Facilities Operations, Procurement, and Auxiliary Services

Facilities Key Policy

Revised: 7/13/2020

This policy governs the use of keys used by Oberlin College employees and students in carrying out both the educational mission and normal business of the college. This policy is intended to ensure the safety and well-being of Oberlin’s students, its employees and the college community, while furthering the mission of the institution.

Effective Monday, July 13, 2020, Faculty, Staff and Students should no longer report to our office with paper requisition forms.

Any questions relating to the application of these general key policies should be addressed to Facilities Operations, 173 West Lorain Street, 440-775-8445.

  • A Key Request Form is required for each key that is requested (the form accommodates up to 3 keys). Key requisitions should be filled out electronically and submitted by email to the Building Rep for authorization. Attached forms must be completely filled out, including name, T-number, status, phone number, and department.

  • Key Requests are invalid unless authorized by the Building Rep. Only the Building Rep can submit a key request via TOPdesk.

  • Facilities Operations will contact key recipients via email when keys are ready for pick-up. We anticipate processing time to be between 24 and 72 hours from receipt of request.

  • Keys must be picked up in person at the Facilities Office. A college-issued student ID is required to pick up a key.

  • By signing the bottom of the Key Request Form, you are accepting responsibility for the key. Failure to return the key to the college will result in monetary charges or other disciplinary action.

  • A Key Request Form is required for each key that is requested (the form accommodates up to 3 keys). Key requisitions should be filled out electronically and submitted by email to the Building Rep for authorization. Attached forms must be completely filled out, including name, T-number, status, phone number, and department.
  • Key Requests are invalid unless authorized by the Building Rep. Only the Building Rep can submit a key request via TOPdesk.
  • Facilities Operations will contact key recipients via email when keys are ready for pick-up. We anticipate processing time to be between 24 and 72 hours from receipt of request.
  • Keys must be picked up in person at the Facilities Office. A college-issued ID is required to pick up a key.
  • By signing the bottom of the Key Request Form, you are accepting responsibility for the key. Failure to return the key to the college will result in monetary charges or other disciplinary action.
  • Keys are the property of Oberlin College. Keys must be returned to Facilities immediately upon termination of employment. Keys may not be passed to other employees or staff. You are directly responsible for the return of the key.
  • Faculty and staff who change office/lab/studio or department spaces within the facility are required to surrender their current keys before new keys are issued to new spaces.
  • Faculty and staff who fail to return keys upon termination of employment for any reason are subject to charges including lost key fees and any costs associated with maintaining security standards at the college, including rekeying of offices/departments/buildings. These fees will be assessed by the Assistant VP of Facilities or the director of Facilities.

  • Students are charged a deposit of $20.00 per key for all limited-use keys and $50.00 for all sub-master and master keys.
  • Deposits will be refunded upon timely and successful return of the key(s) to the Facilities Department.
  • Deposits are charged to the student’s college account through the Student Accounts Office.
  • Deposit refunds are credited to the student’s college account through the Student Accounts Office.
  • Students who fail to return a key but do not seek a replacement will forfeit their deposit.
  • Faculty and staff are not required to pay a deposit for the use of college-owned keys.

  • Any key that is lost/missing/stolen needs to be reported to Campus Safety. A report must be filed with their office.
  • In order to obtain a replacement key, a new, valid key slip must be presented to Facilities along with a copy of the security report, and a lost-key fee. The key slip must reflect that it is a replacement of a lost/missing/stolen key. Key requisitions will be filled out electronically, authorized by the building rep and sent to facilops@oberlin.edu in an email titled KEY REQUEST – (name). The form must be completely filled out, including name, T-number, status, phone number, department and signature.
  • Lost/missing/stolen key replacement fees are as follows: any limited-use key is $50.00. Any master or sub-master is $100.00. Additional charges may be incurred if the College deems it necessary to change individual locks or re-key entire spaces based on the loss of the key(s).
  • Lost/missing/stolen key replacement fees are non-refundable.
  • Students who obtain replacement keys do not need to pay an additional deposit. Upon return of the replacement key, the student may be refunded their initial deposit through Student Accounts.