Subject: Space Management

Organizational Area: APL II – Asset Management
Proposal Date: 7/1/2025
Effective Date: 7/9/2025
Review Cycle: Every 3 years
Revision and Review History: Implemented 2025
Corresponding BOT Policies: Section 800 Facilities

I. Purpose & Scope

The University of Maine System is comprised of 8 universities[1]. This includes over 500 facilities making up approximately 9,000,000 gross square feet with a replacement value of over $4.5 billion. The University of Maine System (UMS) land, facilities, and buildings belong to the system as a whole. Each of the system’s universities is a steward of that space and has the authority and responsibility to allocate space to support UMS Strategic and Master Plans, along with the goals established in the Financial Stability Actions and Effective Infrastructure Portfolio Actions sections of the System Strategic Plan.  

Each university should establish a process to review space requests, monitor space utilization, and recommend space reallocation. Universities will report on their space utilization metrics and identify plans for space that do not meet established goals. 

This policy establishes a comprehensive framework to optimize the use of university-managed space, ensuring facilities support our academic and operational goals while promoting a productive and inclusive environment for all stakeholders and supports commitment number two in the UMS Strategic Plan. It aims to increase operational efficiencies, reduce our carbon footprint, and help our spaces evolve to meet the changing needs of our occupants. Underutilized space should be reviewed for reallocation, renovation, or disposal. 

This policy ensures that every square foot of university space is effectively utilized to support commitment number two in the UMS Strategic Plan. This contributes to the overall success of our institution and enhances the experiences of our students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders.

[1] University of Maine, University of Maine at Augusta, University of Maine at Farmington, University of Maine at Fort Kent, University of Maine at Machias, University of Maine at Presque Isle, University of Southern Maine, University of Maine School of Law – housed within The Maine Center.

II. Definitions

For the purposes of this policy, the following are defined as…

  • Full-Time Employee: 40 hours a week.
  • Part-Time Employee:  Less than 40 hours a week
  • Hybrid Employee: In the office three days or less per week.
  • Remote Employee: More than 30 hours per week at home. 
  • Centrally Managed Space: Space that is tracked and scheduled through a scheduling software program.
  • Furnishings: University-provided furniture is not owned by the department or the individual and must be commercial grade.
  • Confidential: Reasonable expectation of privacy

III. Space Management Principles

This section establishes foundational guidelines for the University of Maine System’s efficient use of space, emphasizing strategic alignment with the university’s goals and Board of Trustees policies 801 and 802. It prioritizes strategic planning, inclusivity, and flexibility, ensuring space utilization supports academic excellence, operational sustainability, and community engagement. These principles guide the responsible and effective management of university spaces to meet both current and future needs.

A. Organizational Structure and Meetings

  • Universities should review space at a minimum of twice per fiscal year and more frequently as needed.
  • The university, not any group or individual, owns its physical assets.

B. Space Allocation and Utilization

  • Allocation of space will be reviewed by the university.
  • All space is subject to assignment or reassignment to meet the overall needs and interests of the university.
  • Conversion of existing space must be reviewed by the university. Conversions of instructional space will only be considered when available classroom space is aligned with the university’s mission and priorities.
  • Space will be allocated based on the following priorities – academic need, student recruitment, revenue generation, internal UMS business, research, and external or community business that aligns with the university’s mission and vision.
  • All instructional space, including classrooms, conference rooms, instructional and computer labs, whether scheduled by the registrar or a department, will be scheduled through university scheduling software.
  • Department-managed space that fails to meet utilization standards for two semesters in a row or two out of four semesters will revert to being centrally managed. Likewise, department-managed space that uses central funds for renovations will also be centrally managed.

C. Leases and Construction

  • All new leases or lease expansions should be reviewed by university leaders or those charged with monitoring space at the university prior to drafting a lease agreement, with consideration given to how well existing university space is being utilized.
  • Requests for new construction should be reviewed by university leadership or those charged with monitoring space at the university prior to submission to the board of trustees. Only those requests that identify square footage offsets and above standard utilization rates by room type should be considered.

