UMass Boston

SPACE Policy Summary/Space Request

SPACE Request Form

SPACE (Space Planning and Capital Expenditure) Committee

The SPACE Committee is composed of five senior institutional leaders designated by the chancellor, and as a committee, is responsible for the review and approval of all university space allocations, space utilization and requests for space changes or additions. Current membership of the SPACE Committee consists of:

  • The Chancellor or designee
  • The Provost
  • The Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance
  • The Vice Chancellor of Human Resources
  • The Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

The work of the SPACE Committee is supported by the SPACE Committee Work Group. It is chaired by the Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability and consists of staff from Academic Affairs, Athletics, Campus Services, the Chancellor’s Office, Environmental Health and Safety, Facilities, Human Resources, IT, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and Student Affairs. The SPACE Committee at UMass Boston keeps accurate floor plans of over 2.1 million square feet of campus space and the accounting of each room's use and finds space to meet changing needs on campus.

All space requests will be reviewed in accordance with the University Space Use Policy

UMass Boston Space Request Process

UMass Boston's space is considered a scarce resource that is under the control and management of the SPACE Committee.

The SPACE Request Process begins with a department/unit submitting a Space Request and Space Profile Form documenting its need to add to or modify its current space allocation. This may need to be supported by an Equipment List and/or From To Worksheet. Prior to being submitted to the SPACE Committee, requests must be approved by the appropriate dean and vice chancellor in order to be considered. Each request must indicate the source of funding.

Completed space request forms should be printed, signed, scanned and sent via email or docusign to SpaceRequest@umb.edu. Each submitted request will have one of the following Request Statuses:

  • Approved  -  Request has received a project number and moved to implementation
  • Capital Plan  -  Project requires inclusion on the capital plan in order to identify funding and attain System Office and BOT approval
  • Done  -  Work required to implement approved Request has been completed
  • Exited - Exited process
  • Hold - Project on hold
  • Pending Budget Approval  -  Request submitted by the department as part of their annual budget process; no action taken at this time
  • Returned  -  Request could not be approved 
  • SPACE Committee  -  Workgroup has referred Request to the SPACE Committee for further review
  • Study  -  Large project which has been recommended for feasibility determination, cost estimation, and/or design
  • Workgroup  -  Assigned to Workgroup for review

Space Request Decision Criteria

Space requests for functions or programs strongly linked to the university's mission, strategic plan or other stated campus priorities will be given priority over competing requests.

Criteria for space allocation analyses include:

  • Centrality to UMass Boston's mission and strategic plan priorities;
  • User productivity (whether measured by grant generation, publication and scholarship, client service, or instructional activity);
  • Cost and anticipated return on investment;
  • Availability of funding;
  • Appropriateness of the scale of the request;
  • Improving any existing allocation threatening to expose the university to liability;
  • The adequacy, location, and functionality of existing and proposed space assignments; and
  • Appropriateness of functional adjacencies

Space Utilization Principles:

  1. Instructional and study spaces,
  2. Specialized space for scholarly research, including both “wet” and “dry” laboratories,
  3. Space for tenure system faculty, full-time non-tenure track faculty, full-time staff working on funded research, and other full-time professional staff
  4. Space for student use,
  5. Space for part-time non-tenure track faculty, part-time instructional and research staff (including teaching and research assistants), part-time professional staff, full or part-time support staff
  6. Conference rooms and other meeting rooms
  7. Space (office and/or laboratory) for individuals associated with University programs but not on the University payroll,
  8. Shop spaces
  9. Private study/social spaces, and
  10. Storage spaces

 

Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability

Service and Supply Building Upper Level, Room 001
617.287.5402
SpaceRequest@umb.edu