The space assignment policies and procedures outlined below are designed to help identify space surpluses and deficits, to guide allocation decisions, and to establish policies and procedures that will assure the best and most efficient use of space.
"Ownership and occupancy rights" of all campus space rest with the Board of Regents. Current users or occupants do not "own" the space, nor can they solely control the use or conversion of campus space. Occupancy and use is delegated from the Board of Regents through UW–System and UW–Madison administration, and through the University's Space and Remodeling Policies Committee (SRPC) to the occupants.
A space request of a department or unit is considered first by the dean or director and then may be referred to the Space Management Office, and finally the SRPC. The SRPC reports to, and acts on behalf of the Chancellor. Although all efforts will be made to locate appropriate space, the campus cannot guarantee that the quantity or configuration of space requested can be provided.
Space issues included in this document refer to dedicated or allocated space, or space assigned to units for prolonged periods linked to ongoing needs or for specific research grants. Space assignments are made to units, not to individuals.
All requests for assignment to existing or newly constructed space at the UW–Madison are to be submitted on a UW–S1 "Request for Space Assignment" form (with attached documentation as necessary). The UW–S1 form can be obtained from the Space Management Office (263-3045) at 30 N Mills St.
Space to be requested through this process includes all University and non-university (leased) space, ranging from offices, dedicated (or departmental) classrooms, research and instructional laboratories, to storage.
Scheduling of instructional activities for General Assignment Classrooms by academic departments, as well as short term or single use reservations of such rooms by academic or administrative units, should be addressed to the Timetable and Classroom Scheduling in the Office of the Registrar at 262-6345 or Room 60 in the Peterson Office Building. Student groups should submit requests to the Memorial Union Reservations Desk at 262-2511.
Acting on space requests typically requires substantial lead times. To implement assignments, space must be identified, use and requirements must be analyzed, release and reassignment negotiated, and timetables have to be established. To facilitate this process, campus units should review, document and submit their requests to the dean's or director's office five to six months in advance* of the semester for which space is needed. Space Management should receive requests for the
*NOTE: If space requested is for conversion of a General Assignment classroom, the Fall Semester submittal date is February 1 and the Summer Sessions submittal date is November 1.
If remodeling of newly assigned space will be needed, additional time must be allowed. Departments should contact their deans or directors office for review and approval of their proposal. The department requesting the remodeling is typically responsible for securing funding
A Principal Investigator, individual faculty member, or appropriate staff member prepares the space request. Details of needs should be documented to the extent possible, using the UW–S1 form. This package is then forwarded to the department chair or unit director for consideration. It is suggested that departments discuss proposed requests in advance with the dean's office. The chair may request analysis or review of the department's current space or its utilization from Space Management. The request must be submitted in writing through the dean's office to Space Management.
The department chair either approves, denies or defers the request (for administrative units and support services, the request typically is reviewed only by the director). Approved requests are then forwarded to the dean's office.
The deans or directors office reviews the request for space, and either approves, denies or refers the request for analysis to Space Management. The dean may also request analysis or review of a department's current space or its utilization from Space Management. The request must be submitted in writing by the deans office to Space Management.
Requests typically are denied when a unit can accommodate space needs internally, or if the deans office assigns a lower priority to a request. Similarly, deans/directors may defer the unit's request if the expressed need has not yet materialized, or if other internal rearrangements are anticipated for the near future.
Upon receipt of a request from the deans or directors office, Space Management reviews the UW–S1 for completeness (signatures, data, other information needed). For approved requests, the deans/directors office will discuss relative priorities with Space Management. Space Policies and Procedures 4
A space needs analysis is then prepared, using information from the UW–S1 form. The analysis may also include a review of other data such as ASF/FTE tables, average/unusual room size(s) in a building, special needs related to activities or type of staff to be accommodated, walk through reviews of space and its use, enrollment data/trends, research/grant related information, etc. Preliminary recommendations or observations based on the analysis are prepared by Space Management. These are discussed with the department(s) and/or deans office(s), before a recommendation to the SRPC is made.
