The Monroe Park and MCV facilities coordinators work with building managers to communicate campus updates and maintain a list of current building managers and other emergency contacts. The appropriate facilities coordinator should be informed if there is a new building manager or if a current building manager needs to update their contact information. 

Contact information

Visit the facilities coordinators page for more information and contact information. 

Below is a list of building managers:

• Monroe Park Campus
• MCV Campus

Responsibilities 

• Serving as the primary point of contact (POC) between their school or department and FMD as well as SRM. 
• Reviewing, consolidating and submitting work requests on behalf of building occupants, and responding to work request surveys upon completion of the work.
• Communicating with Facilities Operations Center to request emergency or non-emergency services, as necessary. 
• Coordinating the provision of facility services, as necessary. 
• Communicating the status of building issues and updates to building occupants.
• Working with facilities coordinators to seek solutions to recurring service issues.
• Assisting with other facilities-related tasks to help maintain a safe and healthy work environment for building tenants. 

Resources

• The building manager certificate is available in Talent@VCU and consists of modules and LinkedIn Learning. For assistance, questions and feedback about the certificate, contact Shana Ryman at sryman@vcu.edu.
• The new employee orientation training video introduces new employees to the building manager role, why it is important and how to contact their building manager and it provides an overview of FMD services. 

VCU employees, faculty, students and affiliates must report emergency facility issues—issues that require an immediate response to avoid potential injury or illness to building tenants and/or damage to university property—to the Facilities Operations Center by calling (804) 828-9444. When reporting an emergency, provide the location (i.e., building, floor and room number) and a detailed description of the issue. 

Emergency custodial

Report emergency custodial issues that must be addressed immediately to the Operations Center at (804) 828-9444. Examples include an overflowing toilet or sink or a spill that tenants are not able to clean on their own to prevent slips, trips and falls.

Emergency key or lock issues and alarms

If a key or lock has broken in a location that could pose a potential security risk if left unattended, contact the Operations Center at (804) 828-9444.

Alternatively, contact either the VCU Police Department at (804) 828-1196 for non-emergencies or (804) 828-1234 for emergencies if:

• A key or lock appears to have been tampered with. Nothing should be touched so VCU Police can check the scene upon arrival.
• A key or lock is broken and a high security room must be accessed 
• A door alarm sounds unexpectedly

Gas and unusual odor

Gas and unusual odor (e.g., smoke or exhaust) in VCU facilities should be immediately reported to the Operations Center at (804) 828-9444. If the odor is in a lab, avoid lighting a flame and do not operate any electrical switches. If the situation poses an immediate threat to building tenants, pull a nearby fire alarm so tenants evacuate the building.

Hazardous material spills

Be prepared to respond to a hazardous material (i.e., biological, chemical and radiological material) spill in a VCU facility by establishing appropriate spill control measures and providing personal protective equipment (PPE) for the chemicals in spaces where they are used. A hazardous material spill can pose a serious risk if it is not quickly and correctly addressed. In the event of a hazardous material spill, building managers must immediately contact SRM at (804) 828-9834.

Spill determination and communication

If a chemical spill or release is discovered (regardless of the size or whether individuals can clean it up on their own), the building manager must follow the steps below:

• Notify the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS-SRM) unit by calling (804) 828-1392. 
• Determine the appropriate response for the type of spill by reviewing the chemical’s safety data sheet (SDS). The response will typically depend on the spill size but there can be exceptions depending on the chemical. There are two types of spills: 
• A simple spill is a spill that does not spread rapidly, immediately endanger people or property, or endanger the environment, and it can be cleaned up by those who caused the spill.
• A complex spill requires outside assistance. 
  • Consider the following to determine whether the spill is simple or complex: type of chemical(s) spilled; quantity; hazardous characteristics of the spilled chemical(s) (refer to the SDS); location of the spill; whether individuals have proper knowledge for cleaning up the spill; and availability of appropriate PPE and spill supplies.

