Administrative Heads Group Meeting 5-2001

There is a lack of clarity over space management responsibilities within the university. In the past, occupancy has equated to ownership, although within this there has been confusion over obligations of how space is both managed and serviced. The quantum of space required for any particular activity is unclear and surpluses and deficits of space are rarely approached with the same enthusiasm. The result is an excess of space in some areas and deficits in others, with no clear means for resolving the situation.

The university is developing innovative ways to fund new space needs. Part of that development is to incorporate external parties to the university both as private owners and/or leaseholders of space. Such a state presupposes that payments will be made by the user of the space to support the arrangement. It has been university practice in the past for those parts of the university that have chosen to use external space e.g. Collins St, to pay for it. To prevent cost distortions where some university functions pay and some do not, the university plans to move towards a charging for space regime within the framework of Strategic Cost Management. To achieve this, there is a need to establish a policy framework.

To propose areas of policy within the university that need to be addressed to achieve a framework for the planning, use and management of space.

There is a need to create clarity as to who has responsibility for any particular element of space and how that responsibility should be conducted. As charging for space should drive towards a rationalisation of space usage, a space management structure needs to be established. Policy needs to be developed that covers management responsibilities from the occupants of space through to space owners. This needs to include the means by which surplus space is identified and dealt with and how users can obtain additional space to suit their needs.

There are various types of space within the university. These range from public areas, office space, lecture theatres, tutorial rooms, libraries, workshops, stores areas and laboratories in their various forms. Some are permanently occupied and some are unique and have an associated single use. Other areas are much more general and can be used without alteration for many uses. Some of these areas can have multiple users but are currently locked away. Policy needs to be developed that identifies the method by which space within the university can be classified and used.

Servicing of university space within the university is complex, confused and in some cases duplicated. Multiple parties have rights into some parts of the university that have no one coordinating activities between them. A policy is required that provides implicit guidance to ensure that necessary servicing is able to take place, coordinated in such a way that leads to efficiencies, while being responsive to users’ needs.

At present, new space needs have not been identified within a framework that leads to the logical development of new space. The process has been one of isolated reaction rather than a responsiveness to financially sound academic growth plans. There is a need to develop a policy framework that covers this aspect of significant expenditure and long term impact on the university.

Maintenance of space is undertaken within a confused framework. Categorisation of maintenance and the means by which priorities are established within various parts of the university is unclear, as is the relationship of those priorities to university development plans. Similarly, the responsibility for payment for maintenance is confused.

With the prospect of greater use by the university of externally owned space, there is a need for the maintenance process to be defined in order to inform users of space, and to clarify types of arrangements that the university is prepared to enter into with external space providers.

As part of the Strategic Cost Management framework there is a need to develop policy associated with charging for space. This is not to achieve an earning base for the university, but as a means of coming to terms with the costs associated with investment in and use of space. Without such a policy, it is not possible to objectively compare costs of methods associated with delivery of university programs.

As standards for space across the university differ significantly, these need to be classified and refined. Also, historic investments made for space by some parts of the university need to be recognised.

The policy framework will be comprised of six policy papers covering the areas outlined above:

Paper 1: Ownership of Space

Paper 2: Types, Uses and Classification of Space

Paper 3: Servicing of Space

Paper 4: Development Plans

Paper 5: Maintenance Framework

Paper 6: Charging for Space