View Current

Space Management Policy

This is not a current document. To view the current version, click the link in the document's navigation bar.

Section 1 - Purpose and Content

(1) The effective planning, management and control of accommodation and space are key to the University's strategic planning and operational effectiveness. The principles and procedures that describe the University's Policy on the Management of Space are outlined in this document.

(2) This policy aims to:

  1. support the University's vision and mission;
  2. meet the workspace requirements of administrative units, academic units and associated entities;
  3. allow flexibility for the development of new initiatives and enable the University to respond quickly to market opportunities;
  4. provide a framework for the regular review of the University's space needs and the use of its physical assets, and
  5. form a basis for procedures to be followed in relation to the assignment of space and the relocation of staff.

(3) This policy applies to all university space, including space that is used by Colleges, Administrative Units and Entities, and covers the assignment and control of such space.

(4) A separate UWS Timetabling Policy defines the categorisation of teaching space and its timetabling to users via the central timetable system (Syllabus Plus).

Top of Page

Section 2 - Definitions

(5) For the purpose of this policy:

  1. capital budget- is a standing Capital Budget derived from the annual operating budget of the University to provide for medium-sized and minor capital works projects. It is comprised of the "New Projects" Budget and "Capital Renewal" Budget.
  2. common teaching space- is general, non-specialised space used for teaching and related activity. All common teaching spaces are timetabled on the Central Timetabling System. Typical examples are lecture theatres, lecture rooms, tutorial/seminar rooms. A subset of Common Teaching Space is Computing and Information Technology laboratories.
  3. entities- are organisations associated with the UWS such as University Wholly Owned Entities (e.g. Residential Colleges Limited, Sydney Graduate School of Management ), Controlled Entities (e.g. Sydney West International College), Related Entities that are semi autonomous (e.g. UWS Campus-based Child Care Centres Inc., UWS Student Associations, Clubs and Societies) and External Organisations.
  4. minor relocations- are those that have little or no impact outside the requesting unit and place no demands on the University's Capital Budget. A minor relocation has the following characteristics:
    1. involves movement within a specific site, and
    2. no change to the function of rooms, and
    3. involves only an individual or a small number of persons or rooms; and
    4. falls within space controlled by a Executive Dean or a Director; and
    5. involves no or only minor associated building alterations or refurbishments that are fully funded by the requesting unit.
  5. relocation- is the process whereby a person, unit or activity is moved from one location to another. It includes associated activities such as space reassignment if necessary, modification of space or spaces to suit the new user/use, changeover of IT and telephone, and physical movement of room contents.
  6. removal- is the process whereby the contents of a room/workspace (i.e. computer, files, personal library, etc.) are physically moved to another room/workspace
  7. space assignment- the process whereby custody of space is given to a custodian (Executive Dean, Director, or Entity Head).
  8. space reassignment- the process whereby custody of space is transferred from one space custodian to another on the University's space database.
  9. space usage agreement- is a general term used in this policy to describe sections of a contract, tenancy agreement, Memorandum of Understanding or similar document that stipulates the conditions whereby an entity is assigned use or control of University space. A Space Usage Agreement must cover all privileges and costs associated with the space assignment, including identification of dedicated and common spaces involved, term of agreement, responsibility for maintenance, etc.
  10. standard relocation- is any relocation that does not meet the criteria for a minor relocation.
Top of Page

Section 3 - Policy Statement

Part A - Principles

(6) This policy is based on five fundamental principles:

  1. As a publicly funded institution, the University will meet its obligation to use the public funds with which it has been entrusted to realise its strategic goals.
  2. As the owner of its physical assets, the University aims to ensure the best use of all its facilities for the delivery of its teaching and learning, research and other activities.
  3. The University will support its staff and students in their role as custodians of these assets and in their responsibility to ensure that they are maintained and developed for future generations.
  4. The University, and not any group or individual within it, is the owner of its physical assets. While the University's space is temporarily assigned to a School, Unit, or other entity, the duration of such custody is temporary and is subject to ongoing review and redistribution to maximise benefit to the University as a whole. As a scarce asset, space is to be shared and used in a flexible and co-operative way to achieve the best outcomes for the university community.
  5. The University will provide a safe environment for students, staff, entities and other tenants.