Recommended procedures for cleaning up simple spills

Follow the procedures below to clean up simple spills:

• Prevent the spread of dusts and vapors.
• Neutralize acids and bases, if possible. Use soda ash or sodium bicarbonate to neutralize acids, and citric acid or ascorbic acid to neutralize bases. Use pH paper (if available) to determine whether acid or base spills have been neutralized.
• Control the spread of the liquid and contain the spill. Make a dike around the outside edges of the spill by using absorbent materials such as vermiculite, cat litter or spill pads/pillows.
• Absorb the liquid. Add absorbents to the spill, working from the spill's outer edges toward the center. 
• Collect and contain the cleanup residues. The neutralized spill residue or the absorbent should be scooped, swept or otherwise placed into a plastic bucket or other container. For dry powders or liquids absorbed to dryness, double bag the residue using plastic bags.
• Clean up materials resulting from chemical spills must be disposed of as hazardous waste. Contact EHS-SRM or submit a waste removal request to have the waste removed.

Recommended procedures for cleaning up large or complex spills

Follow the procedures below to clean up large or complex spills:

• In the event of a large or complex spill, immediately call EHS-SRM at (804) 828-9834.
• If safe to do so, control the spread of the liquid and contain the spill. Make a dike around the outside edges of the spill using absorbent materials such as vermiculite, cat litter or spill pads/pillows.
• For large spills that may pose an immediate danger to tenants’ lives and/or health, it may be necessary to evacuate the space.

If a serious exposure or injury has occurred, seek medical attention immediately and then contact EHS-SRM.

For information about how to respond to spills in VCU laboratories, reference the VCU Chemical Hygiene Plan. Each lab should also have an Emergency Action Plan.

Power outages

If the power goes out in an entire building, floor or room, report the outage to the Operations Center at (804) 828-9444 to prevent potential harm to building tenants, electrical equipment, scientific equipment and/or experiments, as applicable. Building managers should coordinate with tenants to turn off electrical equipment, appliances and computers to prevent potential damage when power is restored. Also, they should inform the impacted tenants of when power is expected to be restored.

Water main or sewer line breaks

In the event of a major water main or sewer line break, immediately contact the Operations Center at (804) 828-9444 and note the scale (e.g., drip, gush or torrent) of the break. If the situation poses an immediate threat to tenants, pull a nearby fire alarm so tenants evacuate the building and then immediately contact the Operations Center. 

FMD offers a variety of non-emergency services that can be requested by building managers and other VCU contacts depending on the type of service. Most non-emergency services, maintenance-type services can be requested via the Facilities Self Service (FSS), which is managed by the Facilities Operations Center, and most requests will be addressed by Facilities Operations. The FSS can be accessed by anyone with an active VCU eID. Once a request is submitted, the requesting individual will receive automatically-generated work status email updates. The individual will also receive and is encouraged to complete a customer satisfaction survey once the work is completed. Building managers are encouraged, but are not required to, collect and submit requests on behalf of building tenants. 

To manage routine, non-emergency service requests, building managers can check in with their facilities coordinator for an update on the status of their request.

The cost of non-emergency services vary. The FMD E&G budget covers the university’s E&G and research facilities’ costs of operation and maintenance (i.e., base provisions). However, the cost of basic operation and maintenance services provided to auxiliary enterprises (e.g., VCU Athletics and VCU Residential Life and Housing) are billed to the respective auxiliary enterprise unit. Examples of base provisions include, but are not limited to, utilities (e.g., electrical, natural gas, steam, water, sewer and fuel oil), maintenance, plumbing, mechanical systems, electrical, fire alarms, building automation systems, and building-related interior and exterior repairs. 

The cost of services requested by departments or schools that are not considered base provisions, including improvements, additions and modifications, are billed to the requesting department or school regardless of whether they are E&G-funded or auxiliary enterprise departments or schools.

Service costs and estimates can be found on the shop rates web page.

