Date Created: November 8, 2023 Last Updated: June 21, 2024
Overview: The security of university owned residential buildings located on the Ithaca campus presents moderate/high operational risks for Student & Campus Life that require due diligence to mitigate the risks in avoidance of physical or psychological harm to property or individuals that could result in expenses or reputational harm to the university.
Criticality: Moderate/High | Frequency: Daily | Turnaround: Daily |
Process Owner(s) / Key Parties / Contacts / Responsibilities:
- Students: Comply with housing expectations and requirements, attend required trainings, and report behaviors that have a risk for physical or psychological harm to themselves or others.
- Housing and Residential Life and West Campus Housing Staff: Collaborate with emergency response personnel and campus partners to provide healthy and safe living environments where residents and their visitors are held accountable for behaviors that violate housing contracts, the Campus Code of Conduct, or key agreements. Maintain housing and membership rosters that identify house residents. Provide regular routine checks and document findings. Manage user access to systems that store housing and membership rosters. Support Facilities in the collection of funds necessitated by damages to or access breaches in residence halls. Collaborate with the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards in the triage and management of behavioral misconduct cases and ensure accountability for sanction completion.
- Facilities and Conference and Event Services Staff: Manage building access and property management through coordination with Housing and Residential Life/West Campus House System, Fire Marshall, CUPD, EHS, and Student Disability Services for health and safety needs. Coordinate accessibility accommodations as needed. Manage user access to systems that store key or card access and surveillance camera data.
- Student Conduct and Community Standards: Investigates and manages violations then delivers and monitors sanction completion. Reports criminal behaviors to law enforcement.
- Cornell University Police Department: Respond and serve as lead command during incidents where safety of individuals and/or property are deemed to be at risk. Report and investigate serious behavioral incidents to appropriate authorities.
Key Documents / Sources of Information:
- University Policy 8.4, Management of Keys and Other Access Control Systems
- Student and Campus Life Policy Addendum to Cornell University Policy 8.4 – Management of Keys and Other Access Control Systems (see Brandi Smith-Berger for access)
- University Policy 8.1, Responsible Use of Video Surveillance Systems
- University Policy 5.9 Access to Information Technology Data and Monitoring Network Transmissions
- SCL Facilities Area Key Coordinator organizational chart
- SCL System Access Control Policy & Procedure: 1.0: Deprovisioning of high-risk systems: https://cornell.app.box.com/file/1177252395492
- Cornell University Police Department
- Cornell Ethics and Compliance Hotline
- Student and Campus Life - Report an Incident
- Campus Watch
- Lock change Workflow Process (copy in Box, see Brandi Smith-Berger for master/original)
- OSCCS flowcharts
System Access Needed:
- AccessIT!
- Key Management System (KMS)
- StarRez
- Canvas
- Campus Kaizen Guardian
Key Risks | Key Controls |
Current staffing model does not allow for segregation of duties for key and card access management of SCL owned buildings. | 1. SCL Facilities and Conference and Event Services to request resources and align duties as needed to fulfill requirements. Target date of August 2025. |
Deprovisioning of systems access controls for systems that manage, building access, key and card management, housing assignments, building surveillance, Campus Code of Conduct violations, and behavioral concerns. | 1. High risk systems that are owned by SCL are audited and accounts are deprovisioned during Fall and Spring semesters. AccessIT! is managed outside of SCL. |
Key or card access for exceptions (i.e., shabbat students) is managed on a case-by-case basis and is not documented in written procedures. | 1. Facilities conducts audit of temp badges for card access to SCL owned buildings. Conference and Event Services Operations conducts an audit of physical key inventory for SCL-owned buildings and requires loaned keys back at the end of each semester. |
Key access for students involves coordination by Housing, SCL Facilities, and Conference and Event Services. | 1. In progress, transition is underway and process to be in place by August 2025: all keys for residence halls to be picked up and returned to an assigned Service Center or House Office. |
It is widely believed that students prop doors open, share card access, and enter with visitors who do not have credentials checked. | 1. Resident Advisors and House Assistant Deans conduct routine rounds and document open doors, broken locks/equipment, lost keys/cards, lock-outs, and safety concerns. |
Visitor check-in/out does not exist for SCL owned residential buildings. | 1. Residence halls with installed surveillance cameras can be utilized for investigative purposes following a serious allegation. |
Risk behaviors result in noncompliance with the Campus Code of Conduct. | 1. Violations of the Campus Code of Conduct are managed through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, and when appropriate violations are referred to local, state, and federal authorities for action. |
Surveillance cameras are not installed on all SCL owned residential properties. | 1. |
Glossary of Key Terms/Acronyms:
- MC: Mitigating Control
- CUPD: Cornell University Police Department
- EH&S: Environmental Health & Safety
- OSCCS: Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards
Alternative Access Key Agreement 6.21.24
Card Access
Lock Change Workflow Process 6.21.24








