Brass and Card Keys

WPI Key Policy

At WPI there is a need to balance the accessibility and use of campus facilities with the need to provide a safe and secure environment. The Facilities Services Lockshop maintains the central key control at WPI and provides access through mechanical and electronic means to facilitate optimum use of our facilities. Each college community member must share in the responsibility to assure security for all members and property. This policy seeks to address access concerns while maintaining the most appropriate level of security.

All residential facilities will be locked twenty-four hours a day. All other facilities will have door locking schedules that meet the needs of the departments located in those buildings.

Propriety Statement

All locks, keys, electronic access cards and access codes are the sole property of WPI. We reserve the right to change locks, keys, and access codes as needed. No one may place a lock on any WPI facility without the permission of the Director of Facilities Services or his designee.

Card Keys and Brass Keys

Card Keys are issued to everyone in the WPI community through Administrative Services. Resident halls and classrooms access is programmed based on room assignment and course registration. All other access is programmed by Facilities Services through a work order (please see next section).

Brass keys are issued by Residential Services to all students who live in a resident hall on campus. Brass keys for access to any other building are issued by Facilities Services through a work order (please see next section).

Brass and Card Key Requests for WPI Community Members

All brass and card key access requests from within WPI should be directed to the Lockshop and should be processed through the work order system. The work order will be considered authorization to the Lockshop to issue keys. Email and telephone requests for brass and card keys will not be accepted.

Before creating a work order for a new key, please review the Lockshop procedure (295KB PDF). Following this procedure and allowing sufficient lead time for key requests will assist the Lockshop in processing requests. Generally a 48-hour lead time can be expected. Bulk key requests will take more time.

Please note that the weeks just prior to A-Term are particularly busy for key requests. Planning your brass and card key needs in advance will allow us to respond more quickly to your requests. Lead times for key requests during the beginning of A-Term, however, may extend beyond the typical 48-hours due to workload.

Brass and Card Key Requests for Contractors

All brass and card key requests from contractors performing work on campus should be directed to the Service Desk Coordinator in the Facilities Services office in Daniels Hall. Keys and cards must be signed out for routine daily work.

All brass and card keys issued to contractors must be returned by the end of the workday. They may be deposited in the Key-Drop Box on the door to the Facilities Services office. For keys that are needed for longer periods of time, special arrangements may be made with the approval of the Director of Facilities Services or his designee. Contractors are asked to refer to the sections on: Issuing Keys, Returning Keys, Lost Keys, Found Keys, and Vandalism and Damage to Locks, for further information regarding keys.

Issuing Keys

Keys that have been issued to staff, students, or faculty, or to contractors for access to any WPI facility may not be loaned or transferred to another individual. If any staff or faculty member leaves WPI, their keys must be returned to Human Resources. Any student who leaves WPI must return their keys to their department head. Keys of terminated, transferred, or departing staff or faculty may not be reissued by anyone other than the Lockshop. Contractors who have finished their work or project at WPI must return their keys to the Service Desk Coordinator in Facilities Services.

Keys may not be duplicated under any circumstances.

Keys are that issued to departments are the responsibility of that department. It is strongly recommended that the department head or his designee develop a system of accountability so as to ensure that the keys are neither misused nor lost. Departments are responsible for recordkeeping, distribution, and proper use.

Returning Keys

All WPI keys that have been issued to staff, faculty, or to departments must be returned to Human Resources upon leaving WPI. Students that have received keys from their departments should return those keys to their department heads. Keys of terminated, transferred, or departing staff or faculty may not be reissued by anyone other than the Lockshop. If a staff member or faculty member leaves WPI, their keys may not be issued to another individual; the keys must be returned to Human Resources.

Lost Keys

Lost keys violate the safety and security of our students and buildings. Any lost or stolen brass or card keys must be reported immediately to the Locksmith Office at 508-831-5550. Lost card keys may be reported to Campus Police during off-hours. Students, staff, and faculty will be charged a fee of $50 per key for replacing lost brass keys. If the brass key which was lost was assigned to a department, the department will be charged. Contractors will be charged $100 per brass key for replacing lost keys.

To replace a lost brass or card key, a Work Order must be created through Facilities Services' Work Order System. The procedure which should be followed to complete the work order is located on the Facilities Services Website at please review the Lockshop procedure. It is important to include the department account number on the work order. Contractors should contact the Service Desk Coordinator regarding replacing lost keys.

If it is determined that a lock must be re-cored as a result of lost keys, all costs incurred, including labor and materials, shall be assumed by the individual, department, or contractor who lost the keys. The need to re-core will be determined by the Director of Facilities Services or his designee.

If a card key is lost, the loss must be reported immediately to Campus Police at Extension 5433. A replacement card key can be obtained from Administrative Services (personal ID cards). Replacement of department access or contractor key cards can be obtained from Facilities Services at a cost of $50.

If anyone is found in possession of another's keys, card, or code shall have the keys or cards taken from them.

Found Keys

If you find any brass or card keys that do not belong to your department, please bring them to the Facilities Services Department in Daniels Hall Basement. After hours, keys may be deposited in the Key Drop-off Slot on the door.

Lock Changes and Upgrades

Locks may be changed or upgrade as the needs of the college dictate. As part of a preventative maintenance program, the Lockshop routines replace worn or obsolete hardware. Facilities Services or Campus Police may decide to upgrade or change lock hardware as security reasons dictate.

Any re-keying or lock changes initiated by a department head for any other reason will be the financial responsibility of that department.

Vandalism or Damage to Locks

Cost to repair any damage caused to either mechanical locks or card access devices will be the responsibility of the individual causing the damage. In addition, a fee of $1000 will be charged for punative damages.

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Last modified: Aug 15, 2007, 14:12 EDT