The FSS includes a financial history reporting feature that allows building managers and department financial managers to review billed and unbilled costs for work orders. These contacts can access the feature by logging into the FSS and clicking “Financial History” under the “Reports” drop down in the top menu.

Maintenance and trades services

For information about non-emergency services provided by FMD, such as electrical, keys, building access, pests, painting and more, visit the maintenance services web page.

Custodial

For information about custodial services, visit the custodial operations web page.

Materials management

Facilities Operations, General Services provides a variety of materials management services on a reimbursable basis, including furniture moves for departments or schools relocating to a new space, special event setup, table and chair rentals, modular furniture assembly, and short-term storage. Visit the General Services web page for more information.

Steam leak or pressure loss

In the event of a non-emergency steam leak or pressure loss in your building, report the issue via the FSS. Emergency issues should be reported to the Operations Center at (804) 828-9444. 

In the event of a complete loss of steam pressure at the powerhouse, the Operations Center will contact the appropriate building manager(s) to inform them of the issue and when the steam will be restored.  

VCU Construction Management oversees new construction, reconstruction, renovation, restoration, major repairs, demolition and other related work. Construction Management has three main groups that manage these efforts: Capital Construction, University Renovations and Maintenance Reserve. 

Building managers, as well as staff and faculty, can submit a construction or renovation request on behalf of their department or school via eBuilder. Once a request is submitted, a Construction Management representative will contact the requesting individual to discuss next steps. Typical service requests include estimates, scope development and design coordination, permitting and regulatory authorization, bidding/procurement, construction management to include invoice processing, commissioning, move management coordination, occupancy, operational turnover, and warranty management. 

Building managers are encouraged to submit a request via eBuilder or call Construction Management at (804) 827-3841 or the Operations Center at (804) 828-9444 to request a project consultation at no cost. A Construction Management representative will discuss compliance and regulatory requirements to ensure the success of university partners. Detailed budget estimates will be developed and authorized by the client prior to proceeding with any project. Only projects that proceed will include a nominal fee for Construction Management's service, which are equitably scaled to the size and scope of the project to ensure the highest value to the client. The fee will cover the cost of the efforts performed by the project manager and the project inspector assigned to the project as well as administrative support requirement efforts provided by the Virginia construction contracting officer, such as Virginia construction procurement and bidding, executing contracts, invoice processing, and proper contract and project closeout. During consultation, all options and fees can be discussed.   

Tents and stages erected on property owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia require permits issued by the Division of Engineering and Buildings. Construction Management oversees client requests, submission and issuance of such permits. Any construction activity in any facility owned by the Commonwealth of Virginia requires either a job permit issued by the university architect through Construction Management or a building permit issued by the Division of Engineering and Buildings through Construction Management. Contact Construction Management for a consultation free of charge to ensure regulatory compliance.   

Visit the Construction Management web page and the University Renovations web page for more information about these services. 

VCU employees, faculty and students can request or participate in a variety of parking and transportation services, including obtaining a parking permit, taking advantage of alternative transportation opportunities, or repairing or learning about bicycle topics with RamBikes.

Building managers may be responsible for helping oversee their department or school’s fleet management program. The program offers customers opportunities to have their vehicle maintained and repaired through the Office of Fleet Management Services, offers 24-hour roadside assistance, appointment scheduling and towing. Vehicles can also be purchased and leased through the fleet management program with approval from the Vice President of Administration. Departments and schools that use this service are charged with their index code. 

Visit the Parking and Transportation website for more information about these services.  

Building managers, as well as VCU employees and faculty, can submit a planning or design request on behalf of their department or school via eBuilder. Once a request is submitted, a Planning and Design representative will contact the requesting individual to discuss next steps. 

Building managers, as well as VCU faculty and employees, can also request permanent signage via the FSS. Requests are overseen by the signage manager who can assist with creating consistent, cohesive and informative signage for the Monroe Park Campus and the MCV Campus to enhance the unity of the university from the surrounding community. Signage requests will be billed to the requesting department or school. The cost of these services will be billed to the requesting department or school. For more information about signage, visit the Signage Standards web page.

