Statement of Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to state the university’s position on the utilization of its space and to identify the required procedures and approvals for space allocation, renovations, and category changes on all UNLV campuses.
The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) delegates to each institution the authority to control and manage its physical facilities in accordance with its mission, goals and needs. A guiding principle is that the university shall make the most efficient use of existing and new space.
The Executive Vice President and Provost has appointed the University Space Committee (“Space Committee”) to oversee the assignment of space and its utilization by campus units that are subject to this policy. The Space Committee then provides recommendations on space use to the Executive Vice President and Provost. The Space Committee includes representatives from the following units on campus: Space Management; Academic Affairs; Registrar; Vice President for Research; Planning and Construction; Facilities Management; Student Affairs; Information Technology; Office of Sponsored Programs; and the Faculty Senate.
Classrooms are either assigned to the "General Classroom Pool" (scheduled by the Registrar) or are assigned to departments (scheduled by the department of record). All "classroom space" is classified with a room category code that encompasses all classroom-type facilities, including traditional classrooms, technology classrooms, lecture halls, and seminar rooms. Laboratories where classes are taught (class lab space) are classified with a different code and scheduled by the departments to which they are assigned. Both classrooms and class labs are reviewed as part of the Space Utilization Study required by NSHE and presented biannually to the Board of Regents. Assignment of classroom and class lab space is designed to provide the best teaching and learning opportunities to all students at the university.
Entities Affected by this Policy
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Who Should Read this Policy
All UNLV personnel who plan to request the assignment, reassignment, or construction/renovation of space on a UNLV campus must read this policy and follow the required procedures before advancing their request to the UNLV Space Committee. Course scheduling requests are not part of this policy.
Policy
Requests for Renovation of Space
Deans, directors, and unit leaders are responsible for the management of space assigned to their various departments and units, and must submit any planned change in space use that involves construction/renovation of space to the Space Committee for review prior to any changes being made. Requests to make any changes to interdisciplinary space, not under the jurisdiction of an individual unit, must also be submitted to the Space Committee for review.
Requests for Space Conversions
Requests to convert or repurpose any space from one type of use (category) to another must be submitted to the Space Committee for review prior to any changes being made.
Classroom and Class Lab Space
To ensure that the university utilizes limited available teaching space effectively, all requests to convert or reassign scheduled classrooms, class labs and auditoriums to other types of uses must be submitted to the Space Committee for review. Classroom and class lab space must be maximized by both the hours in use and occupancy of the stations. The Registrar’s Office will determine the weekly course distribution goals each semester as part of the class scheduling process. These will also be listed as part of the campus space standards.
Research Lab Space
Research lab and research lab service space are managed by the dean of the college to which the space is assigned or by the Vice President for Research (VPR) in relation to research facilities (e.g., SEB, MSM, Vivarium). Colleges are encouraged to set their own space standards for the allocation of research space. The practices for research space assignments can be found on the Space Policy and Procedures web page. Space managed by the VPR is reviewed yearly by a committee consisting of deans of Colleges with space in VPR facilities, faculty representative(s) that do not occupy space in the VPR facilities, the Associate Vice President for Research, and representatives from the offices of the Executive Vice President and Provost and Space Management. Space allocation recommendations are based primarily on research expenditures although other factors that may be considered include: publications in prestigious, peer-reviewed journals; successful mentoring of graduate students; research citations; and patents. Based on the committee’s recommendations, the VPR will make space decisions and share them with the appropriate dean(s) and the Office of Space Management. It is the dean’s responsibility to notify affected faculty and discuss alternative research space options within their division.
Office Space
The space standards for office space assignments can be found on the Space Policy and Procedures web page.
Other Space
Space such as conference and meeting rooms should be considered shared resources and is not exclusively reserved by one department or college. Priority for access and scheduling should be given to building occupants and may be assigned as a ‘Building Resource’ and scheduled according to the requirements set in the space standards.
Remote Work
Department space allocation may be reviewed for re-allocation and/or re-categorization based on participation in a flexible work schedule (that may include remote work) by employees per the Flexible Work Policy. Once reviewed, space may be re-allocated to accommodate campus and/or division/department needs. Specific parameters are outlined in the Space Standards. Procedures for requesting assignment, reassignment, or construction/renovation of classrooms or new or existing unit space are identified in the Space Request Process and can be found at https://www.unlv.edu/provost/space/policy. UNLV determines the appropriate assignment and use of all space and can reassign it as needed in accordance with its mission, goals, and needs.