Campus Operations

Workspace Assignment (Interim)

Policy Owner: Vice President for Capital Planning and Capital Operations
Responsible Office: Space Management
Origination Date: July 30, 2026
Last Revised: n/a

Click here for a printable pdf

Definitions

Dedicated Workspace: a workspace assigned to one employee.

Shared/Rotational Workspace: a workspace assigned to two or more employees who use it on different days or at different times.

Touchdown Workspace: an unassigned workspace that can be reserved for short-term or occasional use.

University Facilities: all buildings or other properties owned, operated, managed, or controlled by the University wherever located.

Policy

A.    Scope

1.  This policy applies to all University workspaces within University Facilities including any employee workspace designated by Space Management for individual, shared, rotational, occasional, or temporary work use.
2. This policy does not apply to classrooms, event venues, research laboratories and spaces, or temporary structures.

B.    Workspace Ownership and Allocation

1. All University workspaces are institutional resources. Workspace assignment does not create ownership, permanent occupancy rights, or an entitlement to a specific workspace, furniture configuration, or workspace type.
2. Space Management allocates workspaces to units, maintains the official record of space assignments, establishes and applies space standards, evaluates utilization, approves workspace changes, and reassigns workspace when necessary to support University priorities, operational needs, safety, or efficient space utilization.
3. Units may assign specific workspaces to individual employees within the space allocated to the unit by Space Management and in accordance with this policy and applicable procedures. Supervisors must notify Space Management of individual workspace assignments upon initial assignment and when any changes occur, including reporting vacant workspace.

C.    Workspace Assignment

1. Workspace assignments must be based on a prioritization of University needs rather than individual or unit preference or historical occupancy.
2. Space Management and units must consider the following factors when allocating and assigning workspace:
   1. a.     On-campus frequency: the employee’s regular on-campus in-person work frequency.
   2. b.    Role requirements: confidentiality, student service requirements, frequency of in-person meetings, supervision, collaboration, public-facing duties, and other documented work requirements.
   3. c.     Operational needs: unit continuity, service delivery, adjacency needs, schedule coordination, staffing patterns, peak periods, and institutional priorities.
   4. d.    Space availability and standards: current inventory, space standards, capacity, building configuration and constraints, and utilization data.
   5. e.    Safety, accessibility, and compliance: fire and life safety, information security, records confidentiality, disability accommodations, and applicable policies.
3. Space Management may change workspace allocations, and units may change workspace assignments, when the factors listed above change.
4. On-campus work frequency guides workspace assignments.
   1. a.     Employees who regularly work on campus five or more days per week may be assigned a Dedicated Workspace.
   2. b.    Employees who regularly work on campus three to four days per week may be assigned a Dedicated Workspace or a Shared/Rotational Workspace.
   3. c.     Employees who regularly work on campus zero to two days per week, employees approved to work fully remotely, and field-based or seasonal employees may reserve Touchdown Workspaces as needed. These employees may be assigned Dedicated or Shared/Rotational Workspace only if justified by role requirements and operational needs.

D.   Workspace Scheduling and Use

1. Shared/Rotational Workspaces
   1. a.     Supervisors may require employees to maintain consistent weekly or term-based on-campus schedules to support effective workspace sharing.
   2. b.    Supervisors may require employees to adjust schedules during holidays, peak or slow periods, or based on operational needs.
   3. c.     Employees may not treat a Shared/Rotational Workspace as a permanently assigned space unless Space Management approves that assignment.
2. Touchdown Workspaces
   1. a.     Employees must reserve Touchdown Workspaces following the appropriate procedures.
   2. b.    Employees must follow all designated rules for the space.
3. Clean-Desk and End-of-Day Requirements
   1. a.     Employees using Shared/Rotational or Touchdown Workspaces must clear the workspace at the end of each day, remove all personal items, and leave the space ready for the next authorized user.

E.    Modifications, Furniture, Equipment, and Appliances

1. Space Management and the hosting unit must approve workspace modifications or appliances in advance when building systems or safety may be affected.
2. Furniture, fixtures, equipment, and technology assigned to a workspace are University property and remain with the workspace unless Space Management or ITS approves removal or relocation.

F.    Compliance and Exceptions

1. Violations of this policy may result in workspace reassignment or revocation of shared space access.
2. Employees who violate this policy may be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.
3. The Vice President for Capital Planning and Campus Operations or designee must approve exceptions to this policy.

Related Information*

Access and Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities

            Employee Accommodation Requests

Campus Use

Code of Conduct

Employee Personnel Records Management

Fire Safety Manual

Flexible Workplace Options

Information Technology Policy Manual

Inspection, Review, and Amendment of Student Records

Key Control

Use of University Property

Policy History*

07/30/2026: Interim policy adopted.

 

* Related Information and Policy History are solely for the user’s convenience and are not part of the official university policy.