For more information about planning and design services, visit the Planning and Design web page.

Building managers, as well as VCU employees and faculty, can request a variety of services related to their department or school’s space management, including: 

• Requesting a new space, function change or space reassignment by submitting the appropriate space request form. 
• Accessing facility documents and drawings via PlanAXess, which is available upon request to VCU and non-VCU users. 
• Retrieving up-to-date space data, including floor plans, room numbers, departments and occupancy, via FM:Interact, which is available upon request to approved VCU administrators and employees with an active VCU eID. 
• Requesting assistance with building room numbering. 

To learn more about these services and how to gain access, visit the Space Management web page. 

VCU Sustainability offers numerous sustainability services, such as renting a plot or volunteering at the MCV Campus Community Garden, learning to grow food at the Monroe Park Campus Learning Garden, or donating or taking items from the Free Store at the Monroe Park Campus. 

For more information about these services, visit the Sustainability website. 

The university's operating status is announced on major local radio and/or television stations and on the VCU Alert website. You can also call (804) 278-1727 for the university's operating status and enroll in VCU Parking and Transportation’s text service to stay informed of parking impacts, such as facility closings and relocations due to inclement weather or emergencies.

Building managers serve as their building’s primary POC for the SRM’s Fire Safety unit, which oversees fire safety efforts and programs at VCU. Fire Safety’s efforts include overseeing inspection and testing of fire protection systems to reduce the risk of, prepare for, respond to and restore operation in response to a fire emergency in VCU buildings. They also coordinate with the Facilities Operations Center and the Richmond Bureau of Fire to prevent, prepare for and respond to fire emergencies. 

Building managers are encouraged to promote the importance of fire safety in their buildings by:

• Maintaining clean workspaces free of clutter.
• Ensuring that fire extinguishers are placed in a cabinet or hung on an approved hanger, marked with signage, and are easily accessible (within 75 feet of any location in the building).
• ABC fire extinguishers are provided in VCU buildings and can be used to extinguish most types of fires (e.g., electrical, paper or wood). However, Class D fire extinguishers should be available in spaces that work with combustible metals (e.g., magnesium or sodium). 
• Avoiding daisy chaining cords (i.e., connecting several devices or cords in the same outlet) and not using cords with frayed edges. 
• Not blocking smoke detectors, emergency exits and sprinklers—ensure that there is at least 18 inches of clearance between the sprinkler and a surface.
• Maintaining at least 28 inches of clearance in aisles. 
• Maintaining at least one marked and easily accessible emergency exits in a space. Spaces with occupancies of 50 people or more must maintain and mark at least two emergency exits. 
• Following the SDS and label instructions when working with chemicals. 
• Properly storing combustible materials. For more information, contact Fire Safety. 
• Not propping open fire rated doors. 

Building managers are encouraged to participate in SRM’s instructor-led fire safety and prevention training as well as fire extinguisher training. Visit SRM’s Training web page for more information.

Fire Safety frequently inspects fire protection equipment (e.g., fire extinguishers, fire alarms, smoke detectors and sprinkler systems). However, if any fire protection equipment needs to be serviced, submit an FSS request. 

Non-emergency fire-related issues can be reported on the Monroe Park Campus by calling (804) 828-0040 and on the MCV Campus by calling (804) 828-7899. 

For more information about fire safety at VCU, visit the VCU SRM website or contact SRM at srm@vcu.edu. 

Fire Watch Program

Building managers must serve as the POC (i.e., impairment coordinator) for the Fire Watch Program in their building(s), which is overseen by SRM Fire Safety and complies with the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code 2012. Fire Watch is a temporary measure intended to ensure continuous and systematic surveillance of an entire or portion of a building by one or more qualified individuals to identify and control fire hazards, detect early signs of unwanted fire, raise alarm of fire, and notify the fire department. Building managers must implement the program if a fire protection system (i.e., fire alarm, smoke detector or sprinkler system) is out of service for any amount of time by either instructing tenants to evacuate the building and then closing the building, or implementing an approved Fire Watch Program. 

