Calvin College Academic Building Access Policy

The Calvin College Academic Building Access Policy is designed to increase the safety of all faculty, staff and students who work and study in our academic buildings.  It also attempts to increase the physical security the college’s buildings and properties.  This policy establishes normal building access hours as well as procedures for requesting student access outside of normal academic building access hours.     

A.     Fall and spring semesters building access schedule

I.                    Normal academic building access hours (When academic buildings will be unlocked) are  as follows:           

a.      Monday – Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

b.      Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

c.       Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  As an exception to this rule, the Fieldhouse complex is open until 10:00 p.m. 

d.      Sunday: Closed

e.      Exceptions to regular building closure times would be for specific events that are being held in specific venues.

f.        The Hekman Library has different hours than listed hours for academic buildings.  The Hekman Library’s normal hours are as follows:

                                                                          i.       Monday – Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 midnight

                                                                        ii.       Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

                                                                      iii.      Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

                                                                      iv.      Sunday: Closed

                                                                        v.      Exceptions to regular building closure times would be for end of quarter examinations for seminary students and end of semester examinations for college students.  During those periods, the Hekman Library will remain open until 2:00 a.m. weeknights and until 10:00 p.m. on Saturdays, the full week before exams and the Saturday before that full week.  Specific hours for the Hekman Library can be found at http://library.calvin.edu/about_lib/hours 

II.                  Beyond normal building hours, card access for students will be as follows:

a.      Monday – Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.

b.      Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

c.       Sunday: No access

III.                Beyond normal building hours card access for faculty and staff will be:

24 hour access, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to the academic building they work in. 

IV.               Times students will not be permitted to work in any academic building:

a.      Monday – Friday: Before 7:00 a.m. or after 1:00 a.m.

b.      Saturday: Before 7:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m.

c.       Sunday: No access

d.      As a general policy, Calvin College prohibits students from being in academic buildings after 1:00 a.m.  Monday through Friday and after 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, unless there is an exception that has been approved with the Campus Safety Department.  Unauthorized students located in academic buildings after the listed times will be removed from the building.

e.      As an exception, students who need special access to academic buildings outside of normal access time will need a note of permission from a faculty or staff member.  The note must be an official note of permission, authenticated in KnightVision by the faculty or staff member who is granting permission.  The student must be in possession of the note and present it to any college official, along with their Calvin College identification card upon request.  The Campus Safety Department will maintain a list of students who have been given permission for building access outside of normal access times.  The list will include the name and the identification number of the student along with the name of the faculty or staff member giving permission.  The room number that the student has access to must also be included.  The information must be submitted at least twenty four (24) hours prior to the date access is being requested.  Faculty and Staff can find the permission form on the Campus Safety website at: www.calvin.edu/form/auth/cs-buildingaccess

f.        Individual students will not be permitted to remain by themselves in academic buildings after normal building access times, even if they are in possession of an authenticated note of permission.  A minimum of two students must be present due to concerns for personal safety and security issues.   

B.      Summer academic building access schedule

I.                    Normal academic building access hours (When academic buildings will be unlocked) are  as follows:

a.      Monday – Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

b.      Saturday – Sunday: Closed

c.       Exceptions to regular building closure times would be for special events that are being held in specific venues.

d.      The Hekman Library has different hours than listed hours for academic buildings.  The Hekman Library’s normal hours are as follows:

                                                                          i.      Monday –Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

                                                                        ii.      Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

                                                                      iii.      Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

                                                                      iv.      Sunday: Closed

                                                                        v.      Exceptions to regular building closure times are for the two weeks after the last summer session when the library hours are:        

1.      Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

2.      Saturday: Closed

3.      Sunday: Closed

                                                                      vi.      The week prior to the start of the fall semester the library hours are:

1.      Monday –Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

2.      Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

3.      Saturday: Closed

4.      Sunday: Closed

II.                  Beyond normal building hours card access for students will be as follows:

a.      Monday – Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

b.      Saturday: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

c.       Sunday: No access

d.      As a general policy, Calvin College prohibits students from being in academic buildings after 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and after 5:00 p.m. on Saturday unless there is an exception that has been approved with the Campus Safety Department.  Unauthorized students located in academic buildings after the listed times will be removed from the building. 

e.      As an exception, students who need special access to academic buildings outside of normal access time will need a note of permission from a faculty or staff member.  The note must be an official note of permission, authenticated in KnightVision by the faculty or staff member who is granting permission.  The student must be in possession of the note and present it to any college official, along with their Calvin College identification card upon request.  The Campus Safety Department will maintain a list of students who have been given permission for building access outside of normal access times.  The list will include the name and the identification number of the student along with the name of the faculty or staff member giving permission.  The room number that the student has access to must also be included.  The information must be submitted at least twenty four (24) hours prior to the date access is being requested.  Faculty and Staff can find the permission form on the Campus Safety website at: www.calvin.edu/form/auth/cs-buildingaccess 

f.        Individual students will not be permitted to remain by themselves in academic buildings after normal building access times, even if they are in possession of an authenticated note of permission.  A minimum of two students must be present due to concerns for personal safety and security issues.

C.      College Holidays:

I.                    During specific holidays recognized by Calvin College, all academic buildings will remain closed and regular access will not be granted to students. 

II.                  As an exception, students who need special access will need a note of permission from a faculty or staff member.  The note must be an official note of permission, authenticated in KnightVision by the faculty or staff member who is granting permission.  The student must be in possession of the note and present it to any college official, along with their Calvin College identification card upon request.  The Campus Safety Department will maintain a list of students who have been given permission for building access outside of normal access times.  The list will include the name and the identification number of the student along with the name of the faculty or staff member giving permission.  The room number that the student has access to must also be included.  The information must be submitted at least twenty four (24) hours prior to the date access is being requested.  Faculty and Staff can find the permission form on the Campus Safety website at: www.calvin.edu/form/auth/cs-buildingaccess 

III.                Below are the recognized holidays when the college campus is closed:

a.      New Years Day

b.      Good Friday

c.       Memorial Day

d.      Independence Day

e.      Labor Day

f.        Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after Thanksgiving

g.      Christmas Day

h.      Normally defined work days between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

D.     Securing and opening of academic buildings.

I.                    Building Services personnel will be responsible for unlocking of academic buildings beginning at 7:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, and will lock buildings by 10:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and by 8:00 p.m. on Fridays.  On Saturdays, buildings will either be unlocked at 8:00 a.m. or buildings will remain locked and card access will be used to gain access to those buildings.  An exception to a building remaining locked would be if there were specific events that required individual buildings to be opened to permit access to the general public to attend those events.  Buildings that are unlocked would be secured by 5:00 p.m. or when the scheduled event has ended.