D. Space Efficiency and Sustainability

  • Space requests that include shared space with other UMS Universities, departments, offices, etc. will be given priority.
  • Occupancy of UMS-owned space will be given preference over leased space.
  • Space requests allowing lease termination (UMS as the lessee) will receive greater consideration.
  • Reusing existing space will be prioritized over new space to promote fiscal responsibility and sustainability.
  • New space requests, whether through allocation or construction, must show evidence of exceeding established utilization targets through improvements and efficient layouts.

IV. Roles and Responsibilities

A. System Role

The System Office and Chancellor are not vested with the authority to designate space on any university-owned properties; such authority falls to the university President and/or Chief Executive Officer for the location. The role of the System Office is to establish baseline standards for the universities and ensure alignment with the Strategic Plan and board policies. The System Office will review annual university utilization reports and identify trends across the system. The UMS Facilities Management and General Services Office administers this APL. This office can also offer guidance to the campuses as needed.

B. University Role

Each university will establish principles, guidelines, and procedures to operationalize this APL, including managing space allocation requests and reviewing space utilization metrics.

Universities should consider Attachments A & B when assigning a new space or when an individual is departing a space. These questions are designed to determine the needs behind hazardous materials.

V. Utilization Standards

Utilization standards ensure that university space is efficiently used in order to preserve limited resources. Universities may choose to adopt more stringent utilization standards.

A. Faculty Work Space

Full-time faculty by contract must have their own dedicated workspace. This can be a shared space as long as they have access to a private workspace for confidential conversations.

  • One workspace will be assigned to each permanent faculty member. No employee will be assigned more than one office and may be assigned an additional workstation if space permits such a use and a need is approved by the university. Faculty or staff with multiple appointments and persons with staff in multiple buildings may be allocated a secondary office space, provided it is not located within the same building as the primary office. A secondary space must be a shared office or workstation in a building other than the primary office and must follow utilization rates for such space. For individuals in multiple roles, the office space is related to the primary role and function for the total full-time equivalent (FTE). Secondary workstations will be subject to utilization standards. Secondary workspace that is not being actively utilized will be reassigned.
  • Faculty or temporary faculty with joint appointments will be assigned to one individual workspace only.
  • Remote, Hybrid, Part-time, temporary faculty, and emeriti who have an active teaching appointment or are conducting active extramural research will typically be assigned to a shared workspace.
    • Due to overall space constraints, emeriti cannot be guaranteed access to a workplace (shared or otherwise) upon conferral of emeritus/emerita status. Requests for emeritus workspace must be made through the university.
    • Emeritus workspace assignments are not open-ended. Emeritus space may be reassigned for other needs on short notice, and occupants may be required to vacate their workspace within thirty (30) calendar days of written notice of its reassignment. There is no appeal process for securing or retaining an emeritus workspace.
  • Faculty workspace must be emptied by the end of contract term or end of employment. This includes any chemical inventory. Refer to the Safety Management surveys for departure.

B. Staff Work Space

  • No more than one work space will be assigned to each full time staff member. Staff having an appointment in more than one department or campus may be assigned to an additional shared workspace.
  • Remote, Hybrid, Part-time and temporary staff may be assigned to shared work space per availability and need.
  • Staff workspace must be emptied by the end of the contract term or end of employment. This includes chemical inventories. Refer to the Safety Management surveys for departure.
  • Salaried professional groups (staff) that support students with confidential needs must have access to a private workspace.

C. Conference Rooms

  • Conference rooms are a university-wide resource and do not belong to individual colleges, departments, programs, centers, groups, or individuals. Conference rooms may be used as instructional space and follow similar scheduling and use guidelines as classrooms and instructional laboratories.
  • Conference rooms should be scheduled through the university scheduling software and shall be used in a way that optimizes utilization across campus, including use by multiple departments.
  • Departments with conference rooms in the same building may be given priority scheduling at the beginning of the semester.
  • Utilization standard (measured by university scheduling software): Available 45 hours per week, scheduled 30 hours per week.