Part B - Roles and Responsibilities

(7) The following positions have key roles and responsibilities in the planning, assignment, and administration of University space:

  1. Board of Trustees
    1. The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for the prudent use of university funds for capital projects and authority to approve acquisition, construction, or significant alterations to the configuration of university space.
  2. Vice-Chancellor
    1. The Vice-Chancellor has authority and responsibility for ensuring that the quality, quantity, and spatial distribution of university space is in alignment with the strategic aims of the University, and that there is an appropriate distribution of space amongst all units of the University. The Vice-Chancellor assigns space to a Division or College, or re-assigns space between a Division and College after consultation with the relevant Executive Dean and Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
  3. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Corporate Strategy and Services
    1. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Corporate Strategy and Services has responsibility for advising the Vice-Chancellor on matters of space utilisation and the appropriate distribution of space amongst Divisions. The Vice-Chancellor may delegate all or part of the position's authority for space assignment to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Corporate Strategy and Services.
  4. Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Executive Deans
    1. The Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Executive Deans have the authority and responsibility for equitable distribution of space under their control, for periodically reviewing this distribution, and for ensuring that units, persons or entities under their control comply with this policy.
    2. The Deputy Vice-Chancellors sub-assign space to Units/Entities within their Division (other than Colleges ), or redistribute space between them.
    3. The Executive Dean will sub-assign space to Schools within their College or re-assign space between them.
  5. Heads of School , Directors and Entity Leaders
    1. Heads of School , Directors, and Entity leaders are responsible for ensuring the day-to-day management and administration of space within their custody. For the purpose of this policy the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), the Manager, Print Services Manager, Organisational Development Unit, and Entity Managing Directors, have the same responsibilities as the Directors.
  6. Director Capital Works and Facilities
    1. The Director Capital Works and Facilities has overall authority for the management, modification, and maintenance of the university's building fabric and infrastructure assets, provides advice on assignment of space, and is responsible for the administration of this policy. Other responsibilities include development and maintenance of a system of standards for the assignment and administration of University space, and integration of these standards into the planning processes for capital construction and renovation projects. Finally the position is responsible for collection, compilation, maintenance and periodic audit of the UWS space inventory database.

Part C - Custody And Control of Space

All Space

(8) The UWS space inventory database is the recognised source of authoritative information on each room/space in the University. Space may be assigned, (by way of lease, loan or assignment) to Schools, Units of the University or to Entities; however, ownership of the space remains with the University.

(9) Schools, Units or Entities to which space is assigned must use space for its intended purpose. Proposals involving functional or structural change to the space (e.g. cutting openings; or altering the surfaces of walls, ceilings or floors) may only be undertaken if coordinated and approved by Office of Capital Works and Facilities.

(10) Upon termination of a space assignment, the space will revert to the "unassigned space" inventory unless re-assigned.

(11) All space is to be utilised efficiently. A space that is used infrequently or inappropriately may be reassigned to others.

(12) To avoid unnecessary duplication and costs, space is to be shared to the maximum extent possible. This principle applies to laboratories, storage areas, meeting rooms, centralized facilities, common areas and other functional areas where sharing is practical.

(13) Academic and administrative units may designate space within their space assignment as "hot workspaces" to ensure that their staff travelling between campuses, and their part-time or casual staff are satisfactorily accommodated. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Corporate Strategy and Services may request evidence periodically that designated "hot workspaces" are being appropriately utilised.

(14) The Director Capital Works and Facilities will periodically review the utilisation and distribution of available space and may, at his discretion, recommend re-distribution of space to the Vice-Chancellor via the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Corporate Strategy and Services.

Common Teaching Space

(15) Custody of space designated as 'common teaching space' is assigned to the Registrar and is scheduled for use via the central timetabling system. (Refer Timetabling Policy)

Space assigned to Entities

(16) All space that is assigned to Entities must be documented in a written "space usage agreement" such as a lease or memorandum of understanding setting out in detail the spaces involved (including use of common teaching space if applicable), the terms of the arrangement, and responsibilities of the parties.