If the Fire Watch Program is necessary, impairment coordinators must:

• Notify the fire department and VCU Operations Center at (804) 828-9444 of the fire protection system outage.
• Notify building tenants in the impacted area of the fire protection system outage. 
• Make sure qualified Fire Watch personnel are in place conducting hourly rounds and logging the Fire Watch. 

For more information, visit SRM’s Fire Safety web page. 

Fire emergency

Building managers must be familiar with the fire emergency procedures below and communicate them to their tenants. In the event of a fire emergency: 

• Activate the nearest fire alarm to alert tenants to evacuate the building. 
• Call (804) 828-1234 to report the fire emergency when it is safe to do so.
• Fire extinguishers should be used to extinguish small, containable fires that are not likely to spread. 
• SRM offers fire extinguisher training for employees. For more information, visit the SRM Training web page. 
• Immediately evacuate the building using the nearest emergency exit (look for the red, illuminated “Exit” sign).
• Avoid using the elevator and take the stairs, if possible. 
• Assist individuals who may need help. 
• If smoke is present, crouch down or crawl to evacuate the building. 
• If a door handle is hot to the touch, there is likely a fire on the other side and an alternate route should be used. 
• After evacuating the building, tenants must report to their office’s assigned meeting point. 
• Only return to the building once fire officials have confirmed it is safe to re-enter. 

To prepare for a fire emergency, buildings managers and tenants should: 

• Know where the nearest fire extinguishers, fire alarm and emergency exits are located. 
• Be familiar with their department/building’s Emergency Evacuation Plan. Quarterly reminders will be sent to evacuation coordinators to review their department/building Emergency Action Plans with their building tenants. Another reminder will be sent one month before fire evacuation drills occur so coordinators can review the document and make any necessary changes. Drills will be rated on their adherence to their Emergency Action Plan.
• Building managers should consider sending the Emergency Evacuation Plan to tenants frequently (i.e., on a quarterly basis). 

For more information or to request a copy of an office’s evacuation route map, please visit SRM’s Fire Safety web page. 

Fire evacuation drills 

VCU Fire Safety will work with building managers to schedule their annual fire evacuation drills, which are conducted each year in all VCU buildings. Building managers and tenants must exit the building anytime a fire alarm sounds. Fire evacuation assembly points are included in each building’s Emergency Action Plan that is reviewed annually.   

Building managers serve as the primary POC at their building for the VCU SRM’s safety units to help provide a healthy and safe workplace for VCU faculty, employees, students and affiliates. Visit the Safety & Risk Management website to learn more about each of the office's units listed below: 

• Occupational Safety
• Biological Safety
• Industrial Hygiene
• Lab Safety
• Radiation Safety

Office safety

Building managers that work in buildings with office spaces are encouraged to promote office safety to their tenants. Some office safety tips include:

• Ensuring walkways are free of clutter and cords.  
• Keeping cords tidy to prevent trip hazards and avoiding daisy chaining to prevent electrical hazards. 
• Immediately cleaning up spills to prevent slip hazards. If tenants are not able to properly clean up spills, contact the Facilities Operations Center at (804) 828-9444.
• Closing drawers when they are not in use and storing heavier items in lower drawers.
• Storing heavy items close to the floor on shelving and avoiding exceeding shelves’ weight capacity.
• Maintaining ergonomic workstations. Monitors should be placed at arm’s length away, the chair’s height should allow the knees to be level with the hips, and wrists should be straight with hands at or below elbow level. 
• The SRM Occupational Safety unit offers ergonomic assessments upon request. To request an assessment, email occsafety@vcu.edu. 

Safety training 

SRM provides a variety of online and instructor-led training for workplace and research/clinical studies areas such as confined space entry awareness; fall protection; hand and power tool safety; PPE; and slips, trips and fall prevention. 