D. Classrooms and instructional labs

Higher education institutions traditionally monitor room utilization using two metrics: Room Utilization and Seat Utilization. Room Utilization measures how many hours a room is scheduled as a percentage of the total number of hours it is available, and Seat Utilization measures the number of seats or stations that are occupied as a percentage of total capacity.  Universities standards should take into account strategic plan guidance to maximize opportunities for our students and align with industry standards. Standards should align with the following (measured through university scheduling software):

  • Classroom Time Utilization: 75% scheduling of all classrooms during a 45-hour week—33.75 hours per week
  • Classroom Seat Utilization: 67%
  • Instructional Laboratory Time Utilization: 55% scheduling of all laboratories during a 45-hour week—24.75 hours per week
  • Instructional Laboratory Seat  Utilization: 80%

E. Research Space

As with all types of space, research space belongs to the university and is a valuable resource.  Research space is allocated based on programmatic needs and priorities determined by the university, and metrics should be developed to assist with the evaluation of research space.  Those metrics will be approved by the VCRI and should include fiscal measures of space productivity along with quantitative and qualitative measures. Examples of fiscal measures of productivity include:

  • Total externally-sponsored research expenditures (direct and indirect costs ($)) / sq. ft
  • Total research expenditures regardless of funding source (direct and indirect costs ($)) / sq. ft. 
  • Indirect costs ($) / sq. ft.

VI. Measurement and Reporting of Utilization

To ensure compliance with the space utilization policy and promote efficient use of university facilities, the following metrics and reporting procedures will be implemented:

A. Conference Rooms

Utilization Standard: Conference rooms should be available for 45 hours per week and scheduled for at least 30 hours per week.

Measurement: Utilization data will be collected through the university scheduling software, which tracks the number of hours conference rooms are booked versus their availability.

Reporting: Each campus will generate a quarterly report summarizing conference room utilization. This report will include data on the total available hours, total scheduled hours, and utilization percentage. The report will be reviewed by the campus personnel responsible for Space Management and submitted to the System Office for annual review.

B. Classrooms and Instructional Labs

Room Utilization:

  • Classrooms: 75% scheduling of all classrooms during a 45-hour week (33.75 hours per week).
  • Instructional Labs: 55% scheduling of all laboratories during a 45-hour week (24.75 hours per week).

Seat Utilization:

  • Classrooms: 67%
  • Instructional Labs: 80%

Measurement: Utilization rates will be monitored through the university scheduling software, which tracks both the number of hours rooms are scheduled and the occupancy rates during those hours.

Reporting: Universities will produce annual reports detailing classroom and instructional lab utilization. These reports will include metrics for room and seat utilization, highlighting any rooms or labs falling below established standards. These reports should inform space planning and allocation efforts. 

C. Research Space

  • Metrics: Fiscal measures of space productivity and other quantitative and qualitative measures will be used.
    • Examples include:
      • Total externally-sponsored research expenditures per square foot.
      • Total research expenditures per square foot.
      • Indirect costs per square foot.
  • Measurement: Data will be collected by the relevant administrative offices, such as the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
  • Reporting:Annual reports on research space utilization will be generated, including productivity metrics and qualitative assessments. These reports should inform space planning and allocation efforts.

VII. Review and Compliance

  • Annual Data Gathering: Each university will gather data on space utilization annually and share reports with the Chief Facilities & General Services Officer.
  • Compliance: Spaces that do not meet utilization standards should have action plans developed to address deficiencies. These plans will be reviewed and approved by the campus leadership and monitored for progress.

VIII. Revisions and Change Approvals

This APL provides guidelines for Space Management. Future modifications will be administered and supported collectively by the Chief Facilities and General Services Officer. The final authority for approving modifications sits with theVice Chancellor for Finance and Strategic AI Integration; Treasurer. Any changes to this APL should be distributed widely to Chief Business Officers, Facilities Directors, Labor and Relations, Human Resources and campus space committee chairs.

IX. Contact Information

For questions regarding the APL on Space Management, please contact the office of Facilities Management and General Services. 207-621-3038

X. Additional Reources