Key Request Procedure

Key(s) / Prox Card Requests

Engaging in hands-on educational activities in teaching labs and research labs is a unique opportunity. Access to lab/office space is a privilege. Abuse of this privilege will result in immediate revocation of access and, depending on the severity of the offense, academic expulsion.

In order to obtain access to a lab/office space, students must submit a key request form, complete any required lab safety trainings and have an academic reason for having access to the lab. Outside building access will only be given under special circumstances.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering will process the Key Request Form. This process consists of verifying that the student has an academic reason for accessing the lab either through having faculty advisor approval on the request or verifying that the student is enrolled in one of the courses that have been approved.

If a faculty advisor is signing off on a student, he/she is stating that 1) it is appropriate for the student to have access to the requested lab space, and 2) that the student has completed the necessary lab safety training for the requested lab space. Faculty are responsible to develop safety procedures for their labs and assure that students are properly trained. The completed key request is documentation that the training has taken place.

The ECE Department will forward the key request to the Key Office for finalization. Once the request is completed, the student will receive an email from the Key Office instructing them to go pick up their key(s) / Prox Card from the Key Office.

Approvals can take up to three weeks to be processed after being submitted. Please submit requests in a timely manner.

Failure to Pick Up Requested Key(s) / Prox Card

Should a student fail to pick up their requested key(s)/ Prox card an academic hold will be placed on the student’s account and the student will be responsible for paying a $20.00 restock fee to the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department before the academic hold will be removed.

Failure to Return Key(s) / Prox Card Upon Leaving the Department

When a student graduates or leave the university for other reasons, they are responsible for returning their key(s) / Prox Card to the Key Office. Ideally, students will return their key(s)/ Prox Card within two weeks of their departure. Should a student fail to return their key(s) / Prox Card, a hold will be placed on the student’s transcripts until they have returned their key(s)/Prox Card to the Key Office.

Annual Key Inventory

Annually, all personnel within the department that have a key(s) / Prox Card will be asked to confirm that 1) they still have the key(s) that were originally assigned to them and 2) that they still have a need for those key(s) / Prox Card. To confirm a key or Prox Card’s Hook number, please work with the Electrical and Computer Engineering Staff personnel to verify your keys.

What to do in the Event of a Lost Key(s) / Prox Card

In the event that a student should lose their key(s) / Prox Card, they forfeit the deposit(s) that were paid to the Key Office. Depending on what type of key is lost, the student will be responsible for covering any additional fines that may apply. If they want a new key issued, they have to file a police report and give the department staff the incident report.

For more information about what labs we have as well as when they are available for student use please refer to our Teaching laboratories