. Access Times

All campus buildings are secured by Campus Police between the hours of 10:15 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Mondays-Thursdays and between 5 pm on Fridays and 6:00 am on Monday. Access to enter buildings during these hours will be granted in one of two ways:

  1. Campus Police can be called (310-434-4300) and remote access can be provided based on a visual or voice identification. If Campus Police cannot identify the person remotely, an officer will be dispatched to the location. This procedure should also be followed when someone only needs occasional access to a building during the hours that it is closed.

  2. Key fobs can be programmed to allow building access to those needing after-hour entrance on a regular basis. However, before each entry and exit, the person is required to telephone Campus Police to avoid triggering any building alarms.

*Any electronic key not used within a 180-day period will be deactivated.

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