(17) Space Usage Agreements must be authorized by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Corporate Strategy and Services and the Office of University Legal Counsel, and approved by UWS Vice-Chancellor.

(18) UWS Innovation & Consulting has been delegated responsibility for coordinating the leasing of university space, drafting space usage agreements, and maintaining a register of all leases involving the University's space holdings.

Circulation Space

(19) All circulation space is to remain clear of obstruction and available for free access by all authorised users in accordance with relevant legislation and guidelines.

(20) Office of Capital Works and Facilities, as its nominal custodian, regulates to ensure the safety, security, and appropriate maintenance of circulation space.

(21) It is the day-to-day responsibility of Units who are the principal users of circulation space to ensure that it is used in a safe and appropriate manner.

Part D - Space Assignment Guidelines

(22) The size and nature of space assigned to Schools, Units or to individuals will be governed primarily by the availability of existing space in the locations sought. Subject to the above, when new space is created, either by reconfiguration of existing space or by new construction, it will be configured on the basis of UWS Space Planning Guidelines approved by the Director Capital Works and Facilities.

(23) Teaching space is comprised of centrally supported common teaching spaces and unit-supported specialised teaching spaces. All teaching space is to be placed on the University's central timetable system, Syllabus Plus, and is to be made available for teaching or other uses in accordance with the UWS Timetabling Policy.

(24) Full-time staff members are assigned a dedicated workspace. A workspace may be an office, an area that is fully or partially screened, or a portion of a defined open area.

(25) Part-time and casual staff members will be assigned a workspace appropriate to the requirements of their duties. In most instances this will be a shared workspace. Only in exceptional circumstances will part-time and casual staff be assigned a dedicated workspace.

(26) No staff member is entitled to more than one dedicated workspace for his or her exclusive use.

(27) Full-time post-doctoral fellows and research assistants will be assigned either a shared or a dedicated workspace depending on space availability. Research postgraduate students will be assigned a workspace where possible, but may be required to share the space with one or more other students.

Part E - Changes in Space Use and Assignment

(28) Custodians of space must report to Office of Capital Works and Facilities any change in the way a room is used (e.g. from a store room to say an office) both to maintain the integrity of the University's space database, and to ensure that the change has no statutory and legal implications that may pose risk to the University.

(29) Prior to any space reassignment requiring movement of staff, Heads of School, Directors, and Entity leaders are responsible for ensuring that adequate consultation with affected staff takes place.

(30) Requests for changes to space assignment must be progressed, with appropriate justification, through the relevant Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Executive Dean.

(31) Space assignments or reassignments will be routinely recorded by Office of Capital Works and Facilities in conjunction with approved capital works projects that involve changes to custodianship. The assignment or reassignment will be effective from the handover date of the new, refurbished, or reconfigured space unless a prospective custodian negotiates an alternative date.

(32) Space reassignment may also occur as a result of a capital works project, or in association with an approved University restructure program. The effective date for space reassignment in such cases will normally be the relocation date.

Part F - Maintenance of University Space and Contents

(33) The Director Capital Works and Facilities, bears overall responsibility for the maintenance of buildings, grounds and services infrastructure, and all non-habitable floor areas such as passages, toilets, plant rooms, etc.

(34) Custodians of space have overall responsibility for administration of all space that is assigned to their unit.

(35) Other units are responsible for specific components of UWS space infrastructure, that is to say IT for computing, AV for audio-visual equipment.

(36) Responsibility for Maintenance of University Space, is a guideline that outlines the responsibilities of units for maintenance of different aspects of university space and its content.

Part G - Funding of Relocations and Alterations to Space

(37) All alterations to space and other costs associated with a relocation or space reassignment will be charged to the requesting College, School, Administrative Unit or Entity unless they are associated with an approved University restructure program or are part of a project funded from the Capital Budget.

(38) Where partial or total funding from the Capital Budget is sought, the proposal will be assessed on basis of the principles and in accordance with the procedures governing that funding source.

