University Policies and Procedures Manual
Access to University Facilities
UPPM 50.20
For more information contact:
WSU Police
509-335-8548 / police@wsu.edu
Contents
1.0 Overview and Purpose
WSU controls access to University facilities in order to promote and maintain the following:
- Safety and security of University students, staff, faculty, and visitors;
- Security of University property;
- Security of University records;
- Integrity of University research projects; and
- Continuity of official University business conducted in classrooms, laboratories, workplaces, and athletic/artistic performance facilities.
This policy establishes the standards, responsibilities, and procedures governing access to University owned and controlled facilities and surrounding areas.
Note: The CougarCard, or other access method issued by the campus CougarCard Center, is the only recognized credential for electronic access to University buildings, facilities, and restricted areas. See UPPM 10.08 for CougarCard management information.
2.0 Applicability
This policy applies to all University facilities. For purposes of this policy, University facilities include all buildings and grounds owned or controlled by the University, including all campuses and locations, as well as the streets, sidewalks, malls, parking lots, and roadways within the boundaries of property owned or controlled by the University (WAC 504-35-020(14)).
3.0 Requirements
3.1 Residence Halls
University administrators or designees, officers, agents, or employees are to have access to residence halls at all times while in the performance of assigned duties that include:
- Working with residence hall residents or programs;
- Performing custodial, maintenance, or operations of residence halls; or
- Performing safety, emergency, security, police, or fire protection services.
3.2 Restricted Areas
Restricted areas include locations where official University activities are carried out (e.g., offices, classrooms, conference rooms, laboratories, shops, workplaces, swimming pools, weight rooms, animal facilities, shooting ranges, and croplands).
The department chair or equivalent administrator is responsible for managing access to restricted departmental areas. The chair may develop access guidelines for specific departmental locations in order to minimize the possibility of exposure to safety and environmental hazards or disruption of official University business.
Facility access privileges are assigned based on an individual’s role, department affiliations, and demonstrated need. Privileges are reviewed periodically and may be modified or revoked at any time.
3.2.a Access to Restricted Areas
The following individuals may be authorized access to specified University facilities:
- Employees may access locations for the purposes of conducting assigned University duties (e.g., research, custodial, departmental operations).
- Students may access classrooms, laboratories, assigned offices, and other areas where instruction or other official student activities occur, including activities associated with:
- Official University classes,
- University research under the direction of a University staff or faculty member, or
- Student groups that are registered in accordance with WAC 504-28-010.
- Solicitors and vendors may be provided access in accordance with procedures in UPPM 50.21 and 70.11.
- Contractors and service providers may be issued keys on a temporary basis when necessary for completion of their duties, authorized by the applicable University department, and subject to the approval of Campus Security, Facilities, IT, and/or administration.
- The WSU employee coordinating the contractor’s work must sign the keys in and out at the beginning and end of each work day.
- Visitors and volunteers may access restricted areas when supervised by authorized University faculty or staff.
- Minor visitors under 18 years of age must be directly supervised by authorized University faculty or staff (see UPPM 50.32)
- Note: When not acting in their official capacities, staff, faculty, and students have only those rights of access accorded visitors and volunteers.
3.3 Hazardous Areas
Hazardous areas include, but are not limited to, locations with hazardous materials, equipment, atmospheres, or other hazardous content or environments present. For the purposes of this policy, “hazardous” includes chemical, biological, radiological, and physical hazards.
Personnel accessing any hazardous area are to comply with safety requirements described in the University’s Safety Policies and Procedures Manual, including all requirements regarding the use of personal protective equipment.
Visitors to hazardous areas are to be directly supervised by authorized faculty or staff.
3.4 Mechanical/Service Areas
Only authorized personnel may access University mechanical/service areas. Authorized personnel include staff from University service departments; i.e., Facilities Services, Operations; Facilities Services, Capital; Environmental Health and Safety; Public Safety; Information Technology Services. Non-University service personnel and contractors may access such areas when authorized by the applicable University service department.
Mechanical/service areas include mechanical rooms, custodial rooms, pipe chases, steam tunnels, and rooms containing electrical, telephone, or computer control panels.
3.5 Emergencies
In an emergency, police, fire, and safety personnel may access any University location.
3.6 Public Areas
Certain University locations are considered public locations that are open to orderly unsupervised access by faculty, staff, students, and visitors during the locations’ building hours. Such locations include the following:
- Unsecured outdoor locations, i.e., streets, sidewalks, lawn areas, malls (Note: This does not include fenced construction yards or playfields/stadiums, e.g., the outdoor track or football stadium. These locations are restricted areas);
- Indoor hallways, entrances, reception areas, stairways, elevators, and public restrooms of University academic or administrative buildings during regular building hours;
- Museums, lounges, libraries, and dining centers during open hours; and
- Certain locations used for recreation (e.g., ball courts, gymnasiums, indoor track) during open hours. The responsible department chair or equivalent administrator designates hours and locations.
The University reserves the right to change or restrict the business hours for any location without advance notice for safety or security considerations.
Appropriate University representatives may limit or restrict access to public areas for specific public health, safety, and security purposes consistent with the requirements of WAC 504-35 and 504-33.
In order to access public areas, children under 14 years of age must:
- Be supervised by parents or guardians; or
- Be participating in University-sponsored activities that include supervision by University personnel in accordance with UPPM 50.32.
4.0 After-Hours Access
4.1 Authorized Use
Only authorized individuals may enter or remain in University buildings after normal public hours.
An authorized individual must carry their CougarCard or other issued credentials when accessing University buildings after normal public hours and must present them to WSU Police or University officials upon request.
4.2 Security Response
University officials must contact University or local police for assistance if they are unable to verify an individual’s identity and/or reason for being in the building after normal public hours and the individual does not leave the facility when asked to do so.
WSU Police or security personnel will escort any unidentified and/or unauthorized individual from the building. WSU Police or local police may take other appropriate law enforcement action against the individual. WSU students or employees entering unauthorized areas after hours also may be subject to discipline under the applicable disciplinary procedures, up to and including expulsion or termination.
4.3 User Responsibilities
Individuals who are in University buildings after hours assume the following responsibilities:
- Observing all safety and fire regulations;
- Turning off nonessential lights or electronics when not in use; and
- Closing and ensuring doors are secure upon leaving (including outside entry/exit doors and interior doors).
Building occupants are encouraged to contact WSU Police if they witness suspicious behavior or unusual conditions.
5.0 Enforcement and Penalties
The department chair or equivalent administrator is responsible for administering the University’s access policy in locations under his or her control.
Unauthorized access to University facilities by a WSU student, staff or faculty member may subject the individual to applicable disciplinary procedures, up to and including expulsion or termination in addition to possible arrest and/or criminal trespass. Unauthorized access by a non-University visitor may subject the individual to arrest under provisions of criminal trespass or other applicable laws (WAC 504-31-030).
6.0 Contact Information
For more information, contact applicable campus security departments:
Pullman
WSU Police: telephone 509-335-8548; email police@wsu.edu
Everett
Campus Security: telephone 425-405-1715.
Spokane
Campus Security: telephone 509-358-7995; email spokane.security@wsu.edu
Tri-Cities
Campus Security: telephone 509-372-7698; tricities.security@wsu.edu
Vancouver
Public Safety: telephone 360-546-9001 (during business hours), 360-690-1527 (after-hours text messaging line); email wsuvcops@wsu.edu
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Revisions: Sept. 2026 (Rev. 658); July 2018 (Rev. 517); Aug. 2009 (Rev. 346); Nov. 2007 (Rev. 309); July 1992 – new policy (Rev. 89).