02.135 Space Allocation Policy

Chancellor

Established January 2, 2018

UNC Code, Section 502

• North Carolina Higher Education Comprehensive Planning Program’s Facility Inventory and Utilization Guide
• U.S. Department of Education Facilities Inventory and Classification Manual (2006)

Division of Academic Affairs

Policy Details:

1. INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

   1. The purpose of space allocation at the University of North Carolina Wilmington is to support the educational mission and strategic goals of the university in a manner that aids equity, adequacy and productivity. As an asset owned by the State of North Carolina at large, space use is allocated to academic and administrative units under the authority of the Chancellor and is subject to change. Spaces are available for programs offered by and intended for the campus community and strategic partnerships. University space is a fixed, highly visible but generally scarce resource.

   2. The purpose of the space allocation policy is to establish the roles, responsibilities, authorities and operational guidelines for the Space Planning and Allocation Committee (SPAC) and the Executive Committee on Space (ECOS) in addition to establishing priorities for space use, allocation and utilization for new construction and leased facilities. The reallocation and augmentation of existing spaces; and generating space allocation recommendations will be managed by the Office of Space Planning and Management. The SPAC, chaired by the Office of Space Planning and Management, will be comprised of appointed representatives from across campus representing each division and will be responsible for addressing changing and unmet space needs by developing operational procedures for space use, allocation and utilization and making recommendations to the ECOS, which will solicit the Chancellor for final endorsement.

2. SCOPE

   This policy applies to all university and university partners’ assigned space in university owned or leased properties.

3. DEFINITIONS

   1. Property

      1. Number: A unique four digital numeric code assigned to each building which relates to the State Property Office asset number.

      2. Building Name: A unique name assigned to each property.

      3. Alpha Code: A unique two to three digital alpha sequence assigned to each property.

   2. Space and Classifications

      1. Location: Any room (space) that has an identifying number on a building floor plan.

      2. Room Use Code: A numeric code assigned to each space based on the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences’ National Center for Education Statistics’ Postsecondary Facilities Inventory and Classification Manual’s (FICM) hierarchy that categorizes how each space is being used.

      3. Program Use: A numeric code assigned to each space based on the UNC General Administration’s Higher Education Comprehensive Planning Program Facilities Inventory and Utilization Study that categorizes how space is being used to support operations.

      4. Organizational Occupancy: A three tier classification system that identifies which UNCW department/unit/program has been assigned stewardship of each space with the exception of non-assignable spaces such as circulation, restroom and mechanical spaces.

      5. Organizational Occupant: The individual(s) who has been assigned to work or conduct research in each space.

   3. Related Terms

      1. Space Planning and Allocation Committee (SPAC) is the committee that reviews space requests and considers the recommendations from the Office of Space Planning and Management.

      2. Executive Committee on Space (ECOS), comprised of the vice chancellors and chief of staff, reviews the recommendations from the SPAC to either approve, deny or return the space request to the SPAC for further review. The ECOS reserves the right to forward space requests to the Chancellor for final approval; otherwise the decision from the ECOS is final.

4. CONDITIONS FOR ALL SPACE REQUESTS

   1. Any academic or administrative unit may request new space, the reallocation of existing space, permission to augment the physical composition of space and/or a change in use. The space request form must be completed and signed by the requestor, the department chair/head and appropriate vice chancellor for that unit. For units reporting directly to the Chancellor, the Chancellor or his designee must sign the request. Signatures from the appropriate Vice Chancellor and/or Chancellor on the space request do not guarantee approval of the request. It authorizes the Office of Space Planning and Management to begin a feasibility study and present those findings of the SPAC for review and consideration.

   2. The completed space request form must be forwarded to the Office of Space Planning and Management, which will conduct an initial feasibility assessment including, but not limited to the following:

      1. current space assignment

      2. utilization of current space

      3. number of FTE

      4. type of activity

      5. business operations model

   3. The Office of Space Planning and Management will develop recommendations based on the feasibility study and present those finding to the SPAC. All parties potentially affected will be invited to attend and participate at the SPAC meeting to represent their position related to the recommendation(s) under consideration.

   4. The SPAC will provide written periodic updates to the ECOS making one of the following recommendations and rationale:

      1. approve – which will move the request to the ECOS;

      2. refer – which will return the request to the Office of Space Planning and Management for further review and preparation of alternative recommendations;

      3. deny – which will stop the request from moving forward.

