I. General Policy

In general, the Physical Plant Department offers two kinds of service: (1) Physical Plant Services and (2) Departmental Services.

Physical Plant Services are those required to maintain the basic physical plant and the usual utilities found in any facility, regardless of the type of occupant. These services are provided automatically on a routinely recurring basis without a departmental request, and they are funded by direct allocation to the service. Physical Plant services provide ordinary building maintenance to academic and administrative buildings for preservation of the usual building elements such as foundations, roofs, walls, flooring, public areas, restrooms, elevators, stairways, ordinary lighting, comfort air conditioning and ventilation, finishes, and custodial cleaning.

Departmental Services are those provided upon request by a using department for maintenance, repair or modification of proprietary and special equipment or facilities that are under the jurisdiction of the department or activity that initiates the request. Departmental services also include requests for transportation and drayage, crating, special events set-ups, repairs caused by neglect or abuse, and processing of laboratory materials. The request must be written and the cost of the service will be charged to the initiator.

Proprietary equipment and facilities are those acquired by departmental request to fill a need unique to the initiating department and are the singular responsibility of that department. Proprietary items include, but are not limited to, movable laboratory equipment; special utilities such as special lighting, vacuum systems, high purity water systems, supplemental ventilation and cooling systems, other than commercially standard electrical services, high purity or high pressure air systems, cold storage spaces, vibration, noise and radiation isolation, temperature controlled water, permanently installed fire extinguishing systems, special waste disposal and incinerators, laboratory apparatus and furnishings.

All academic and administrative spaces are assignable by the Space Allocation Committee. When these spaces are assigned, the occupant is responsible for determining funding sources for all requested remodeling and installation of proprietary equipment or services. The occupants may perform only such remodeling or installations as may be agreed to by the Physical Plant Department. Assignment to an academic or administrative space does not automatically delegate authority to the occupants to make changes in the basic and permanently installed portions of the structure.

Every project for remodeling and/or installation of any devices that requires an increase or change in the utility distribution system, air conditioning or ventilation system, or basic structure shall be responsible for all changes required to accommodate the project. The Physical Plant Department must acknowledge, in writing, that required utilities can be made available and that the basic structure can safely accommodate proposed installations or changes before a project is formally initiated. All Physical Plant Department costs incurred by providing support to departmental projects shall be charged to the sponsoring department.

II. Responsible Official and Key Offices to Contact Regarding the Policy and its Implementation

Responsible Official: Executive Vice President for Operations, Finance, & Support

Policy History

Clerical Change

March 4, 2024

August 15, 2023

January 18, 2023

February 6, 2018

June 28, 1977