All formal requests for space submitted to Space Management are reported to the SRPC with a recommendation to either:
If an approval is recommended, Space Management will have a preferred space option identified. That option will be recommended for assignment to the department or unit. Before recommending approval, Space Management will have sought agreement to the recommendation from the affected department(s), including notification of other departments who may have expressed an interest in the recommended space, and the deans office(s).
If a "deny" or "close" recommendation is made, the request will have either been addressed internally or no space in the amount or of the type requested could be located nor is likely to be identified in the foreseeable future.
A recommendation to "continue" indicates that the requested amount or type of space could not currently be made available. Space Management will continue to seek the space requested up to the next annual Fall Space Survey, or up to six months from the date of submittal, unless the dean/director or department formally withdraws the request earlier. After that time, the request is "closed" and space needs must be resubmitted via the space request process, and re-initiated through the deans/directors office. The department and dean will be notified by Space Management when a request is closed.
The Committee then either approves or alters any or all of the Space Management recommendations. Departments will be notified by letter/memo of the Committee's decision.
All requests for space at the UW–Madison are to be submitted on a UW–S1 "Request for Space Assignment" form (with attached documentation as necessary). If the Space Management Office and the deans office/department determine that a program or project cannot be accommodated within campus facilities, leased space may be considered. The school/college/department has the option to lease the needed space, if funds are available to pay the rental costs, or to wait until appropriate on-campus space can be identified.
In some cases, the type of space required precludes consideration of an on-campus location. Generally, the leasing of space by the University is considered an interim solution to space problems and is intended to continue only if appropriate University-owned space does not become available.
Authority to approve and negotiate leases for privately-owned space resides with the State Department of Administration. University employees have no authority to and may not make or imply commitments on behalf of the University related to such space under any circumstances. Deans' offices and departments may not specify lease locations or terms in leased space requests in order not to preclude or conflict with this established authority.
Depending upon the amount of space to be leased and the terms and conditions of the lease, the request may require review and approval by the Board of Regents and the State Building Commission (i.e. lease is greater than 10,000 square feet or over five year initial term).
Mandated advertising and bidding requirements for lease requests for certain types of space, or for those exceeding certain square footages may apply.
A standard lease process will require at least four to six months lead time before occupancy may occur.
It is the department's responsibility to identify funds to cover the annual costs of renting space at the time of submission of the request.
In consultation with the deans office, a department chair may prepare a leased space request for leasing privately-owned space, or endorse and forward a request prepared by a principal investigator, faculty member, or designated staff member. The request must be documented via the "Space Request-State Owned & Leased Facilities" form, providing additional background information and justification as necessary. The situation should be discussed with the Space Management Office before a request form is submitted and that office will provide assistance in completing the form.
The deans/directors office is responsible for formally submitting all endorsed leased space requests and associated documentation to the Space Management Office on the department's behalf.
Upon receipt of the leased space request from the dean or director, Space Management reviews the information for completeness and assesses whether the leased space request substantiates the program's needs, verifies the appropriate amount and type of space needed, and verifies whether adequate funding will be available to cover the costs of a lease.
With Space Management's endorsement, lease requests are forwarded to the Department of Administration, Division of Building and Police Services. If approved, the lease space request goes to the Department of Administration, State Leasing Officer, who searches for potential lease properties and ultimately, negotiates a lease. Space Management monitors progress and status of the lease negotiations and facilitates communication of this information with the dean's office and department.
Firm plans for relocation can only be pursued once necessary approvals are received and time schedules are known. The department is responsible for providing funds to cover the cost of moving. Upon request, Space Management staff will assist in the move planning process.
Any remodeling or improvements in the proposed leased space must be identified by the department and endorsed and approved by the dean's office at the time of lease negotiation. These proposals also require review and approval by the owner and the State Department of Administration. The cost of such improvements is the department's responsibility.