   5. The ECOS will review the following recommendation from the SPAC and will:

      1. approve – which will allocate new space, reallocate existing space, augment existing space and/or change the use of existing space

      2. refer – which will return the request to the SPAC for further consideration or send the request to the Chancellor for final review

      3. deny – which will stop the request from moving forward.

5. SPACE ALLOCATION PRIORITIES

   The following priorities will guide the SPAC regarding space allocation.

   1. Safe and accessible teaching and learning spaces specific to meeting course offerings and related curricular needs will be given highest space allocation priority.

   2. When conflicting or competing needs arise, the highest and best use of space specific to the University’s Strategic Plan and Campus Facilities Master Plan will govern the space allocation decision-making process. As a general rule, campus facilities and associated spaces with debt service funded by auxiliary sources – most notably student fees and residence halls – shall be given space allocation priority by those designated funding sources and constituents.

   3. The quality and functionality of the assigned space is given higher priority than overall square footage of the space.

   4. Programs that are funded will be given higher space request priority than those that are unfunded or funding-uncertain.

   5. UNC General Administration space planning standards as outlined in the most current version of the Facilities Inventory and Utilization Guide will be used as a benchmark for assessing type and quantity of space allocations.

6. COMMITMENT OF SPACE

   Any commitments obligating the university for space should be discussed with Space Planning and Management. Space Planning and Management will conduct an expedited review of any immediate-need space commitment as requested, and will advise the SPAC and ECOS accordingly. Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

   1. Hiring Commitments: Hiring contracts that require space assignments outside of the hiring department’s stewardship should resolve the space assignment before issuing the contract.

   2. Grants, Contracts and Gifts: All proposals for external funding must consider space needs prior to the execution of an award.

   3. New Academic Programs and Administrative Units: No unit shall transact a new program (permanently funded or financed with limited term funds) without first consulting with Space Planning and Management.

7. ALTERATION, RENOVATION AND REPURPOSING OF SPACE

   All alterations, renovations and repurposing must follow existing procedures established by the Office of Facilities.
   
   Definitions

   1. Alteration is defined as any construction in a space that involves a change in its configuration; the fabrication of space; modification of space; or the erection, relocation, or removal of walls, partitions, doors, locks, and windows.

      1. Alterations, renovations and repurposing of space that meet the following standards may be approved by the SPAC without needing approval from the ECOS and Chancellor.

         1. Alterations, renovations and repurposing space affecting use classification and/or modifications to the building floor plan, which includes a project budget equal to or less than $50,000. These changes could alter the configuration, modification, installation or removal of case goods and equipment having an impact on the facility’s infrastructure and work required to restore, upgrade, or otherwise improve the condition of the facility.

         2. Material repurposing of assigned space to support a unit’s operational function with the exception of classrooms and laboratories.

   2. Renovation is defined as any work that is required to restore, upgrade, or otherwise improve the condition of space.
      
      

      1. Alterations, renovations and repurposing space that meet the following standard must be approved by the SPAC, ECOS and Chancellor.

         1. Classrooms, laboratories or other facilities dedicated to instruction and/or research may not be converted to non-instructional/non-research use without approval by the SPAC and ECOS.

   3. Repurposing is defined as any change in use of a space.
      
      

      1. Repurposing space under an academic department or administrative unit’s stewardship meeting the following standards may occur without approval by the SPAC, but requires consultation with the Office of Space Planning and Management.

         1. Change in use that does not require construction.

         2. Minor infrastructure improvements with a project budget equal to or less than $15,000.

8. LEASING OF EXTERNAL SPACE

   All requests for the acquisition of space by lease for routine or strategic purposes must be submitted to the Real Estate Office and are subject to state guidelines and

   UNC policy 600.1.3.1[R]. Requesting departments should contact the Real Estate Office to begin the process.

9. EXECUTING LEASES/SPACE USE AGREEMENTS FOR STRATEGIC PARTNERS

   The Real Estate Office shall oversee and coordinate the leasing process, including without limitation, the negotiation and execution of any use agreements or leases of university property to external entities. Academic and/or Administrative Units shall work with the Real Estate Office and the Office of the General Counsel regarding an external entity’s use or lease of university space. Space Planning and Management must be consulted to ensure availability of space and properly classify both use and organizational occupancy.

APPENDIX A

SPACE PLANNING AND ALLOCATION OPERATIONAL PROCEURES

1. REQUEST FOR SPACE ALLOCATION
   
   All academic and administrative units must complete a Space Request form to request additional or new space, renovate or repurpose existing space unless it meets the standards set forth in section VII of the Space Allocation Policy. The unit’s appropriate vice chancellor must sign the space request form. For the units that report directly to the Chancellor, the request must be signed by the Chancellor or designee. The vice chancellor’s and/or chancellor or designee’s signature does not guarantee approval; it authorizes Space Planning and Management to explore the feasibility of the request. Where possible, it is recommended that projects involving multiple academic departments and/or administrative units pre- negotiate to facilitate requests.
   
