5 - 12.1

Administrative policy regarding space and space programming

  1. Purpose. All physical facilities of the university, including space for activities, are the property of the state of Ohio and are subject to all regulations governing the operation and use of such.
  2. Scope. This policy applies to all university owned, operated, or leased property (collectively “university property”)
  3. Definitions. For the purposes of this policy, “space” means the physical facilities on university property assigned in accordance with this policy to a university division, college, school, or other academic or administrative unit.
    Allocations for student organizational use is exempted from this rule, as such space is provided at the discretion of the vice president, or dean of a college or regional campus responsible for the physical facility in which the student organization is or would be located.
  4. Authority and responsibility. Ultimate authority for space planning and the assignment of space rests with the president, who retains the right to review any actual or proposed allocation. The president delegates the oversight and administration of this rule to the senior vice president for finance and administration. Space assignments and allocations of university property may be expanded, relocated, compressed or eliminated at the sole discretion of the senior vice president for finance and administration, or designee as provided herein, subject to appeal as provided for in this rule.
  5. Space planning advisory committee (SPAC).
    1. The SPAC shall be responsible for reviewing space planning, allocation, and/or assignment issues affecting existing space on university property.
    2. The committee shall be jointly chaired by the associate vice president facilities, planning and operations and the senior associate provost. Members of the SPAC shall be appointed by mutual agreement of the chairs.
    3. The committee shall be comprised of thirteen (13) additional members appointed as follows: one member each from student affairs, information services, human resources, research and sponsored programs and institutional advancement, two campus deans, two academic departmental chairs or directors, the vice president for Kent State system integration, two faculty representatives (one member to be selected from nominations submitted by the faculty senate and one at-large member), and one student representative to be selected from nominations submitted by both the undergraduate and graduate student governmental bodies.
    4. The university registrar will serve as an ex-officio, nonvoting member. The chairs may also appoint such other ex-officio members as deemed necessary.
    5. The committee will meet at regular intervals to review facility requests and to make recommendations to the senior vice president for finance and administration regarding the six-year capital plan, renovation priorities, space-utilizations standards and practices, and space-assignment issues.
  6. Procedures.
    1. Requests for space are limited to the following circumstances: the request involves new space (temporary or permanent), the request involves the space currently assigned to more than one college or division, the request involves space that will involve occupancy by more than one college, division or regional campus, or the current or proposed space is a classroom, lecture or seminar space, or teaching laboratory.
      1. Requests for space in accordance with this rule shall only be initiated by a vice president, or dean of a college or regional campus.
      2. Internal re-allocations of space within academic or administrative units are not required to be submitted to the SPAC, as long as such re-allocations are approved by the vice president, or dean of a college or regional campus responsible for the physical facility in which the re-allocation will occur.
      3. Single use of campus grounds or non-administrative or non-academic space for special events does not require the approval of the SPAC.
    2. Requests shall be submitted to both the senior associate vice president for finance and administration and the senior associate provost. All requests must be received in a timely manner in consideration of any planning renovations, modification, or furniture procurement required for the space, in addition to any class scheduling concerns that may be associated with the space or its renovations and/or modifications.
      1. Requests shall include the following information:
        1. Building name and room or space numbers involved (for requests associated with existing buildings).
        2. Proposed project title (for requests associated with new facilities or assignment of land resources).
        3. Purpose of scope with supportive rationale for the need and clear description of personnel and activities to be housed.
        4. Estimate financial impact including anticipated costs for associated improvements.
        5. Closing statement.
        6. Any supporting material shall be attached.
      2. Each request shall be reviewed by the office of the university architect to verify the project feasibility.  The office of the university architect will consult with the university registrar as necessary.  The feasibility evaluations will be considered a required component of the submission.
      3. The co-chairs of the SPAC will determine if additional information is required by the ex-officio members or the applicant prior to meeting with the full committee.
      4. At the conclusion of its review, SPAC shall deliver a written recommendation to the senior associate vice president for finance and administration, who in turn, may further consult with the senior vice president for finance and administration, president and provost.  The senior associate vice president for finance and administration shall deliver the final written decision to the requestor, within 30 days of receipt of request. The written decision shall indicate whether the request is:
        1. Approved,
        2. Conditionally approved,
        3. Recommended for later consideration, or
        4. Rejected by the senior associate vice president for finance and administration, within thirty days of submission to the full committee. The person or department initiating each request will be notified by the SPAC of the action taken.
    3. Space programming.
      1. The office of university architect will be responsible for preparing all space programming including the room relationships and sizes.
      2. The office of the university architect will be responsible for preparing and maintaining the university guidelines and standards for general building design requirements including office sizes (based on occupant and use), teaching/research space sizes and capacities.  The standards will promote efficient use of all university spaces and allow for future adaptive uses when appropriate.
      3. All space programming will be submitted to the SPAC for review prior to final submission to the responsible dean, provost or division head.
Policy Effective Date:
Apr 01, 2016
Policy Prior Effective Dates: 
11/4/1977, 10/4/1979, 11/5/1990, 2/8/1993, 6/6/2000, 10/20/2002, 10/3/2005, 6/1/2007, 5/27/2008, 3/1/2015