Upon receipt of a space request/space review request, Space Management staff will compile information to allow analysis and a recommendation on the current use of space, as well as on projected needs and how these may be met. Generally, the analysis and recommendation is shared with the dean's office as well as the specific unit making the request and with any other units impacted by the request or the recommendation. Input on the analysis and recommendations are sought from all affected units, and conclusions are drawn utilizing the following sources of information:
Guidelines allow for an average of about 120 to 135 Assignable Square Feet (ASF) per funded Full Time Equivalent (FTE) of office space, plus up to 15 ASF per FTE for office service and up to 10 ASF per FTE for shared conference space. It should be noted that these numbers reflect ideal conditions and are used for initial projections only.
All guidelines apply for funded FTE staff, including faculty/staff, administrators, classified staff, payrolled graduate assistants, and funded student positions. The guidelines do not address space allocations for fellowship recipients. For these individuals, as well as emeritus faculty, space needs can be considered in consultation between a department, the respective deans office and Space Management, as space availability allows.
Guidelines should be seen as general benchmarks, and not entitlements for individual or specific situations. Thus, all reviews of ASF/FTE data are done in the context of special needs or circumstances of a given unit. Consideration is given to unusual room sizes, layouts, conditions of the space, or other appropriate factors.
A primary data source for all space reviews is the UW–Madison "Room Inventory File" data base, which is maintained by Space Management through the annual space survey process. In the best interest of campus units to help maintain this data base accurately, and to help update room records during the survey.
Depending on the type of request, information reviewed may also include specifics on research grants (duration, special needs, time frame for activities, etc.), enrollment data, trends and projections, utilization review of instructional spaces (labs and departmental classrooms), verification of FTE payroll sources and FTE enrollment and staffing projections.
The data may be gathered for the unit requesting the space, as well as for units nearby. Space Management also initiates space reviews in support of new construction or major remodeling initiatives, or when academic/research program shifts offer opportunities to reassign space. These reviews are designed to assist departments and colleges to make the best possible use of space, to suggest alternatives, and to help identify options.
A site visit and consultation with the requesting unit's staff provides an excellent means for understanding a unit's space use and needs. Space Management staff site visits are conducted by walking through all/most space assigned to a given unit with unit staff, and by comparing room utilization data from the annual space survey to observed activities. This procedure will help assure a better understanding by Space Management staff of the space needs, and may also help identify space options not apparent to the current users.
UW–Madison units moving to a new location should coordinate move dates with their respective dean’s or director’s office, as well as the Space Management Office. Coordination between the unit vacating space and the new occupants also helps assure that space is ready when needed. Units should expect to find their new space in move-in condition. Similarly, the space vacated must be cleared of all equipment and furnishings by the coordinated move date(s). Normally, the department is responsible for its moving costs. The Space Management Office has prepared The Moving Guide manual to help units plan moves, and Space Management will assist in the process upon request Call 263-3045 for more information or review The Moving Guide manual on this website.
To assure a smooth transition for all moving units, the following issues should be considered:
Units vacating space are responsible for returning that space to a move-in condition, less ordinary wear and tear or routine maintenance needs. In general, units may remove and take with them all equipment they purchased which is not considered a permanent part of the building, including items such as custom telecommunication equipment and data hubs.
Equipment and furnishings that were acquired within a building project budget are considered to belong to the institution and stay "with the building". They may not be removed. Similarly, installed equipment that serves other building occupants may not be removed without coordination with the other users. Routine maintenance or other repair needs should be brought to the attention of Physical Plant (263-3333) and Space Management (263-3045) by the unit vacating the space. Repairs for damages beyond ordinary wear and tear, and the cost for the removal of remaining equipment and furnishings, may be charged to the unit leaving the space.
Physical Plant maintenance and trade shops (263-3333) will prepare vacated space for the next occupants. Services provided include necessary painting, janitorial services and routine maintenance items. Past and future space occupants should also coordinate schedules to allow other preparatory work in the space.
Custom remodeling, installation of equipment or some painting may be subject to service fees. Remodeling projects should be coordinated with the deans office.
Units can secure moving assistance from either Physical Plant or the current UW–Madison contract mover. Both charge for services provided. In addition to the information available in "The Moving Guide," Space Management Office staff will help units to plan and coordinate move activities upon request.