   

2. REQUIRED INFORMATION

   The requestor will submit a narrative to support the information requested on the Space Request form, which shall include:

   1. Description: Provide a succinct description of your space request. What space is being requested and why? Indicate whether this is being driven by a new program, a research grant, inadequate space to provide current program and/or other reasons.

   2. Strategic Plan: How does this request relate to the UNCW Strategic Plan?

   3. Proximity: Indicate other department, organizations, programs, or functions which should be in proximity to the requested space and why.

   4. Location: Indicate any location(s) you want considered in filling this space request.

   5. Options explored: Describe all avenues explored to solve this space request within existing space. For example, has the academic/administrative unit considered maximizing underutilized space to solve this need? Has the academic/administrative unit re-evaluated the space assigned to lower priority initiatives? What possibilities for shared space have been explored?

   6. Timing: Describe any programmatic issues affecting the timing of your move such as the need to move during a class break, at the end of semester, during the summer months, coincident with other activity.

   7. Parking/Transportation: Describe any special parking and transportation access needs.

   8. Funding: Provide budget and funding details for any request that requires the expenditure of funds. Rental space requests must indicate: lease duration, square footage, annual costs, and financial account information.

   9. Other: Provide any other information or special requirements for space (wiring, AC, telephone, computers, and other related equipment, etc.) that will support or define this space request.

3. COMMITTEE OPERATIONS

   All business addressed by the SPAC shall be conducted in an open and transparent manner unless otherwise restricted by law. The committee will have a published agenda for each meeting.

   1. Membership - The SPAC shall be comprised of voting and non-voting members to ensure equity and transparency in review and recommended actions.

   2. Meetings - All meetings will be open to the campus community unless otherwise noted. Minutes will be recorded by an appointee of the chair.

   3. Voting - A simple majority of voting committee members present shall constitute a quorum for transacting business on the meeting agenda. The chair shall only vote to break a tie. At a meeting where no quorum exists, any space allocation request and/or other committee business may be submitted to the entire committee member for a vote by e-mail at the discretion of the chair. The chair shall document committee member’s votes. Agenda items involving issues of legal rights or responsibilities will require review at a meeting with a quorum. Any voting member has the right to refer an agenda item sent via e-mail back to the committee for an in-person meeting.

   4. The SPAC will follow the established space allocation priorities (section V of the Space Allocation Policy) and space principles (Appendix A) as outlined in the accompanying procedure.

4. MEMBERSHIP

   1. Voting Members

      1. The Space Planner will serve as chair

      2. Appointed representative of each Division

         1. Academic Affairs

         2. Business Affairs

         3. Chancellor

         4. Student Affairs

         5. University Advancement

      3. Chair of the Faculty Senate Buildings and Grounds Committee

      4. President, Student Government Association or designee

      5. Associate Vice Chancellor for Facilities

      6. Associate/Assistant Dean from one of the Colleges/School to be recommended by the chair with approval from the Provost and rotated every two years

   2. Ex-officio Members

      1. Associate Legal Counsel

      2. Associate Provost, Institutional Research and Planning

      3. Director of Real Estate Management

      4. President, Faculty Senate or designee

      5. President, Staff Senate or designee

5. MEETINGS

   1. All SPAC meetings shall be open to all members of the campus community to ensure transparency.

   2. The committee chair may invite representatives from other areas of campus to participate in meetings at their discretion.

   3. All agendas, minutes, space requests or other materials from SPAC meetings shall be published to the Space Planning and Management website.

   4. The SPAC shall meet every two weeks with a scheduled published by the first of August of each year.

   5. At the discretion of the chair or on the advice of the Office of General Counsel a meeting may move into a closed session.

6. OPERATIONS

   1. Review

      1. The Space Planner shall present one or more recommendations for space allocation for each request to the SPAC for review. During the presentation, information will be shared disclosing the methodology and type of analysis conducted.

      2. All parties affected by the assignment of new space and/or reallocation of existing space will be invited to answer any questions and present cause in support or opposition to the space request.

   2. The SPAC will discuss the request in a framework that addresses alignment with university strategic goals and vote on a recommendation.