Learn more by visiting the SRM Training web page.

Building tenants should take proactive steps to prevent injuries and illnesses in the workplace. If a serious injury is sustained on campus, call 911 so the individual can receive medical attention.

Employee incidents must be reported to the employees supervisor. If an employee is seriously injured (i.e., hospitalization, amputation, loss of an eye or death) and may require workers compensation, the incident should be documented via the Accident Report Form available on the VCU Human Resources (HR) website. 

Non-employee (i.e., student and and visitor) incidents as well as incidents resulting in damaged VCU property should be reported via the VCU Incident Entry Portal. Incidents involving damaged VCU property should also be reported to SRM's Insurance and Risk group by calling (804) 828-4989.

These incident reporting forms are also linked on the SRM website homepage under "Report an Incident."

Worker’s compensation

VCU uses a self-insured program administered by the Department of Human Resources Management to provide workers’ compensation benefits to its employees—including VCU faculty, employees, hourly workers and student workers—who incur an injury or illness arising out of and in the course of official work-related duties. For information, or to file a claim, visit the VCU HR Workers Compensation web page or call (804) 828-1533.

The VCU Office of Procurement Services offers a variety of procurement-related services and programs, including:

• Purchasing goods and services. The Procurement website linked here provides a breakdown of purchasing basics. Topics include, but are not limited to, making purchases of $10,000 or less as well as purchases over $10,000 and buying catering services, furniture, office supplies and more.
  
  • Many day-to-day purchases can be made through eCatalogue vendors. 
• The Purchasing Card (P-Card) program is designed to help streamline the procurement and payment processes for small purchases for VCU business purposes. Most cards are issued with standard limits of $5,000 per month and $2,500 per transaction, though higher limits are available. The card is intended for faculty and staff (e.g., building managers) who have a recurring need to purchase low-dollar goods and services. 

Additional procurement information:

• Departments should coordinate with FMD when ordering a large piece of equipment to ensure that the building supports the requirements (e.g., mechanical, electrical and plumbing [MEP]) and logistics to install it. If any changes need to be made to the MEP systems, work with FMD Contract Administration.
• Only requisitions totaling more than $10,000, which should include all documentation, will go through Procurement. Requisitions under $10,000 will not go through Procurement and cannot be split.
• Vendors working on campus require a certificate of insurance. 
• Documentation agreeing to purchases must be processed through Procurement. However, any quote with terms and conditions must be processed by FMD Contract Administration prior to submitting the requisition.
• Departments are encouraged to use small, women and minority-owned (SWaM) vendors when possible. VCU is able to do a one-time purchase up to $200,000 for SWaM-registered vendors.

Campus Card Services - Access Control Guidelines

Role of building managers

Access control is a crime prevention method whereby occupants of a building are directed to only use specified entrances and exits at any given time. Access control systems can electronically lock and unlock a building with a computer instead of requiring a person with a key. It turns magnetic locking devices on or off, monitors alarm points, and notifies the police when there is an unauthorized access or a door standing open. When a building is locked, authorized occupants can enter using their VCU ID instead of a mechanical key. A transaction log is generated each time a card is used at a reader, an alarm is activated, or some other action occurs in the system.

The building manager plays a critical role in the success of an access control system by determining when their building will be secured and who can gain access after hours.

Building managers are the liaisons between the building occupants and Campus Card Services. They determine how the access control system will be operated according to their needs. They define and authorize unlocking hours and access groups. Campus Card Services will work with them on determining the best way to accommodate the specific operations of their buildings.

Determining schedules

Things to consider:

• When should the building be unlocked for business?
• Which doors should be unlocked during business hours?
• Are there any doors that should be locked 24/7?
• Will the building be locked or unlocked on weekends?
• Will the building be locked on university holidays and during inclement weather closings or delays?

Each building manager needs to provide a written explanation of the unlocking schedules that suits their building needs and include door numbers. They should also include any special procedures for any applicable areas. For example, if a building occasionally needs to be opened outside of normal hours for events.

