Campus Access Policy

Please note: Updates to these policies will be made as needed. Updates to this policy will be communicated to the campus community. 

1. Purpose & Introduction

1.1 Physical access to all Elmira College facilities which are controlled via proximity card access shall be documented and managed. All facilities must be physically protected relative to the importance of the function or purpose of the area managed.

1.2 The process for granting proximity card access resides with the Office of Campus Safety in conjunction with the approval of the appropriate department head.

1.3 Campus Safety shall regularly review card access rights, and in conjunction with the approval of the appropriate department head, remove access for individuals that no longer require access to a particular facility (facilities).

1.4 Access rights shall be based on a person’s (employee, visitor, contractor, etc.) role or function at Elmira College and will be inclusive of the Emergency Response Plan. 

1.5 Student’s electronic access will be based upon educational needs with the goal to enhance the educational experience and still maintain appropriate levels of accountability and security.

2. Responsibility & Authority

2.1 The responsibility for maintenance of the Electronic Access System, known as “S2” and information inclusion within the database rests with the Office of Information Technology.

2.2 The Office of Campus Safety issues identification cards for all employees and students at Elmira College, as well as contracted vendors that have electronic access capabilities. See below for further information regarding vendor/contractor access.

2.3 Access permissions through any electronically controlled doorway are assigned by, and the responsibility of, the Office of Campus Safety.

2.4 There are individuals outside of Campus Safety who are authorized to grant electronic access within the S2 system. These individuals have limited capacity and may only grant access to specific buildings. They are as follows:
a. Assistant Dean of Students and RLC staff for Residential Buildings.
b. Executive Assistant of Athletics for St. Anthony’s Community Center.
c. Information Technology to update/manage the system as necessary.
d. Assistant Athletics Director/Event Facilities Operation and Director of Sports Information for the Murray Athletic Center.

3. Lost or Damaged

3.1 Lost identification or electronic access cards must be reported to the Office of Campus Safety, who will in turn generate another card and will turn off the lost card’s access.

3.2 Lost or intentionally damaged ID/access cards will be replaced with a $25.00 fee charged to an individual’s account. The fee applies to students only. Employees will not be charged a fee unless the card is intentionally damaged or repeatedly lost. ID/access cards which fail for other reasons will be replaced free of charge for both students and staff.

Building Unlock/Lock Schedule & General Access

4.1 In general, campus buildings will be unlocked and open during normal business hours 8:00AM to 5:00PM, Monday through Friday.

4.2 Classroom buildings remain open during Academic Terms for evening classes and are secured after the last class is finished.

4.3 Only certain buildings will be open on weekends such as the Gannett Tripp-Library, Campus Center, Admissions and Emerson Hall, which have varying unlock and lock schedules.

4.4 Students will not be permitted access into closed buildings unless the building or area supervisor provides permission that must be conveyed in writing to Campus Safety.

4.5 Campus Safety will provide key access (Key Request System) or proximity card access to areas necessary for faculty and staff to perform their employment obligations. 

5. Special Events

5.1 Special events which require access and/or a building to be unlocked should be requested via email to security@elmira.edu at least five business days prior to the Version: September 10th, 2019 scheduled event. Campus Safety is available 24/7 to support requests and these will be evaluated as soon as possible.

5.2 It is important to note that some requests may require additional safety measures to maintain a safe environment such as large scale events which have numerous facilities unsecured at a given time. These matters will be addressed as needed by the Director or Assistant Director of Campus Safety.

5.3 The campus community should note that requests made within 25Live do not automatically go to Campus Safety, therefore, requests for building access for an event should be directed to the above email address once 25Live approval is granted.

6. Contractors/Vendors & Construction

6.1 The Office of Campus Safety will generate an orange proximity card for contractor or vendor usage. Buildings and Grounds will be provided with 10 cards and the Office of Campus Safety will maintain a supply.

6.2 Vendor/contractors are required to report to Campus Safety or Buildings and Grounds to obtain access cards as needed to complete tasks. These cards will be assigned and signed for by the individual who will return it at the completion of task(s) or at the end of the workday, whichever comes first. The card can be returned to Buildings and Grounds during business hours or to Campus Safety 24/7.

6.3 The management of vendor/contractor cards will be the responsibility of Buildings and Grounds. The access level will provided by the Office of Campus Safety which will restrict access to business hours unless exigent circumstances exist.

6.4 Large scale construction on campus where there is a site supervisor and numerous support personnel or potential sub-contractors will be the responsibility of the supervisor. Arrangements will be made with Buildings and Grounds and/or the Office of Campus Safety to permit access.