   3. The chair will schedule a meeting with the ECOS to review the request and recommendation.

7. ATTENDANCE

   Committee members accept the responsibility for carrying out the goals of the SPAC when appointed, and meeting attendance is part of that responsibility. If a committee member will be absent from a meeting, a delegate may attend when written notice is received by the committee chair before the meeting date (email suffices as a written notice).

8. COMMUNICATIONS

   All agenda items and documents for review should be distributed to committee members via email and posting to the shared network drive at least 24-hours before a called meeting. Only in exceptional circumstances shall last-minute meetings (in-person or electronic) shall be called.

APPENDIX B

OFFICE SPACE GUIDELINES OVERVIEW

Optimizing our current and future office space ensures that, as an institution, we use these important physical resources effectively. The following guidelines were developed to help academic and administrative units allocate office space and align these decisions with benchmarks of existing and future buildings.

Units should refer to these guidelines when planning new construction or renovations to ensure greater consistency with campus norms for office space. The Office of Space Planning and Management, Office of Facilities – Project Management and Office of Architecture and Construction will refer to this document when working with units and architects during the design phase of all new construction or renovations. Exceptions to the guidelines require approval of the Executive Committee on Space.

NOTE: Academic and administrative units with internal space policies or guidelines should ensure that their guidelines align with the information provided in this document.

SPACE-PER-PERSON RECOMMENDATIONS

The following tables show the recommended assignable square footage for a person by position type. These guidelines are not a guarantee that an employee or affiliate of the University will receive a specific office type or amount of square feet, but rather defines the maximum net assignable square feet (NASF) a person in a specific role should occupy. Net assignable square feet is defined as the area of a building suitable for occupancy measured from the interior walls, including closets and secondary corridors within assignable space. This excludes main corridors, restrooms, and other non-assignable space.

Square Footage Ranges

The square footage ranges are provided to accommodate the varying programmatic needs of these positions across the University. For example, a unit may assign an office on the smaller end of the square footage range to a person who is more likely to spend time working in a research lab than in an office. Conversely, a person may be assigned an office on the upper end of the range to accommodate frequent meetings with multiple individuals.

Applying the Guidelines in Shared Spaces

The recommended square footages of shared spaces specify the total amount of office space that should be dedicated to any one person. They do not necessarily indicate the actual size of the office or workspace. For example, a department should designate a cumulative 120 – 256 square feet for four temporary employees (30 – 64 square feet per person); this space may or may not accommodate all four persons simultaneously.

The following space-per-person recommendations are based on recent construction projects at the University and on space guidelines from other higher education institutional and the private sector. They were developed in collaboration with the Office of Space Planning and Management; Office of Architecture and Construction; and various administrative and academic units.

NOTE: The types of room occupants listed below do not reflect official University job titles or classifications. They are listed strictly for the purpose of showing the relationship between role, space type, and net assignable square feet (NASF). The information is only to be used when making office space related decisions.

  Academic Units

  Administrative Units

 ¹ Staff, Professional (Full-time) include but is not limited to academic advisors and student health professional and practitioners.

² Part-time denotes the room occupant is 50% FTE or less. If the occupant is more than 50% FTE, it is recommended to follow the guidelines for full-time room occupant.

PRIVATE OFFICES, SHARED OFFICES AND CUBICLES

Private offices are necessary for many positions at the University. The size of the office varies depending on the type of work and the need to meet with individuals or groups frequently and in a private setting. These spaces should be able to accommodate a desk, files, bookshelves, and a space to meet with an additional one to six people.

The following positions would in most cases, require private offices:

Some positions in a unit or department may require private office space, while a person with similar duties in another unit or department may not. The following positions should be allocated private office space on a case-by-case basis based on confidentiality and be approved by the Executive Committee on Space:

Shared offices, cubicles, and open workspaces are an efficient use of office space. Shared offices should not be assigned to individuals who require a certain amount of privacy or reduced noise levels. Cubicles and open workspaces are particularly space-efficient, flexible, and can accommodate additional guests as needed. Where possible, a space for private meetings should be provided. The following positions would, in most cases be assigned a shared office, cubicle or open workspace:

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Multiple Offices

Assignment of multiple offices for faculty and staff is strongly discouraged, unless there is a true demonstrated need. Faculty with instructional responsibilities on main campus and research laboratory assignment at Myrtle Grove may have a private office on main campus and a shared or private office at Myrtle Grove. Additionally, units based on main campus who serve faculty/staff at Myrtle Grove may have a shared workspace at Myrtle Grove.