Determining patron groups

Things to consider:

• Who needs to access the building after-hours when the doors are locked?
• Should hours be restricted for certain groups, such as students or hourly staff?
• Should access be restricted for some doors or rooms for certain groups?

Card access is granted by adding individuals into programmed groups (i.e., patron groups). A patron group is a combination of a list of doors and the hours that the doors may be accessed using a card. 

For example, there may be a “faculty” patron group that allows 24/7 access to all of card reader doors. Additionally, there may be a "students” patron group that only allows access to the main entrance card reader during certain hours.

Everyone in a patron group has the same access. So, for example, if you request a "student" patron group that only allows access from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, everyone in the group will only be able to access a space during these time. Any exceptions to the access hours would require the creation of another patron group. Access rules are assigned to a group and not individuals. 

For ease of management, Campus Card Services would prefer not to create a separate group for individuals. Building managers should group individuals with similar needs into patron groups and select access hours accordingly. 

Requesting access changes

To request access changes, submit an IT support service ticket at https://itsupport.vcu.edu and select the options below. 

• Service grouping: Accounts and access
• Service: Access control management
• Service resource: Building access
• Service action: Add/change/remove patron access

For assistance, contact the VCU Technology Services Support Center at (804) 828-2227. 

Request unlocking changes

To request a change in your building’s unlocking schedule, submit an IT support service ticket at https://itsupport.vcu.edu and select the options below. 

• Service grouping: Accounts and access
• Service: Access control management
• Service resource: Building access
• Service action: Schedule change request 

To request a report of who entered a building using a VCU ID during a range of dates, choose Service action: Request report. For a prompt response, include detailed information. 

Requests for card access should include the person’s name, a unique identifying number (e.g., card number or V-number) and an expiration date for the access, as applicable. Any list attachments should be shared as an Excel file. 

Please note that access removal does not happen automatically when someone leaves VCU. Building managers should review and update access lists periodically.

Building access for contractors is automatically disabled each year. The contract administrator will need to update the status of contract employees in Banner by July 31 or an access hold will be automatically applied to their accounts, disabling any building access assigned to their VCU IDs.

Requests for unlocking schedule changes should include door numbers and the “effective date” for the change.

In some cases, a request may require further authorization from a dean’s office or department chairman. For example, unlocking changes for exterior doors of MCV campus academic buildings typically require authorization from the dean's office and from the Office of the Vice President for Health Sciences. The technician handling the request should either contact the appropriate authority or refer the building manager to the contact who needs to approve the request.

Inclement weather procedures

Campus Card Services apply the inclement weather locking schedules when notified by the VCU Alert. In the event of a delayed opening, VCU academic buildings will open 30 minutes prior to the advertised opening time. Any exceptions to this procedure will require an IT support ticket to be submitted by the Building Manager.

Reporting maintenance issues

To report an issue with a building's access control system, submit an IT support service ticket at https://itsupport.vcu.edu and select the options below. 

• Service grouping: Accounts and access
• Service: Access control management
• Service resource: Building access
• Service action: Report building incident

In some cases, the technician may determine that the issue is related to hardware which is not maintained by Campus Card Services, such as a damaged door or a key-lock mechanism. In this case, the building manager would then be instructed to submit a maintenance request via the VCU Facilities Management Facilities Self Service at https://fss.vcu.edu/.

If the issue involves access control hardware devices that are maintained by Campus Card Services, a technician from the access control vendor will be dispatched, and may contact the building manager for additional information.

For a prompt response, include detailed information such as door numbers. If the problem involves card access, provide names and card numbers for individuals who are having problems to assist with running reports and troubleshooting.  

VCU’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)/504 coordinator leads, coordinates and supports accessibility compliance for VCU and VCU Health campuses. As a part of the role, the ADA/504 coordinator oversees compliance with the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Services include receipt and review of campus accessibility concerns, review of requests for workplace accommodations and parking accommodations, and receipt of concerns about accommodations. For more information, visit the VCU Equity and Access Services website or email accessibility@vcu.edu.

