776 - Policy on Access Control
- Policy Number: 776
- Policy Title: Policy on Access Control
- Policy Owner: Operations, Security
- Date Approved:
- Effective Date: May 1, 2026
- Date Reviewed: NA
Scope
This policy covers Olympic College badges and keys issued to employees, departments, contractors, and lessees across all campuses. This policy does not apply to students, the OC residence hall, or any access credentials issued by other state agencies to OC employees.
Purpose & Background
This policy outlines how Olympic College manages employee badges and physical keys to ensure the safety of the campus community and the protection of college property. The loss of one single key can create a significant financial impact on the college and severely disrupt college business. This policy is intended to clarify how employee badges and physical keys are issued, the storage and carrying of keys, and the associated costs to departments when keys are lost.
Policy
- Eligibility for Badges and Physical Keys
All OC employees will receive an OC issued badge at the beginning of their employment. In the circumstance in which badge access does not permit access to an employee’s primary workspace (i.e. office), that employee may also receive a physical key to their primary workspace. All other physical keys will be issued based on the demonstrated need for the employee or department to retain additional physical keys. Justification for additional physical keys will be based on demonstrated need rather than convenience. The need for a key will be weighed against the risk presented if the key were lost. The safety and security for OC students, staff, and faculty must be a priority. Appropriate access approvals will provide maximum protection from harm, theft, vandalism and other potential concerns. Key types as well as required approval level for each are outlined below - Access Types and Required Approval
- Low-Level Access
- OC Employee Badge: An electronic badge which permits employee entry to most college facilities during typical working hours with applicable configurations for entry into assigned workspaces.
Provided to all employees upon hire. - Individual Room Key: Opens a single assigned office or room that does not otherwise have electronic access via OC badge. Requires supervisor approval.
- Suite Key: Opens shared office suites. Requires supervisor approval.
- Secure Area Key: Provides access to individual secure areas such as HR records vault, payroll vault, student records vault, IT server rooms, and surplus storage areas. Requires Vice President or Chief Officer approval.
- OC Employee Badge: An electronic badge which permits employee entry to most college facilities during typical working hours with applicable configurations for entry into assigned workspaces.
- High-Level Access
- Exterior Access/Building Key: Opens the exterior doors to all buildings. Requires Chief Operations Officer approval.
Campus Access Key: Opens most non-secure areas. Requires approval from the President or COO. Requires Chief Operations Officer approval. - Utility/Mechanical Key: Used for custodial, electrical, and maintenance access. Requires Executive Director of Facilities, Safety, & Security approval.
- Contractor Key: Temporarily issued to vendors or service providers. Requires Executive Director of Facilities, Safety, & Security approval.
- Full Access Key: Opens all doors on all campuses. Assigned only to the President, Chief Operations Officer (COO), and assigned designee(s). Additional Full Access Keys may be stored in an auditable lockbox managed by Campus Safety and Security, and another by Facilities. Requires Chief Operations Officer approval.
- Exterior Access/Building Key: Opens the exterior doors to all buildings. Requires Chief Operations Officer approval.
- Low-Level Access
Issuance of Badges and Physical Keys
The Campus Safety department oversees the management and issuance of campus badges and physical keys. Requests for keys (new or replacement) can be submitted via the applicable work order system. For new employees the request for badges and keys must come from the supervisor for the respective area and are subject to approval as outlined above.Replacement requests may come from the employee but may still require supervisor approval. Replacement of any keys will not be issued until a lost/stolen key report is filed.
Carrying and Storage of Keys
Office and suite keys issued directly to an individual must be kept on the employee’s person while on campus and may be taken off campus.High-level access keys should not be removed from campus by the employee after their workday without authorization from the Chief Operations Officer or Executive Director of Facilities, Safety, & Security. High-level access keys should be stored in designated areas as determined by Campus Safety and Security. The keys should remain on the person during the workday when not directly in use. Safety and Security will conduct regular inventory of lock box contents.
- Responsibilities of Key and Card
Holders All key or card holders must:- Secure all doors immediately upon entry of a locked building.
- Never loan a key or card to someone not approved to use the key or card.
- Prevent other individuals from entering a space for which they are not approved (i.e., tailgating in behind someone passing through a locked entry).
- Not duplicate a key or card.
- Notify their supervisor and Campus Safety of a loss or theft of a key or card within 24 hours via email or phone and submit an official lost/stolen key report.
- Returning Keys
- All badges and physical keys are returned at the end of an individual's employment with OC.
- A change in employment (promotion, transfer to different department, transfer to different working location, or a change in responsibilities) may also result in the return of specific physical keys. Employees are not to independently reassign physical keys amongst themselves absent involvement of Safety and Security.
- The College may assess fees to departments, where permitted by law, for unreturned or lost physical keys.
- Responsibilities of Safety and Security
- Evaluate the appropriateness of key requests, escalating high-level key requests as designated above.
- Identify security concerns and seek advice from Director as needed.
- Conduct regular audits of designated key storage areas.
- Issue badges and physical keys within an appropriate timeframe from the date of request.
- Notify the following when any key is lost or unreturned: Executive Director of Facilities, Safety, & Security, and designee(s), for all key loss/theft, and Chief Operations Officer in the event of loss or theft of a high-level access key.
- Adhere to Safety and Security departmental procedures for event and contractor access levels and key issuance.
- Replacement and Re-coring
The costs to Olympic College for new/lost/stolen keys can be significant. A single key may affect up to 50 doors and be issued to 100 different people. A re-core of the locks not only costs a significant amount of money but also employee time. The decision to rekey any college space must be approved by the President or COO, based on a recommendation from Campus Safety and Security. The authority to re-core or re-key an individual working space or area resides with the Chief Operations Officer and is not delegated. Violations
Departments with repeated violations or excessive lost/stolen key reports may be subject to the following:- Department keys stored at Campus Safety and checked out daily by employees.
- Require the purchase of an electronic key lock box by the department to improve key management.
- Require access via Campus Safety admit/unlock only.
Individual violations of this policy, including unauthorized key use, duplication, or failure to return issued access tools, may result in disciplinary action. Disciplinary action taken as a result of this policy will adhere to applicable collective bargaining agreements.