Use of Unoccupied Offices

One significant way to reduce the shortage of office space is to ensure that all offices are occupied throughout the year. When offices are left unoccupied for significant periods of time, such as sabbaticals or other leave, units and departments should use these spaces to alleviate any pressing space needs. If an office is unoccupied due to attrition or other forms of employee separation and the unit will not replace that position, the office will revert back to the Office of Space Planning and Management for reallocation.

Emeritus Faculty Offices

Emeritus faculty may be provided shared office space, if space is available within a unit, as long as they remain engaged in unit activities. These shared offices are intended to allow an individual to maintain contact with their unit, discipline and colleagues. An emeritus faculty member actively engaged in teaching or research retain a private office at the discretion of the unit, if space is available.

Questions about these guidelines should be directed to space@uncw.edu.

APPENDIX C

SPACE PLANNING AND ALLOCATION GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The following principles shall guide the SPAC in its decision-making:

1. Exceptions and/or changes to these guidelines and previous understandings may be granted by the Chancellor.

2. Space decisions will be consistent with UNCW’s Strategic Plan and Campus Facilities Master Plan in support of the University’s academic and research programs and support services.

3. Space will be managed under the philosophy of “no unit can operate as an independent domain or division.”

4. Every effort will be made to allocate University space equitably.

5. All affected parties should have equal input to space management requests/decisions.

6. Each unit’s strategic plan should identify future space needs.

7. Space allocations are made to academic and administrative units, not specific individuals.

8. New program space analysis must be coordinated with all affected parties and must address logistics, availability, infrastructure, cost, programmatic needs, efficiency and effectiveness.

9. Space that becomes vacant within a unit or college generally should be reallocated by the unit head for that unit, but all such reallocation plans must be communicated to Space Planning and Management, which may request a subsequent review.

10. As a general operating practice, a unit does not have to submit a space allocation request in cases where new employees are being assigned to the same space(s) as their predecessors. All space change transaction must be communicated to the Space Planning and Management.

11. All space is subject to periodic efficiency evaluation with a possible outcome to a different use being prescribed.

12. Depletion of classrooms and/or other teaching facilities as a consequence of space reallocation action is discouraged and generally should occur on a last-option only basis.

13. Whenever possible, programmatically similar or supporting units should be located in a proximate or contiguous fashion as to optimize shared resources and synergies. Similarly, proximity of a unit head to his/her supervised staff should be attained whenever possible.

14. Space allocation requests are evaluated, in part, on the basis of the usage patterns and efficiencies of existing space assignments. Space scheduling practices, along with general space usage patterns, will be reviewed periodically by Space Planning and Management.

15. At the appropriate time and circumstance, some units and/or individuals may be subjected to a “space-lease-productivity” model. This model is based on a minimum square foot assignment using standards for each academic discipline.

16. Whenever possible, space allocation should meet functional design requirements with the goal of minimizing renovations, alterations and associated expenditures.

17. Whenever entire buildings or sections of buildings are vacated or new buildings or additions to existing buildings are constructed or entirely refurbished, unless otherwise prescribed by external gifts:

    1. studies should include potential users input to determine reuse capacity, alteration/retrofit costs, and possible best uses

    2. the campus space planner and the SPAC will recommend the process by which reallocation plans for said space can be proposed, reviewed, and allocated

    3. corresponding SPAC-generated space allocation, assignment, and repurposing recommendations may include endorsements for resource allocation necessary to conduct associated modification and renovations.

18. Maximized efficiencies will be achieved whenever possible by sharing common use space (e.g. conference rooms, meeting rooms, shops, storage areas, breakrooms) between departments and considered shared spaces.

19. Space that is specifically allocated to a unit on a time-limited basis shall be vacated and returned to the University as unassigned space at the end of any such term. Requests for time-limited space assignments may be made in advance through the SPAC.

20. Ideally, individual permanent faculty members and administrators should have a private office and will not be assigned more than one private office unless as required by multiple unit supervisory responsibilities or in conjunction with remote field operations or off-campus research activity. Privacy is more important than size of office space.

21. Ideally, part-time faculty should be provided space whenever possible and at the discretion of the academic department.

22. Faculty in Phased Retirement will be provided space whenever possible and at the discretion of the academic department.

23. Emeriti faculty will be provided office space whenever possible on the basis of availability.

24. Ideally, graduate students with research, teaching, or grant assistantships should be provided workspace in a shared office on the basis of availability and, where appropriate, utilize strategies such as workspace “hoteling.” Hoteling workspaces are not assigned and are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

25. Long term storage (items not requiring regular access) should be stored at the Central Receiving Warehouse or at an off-campus location.