(39) For University-initiated projects, all building and fit out works (i.e. partitions, IT and telephone connections, carpet, new ceilings, painting, fixed cupboards) will be funded from the Capital Budget. In such projects, new furniture, if considered necessary, will also be funded from this budget.

(40) Removal costs that are related to an approved University restructure program will be funded from the relevant University-wide restructure account and will cover the removal of unit equipment and individual staff member's computer, files and library only. The requesting Unit or Entity will fund removal costs that are not related to an approved University restructure program.

Part H - Use of Assigned Space by other than UWS Students and Staff

(41) Use of university space by non-university persons or organisations exposes the University to costs and to risks for which it is not insured. All activities involving non-university personnel whether commercial or non-commercial in nature are to be appropriately insured and bookings appropriately documented. A Casual Room Booking Policy (currently under development) and procedure is in preparation that will address these issues in detail.

Top of Page

Section 4 - Procedures

(42) The process whereby custody of space is transferred depends on whether the transfer occurs in association with a capital works project or an approved University restructure program, or whether it arises from a request in independent of those processes. Approval of a capital works project or a University restructure project is deemed to include approval of all associated space re-assignments and relocations, and the space re-assignment and relocation takes effect when the associated project is handed over.

(43) Where a request for transfer of space arises independent of projects or university restructure, the procedure for transfer of space custody depends on whether the proposed transfer involves a Minor or a Standard space relocation and associated space assignment or reassignment. (Refer Definitions)

  1. Minor transfers of custody and relocations are made on the authority of the proposing unit's Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Executive Dean.
  2. Standard transfers of custody and relocations are made on the authority of the Vice-Chancellor
  3. A flowchart depicting the approval process of independent space requests is attached at Appendix 1.
  4. Request forms can be accessed from the University's Office of Capital Works and Facilities web page under the "Forms" sub-section.

Part I - Additional Space

(44) Requests for assignment of additional space are normally made through the periodic capital works bidding process. Requests independent of that process are to be made on the appropriate form.

(45) If additional space cannot be found in existing university facilities, the construction of new space is subject to the annual capital planning cycle and is subject to the usual principles and procedures governing the Capital Budget.

Part J - Standard and Minor Relocations

(46) Requests for relocation are normally made through the periodic capital works bidding process. Requests independent of that process are to be made on the appropriate form. If the proposal impacts on Common Teaching space, a Teaching Space Impact Statement must also be attached.

Part K - Transfer of Space to and from Common Teaching

(47) All requests to transfer space to or from Common Teaching are considered as standard space reassignments, and must be made on the appropriate forms and are endorsed by the Courses and Timetabling Manager.

Part L - Management of Relocations and Removals

(48) All relocations will be managed by Office of Capital Works and Facilities, which will assign an appropriate manager to the relocation depending on the size and complexity of the task.

(49) Office of Capital Works and Facilities will likewise arrange and manage all removals.

(50) Office of Capital Works and Facilities will coordinate final clean up, refurbishment, maintenance, IT and Communications and movers for all relocations and removals.

(51) Units are responsible for managing and informing their personnel of moves and ensuring that space being vacated is fully packed and ready for movers in accordance with the program established for the move.

(52) Personal effects of individuals may be included in removals if so desired by the staff member at their own risk. The University accepts no responsibility for personal property of individuals during the removal process.

(53) All space vacated by individuals or units is to be left in a state appropriate for final clean up.

Top of Page

Section 5 - Guidelines

Part M - Information and Contact

(54) Enquiries related to this policy can be directed, in the first instance, to the Systems and Information Manager who has responsibility for the Facilities Systems and Planning Team.

Part N - Associated Information

University Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

Casual Room Booking Policy (currently under development)
Timetabling Policy

Other Information

Common Teaching Space Impact Statement

(55) Space Relocation and Associated Works Request

Responsibility for Maintenance of University Space (currently under development)

(56) Space Planning Guidelines (currently under development)

Attachments

Space Allocation, Re-allocation and Relocation Request Flowchart