VCU is a smoke and tobacco-free campus. Smoking, vaping and the use of all tobacco products is prohibited on university property or in vehicles owned or leased by the university, except in certain situations. For a list of these exceptions and more information about the policy, visit the VCU Smoke and Tobacco-Free Campus web page. 

VCU employees must take the Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s General All-Hazard Emergency Preparedness Training posted on Talent@VCU. During the training, employees will learn how to prepare for and react to emergency situations, including natural disasters (e.g., floods, tornadoes and earthquakes), bomb threats, suspicious packages, hazardous materials, civil disorders, active attacks, power outages and more. 

To help tenants prepare for these situations, each building should have an Emergency Action Plan with safety instructions applicable to the building. Security officers can provide a copy of a building’s plan. Building managers should be familiar with the plan so they can guide building tenants in emergency situations. 

VCU emergency alerts 

Building managers, and all VCU affiliates, are encouraged to sign up to receive VCU Alerts via text message and email to promptly hear about on-campus emergency situations.

VCU also alerts individuals of emergency situations through a variety different methods that are each detailed on the Types of alerts web page.

On-campus emergencies

On-campus emergencies related to security or crime should be reported to VCU Police by calling (804) 828-1234 or using the LiveSafe app. Off-campus emergencies should be reported by calling 911. 

On-campus non-emergencies 

Non-emergency situations should be reported to VCU Police by calling (804) 828-1196. If you see something, say something. Report suspicious behavior to VCU Police. 

VCU Police also offer a RamSafe Escort Service that can be reached at (804) 828-SAFE (7233), and Hospital Escort may be reached at 804-828-WALK (9255).

Campus camera system

VCU Police are also responsible for the campus camera system posted in public areas to deter crime and assist in protecting the safety and property of the VCU community. VCU Police can provide information about a camera system or perform a building survey upon request by contacting cpcamrequest@vcu.edu. 

Preparing facilities for winter break

VCU Police recommends taking the following steps to secure facilities during the winter break:

1. Confirm and maintain a schedule of staff members who are expected to be inside the building during break.

2. Email staff and encourage them to inventory and secure their valuables, lock their office door(s), and take any keys with them before leaving. Share the emergency and non-emergency details above so staff know what to do in the event of an emergency or if an issue arises.

3. Confirm that the building is properly secured and any potential access control issues (e.g., locking schedule) have been addressed with VCU Technology Services. 

4. Report building security issues to VCU Police, including access control issues, breaches, unknown persons inside the building, larcenies/break ins, and building maintenance issues (e.g., leaks). 

For questions assistance, contact the VCU Police Crime Prevention Team via phone at (804) 828-1209 or email at crimeprevreq@vcu.edu. 

More information

For more information, visit the VCU Police Department website. 

Visit the VCU Policy Library for a complete list of university policies. 

Important Contacts 

Contact name	Phone number and/or email address
VCU general information	(804) 828-0100
VCU Workers' Compensation Office	(804) 828-1533; workcomp@vcu.edu
FMD	(804) 828-9647; askfmd@vcu.edu
Facilities coordinators	Facilities coordinators page
Facilities Operations Center	(804) 828-9444
Materials management supervisor	(804) 828-5909
On-campus emergency, VCU Police	(804) 828-1234
Off-campus emergency	911
VCU Medical Center Security	(804) 828-6595
Non-emergency, VCU Police	(804) 828-1196
RamSafe Escort Service	(804) 828-SAFE (7233)
MCV Campus Security Escort Service	(804) 828-9255 / (828-WALK)
Monroe Park Campus, non-emergency fire	(804) 828-0040
MCV Campus, non-emergency fire	(804) 828-7899
Chemical, biological and radiation	(804) 828-9834
Radiation	(804) 828-9131
Lab safety	(804) 828-1392
For a complete list of VCU contacts, visit the VCU contacts web page.