ALLOCATION OF OFFICE SPACE TO POSTGRADUATES: POLICY AND GUIDELINES

1. Introduction

The Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning values the contribution of postgraduate research students to the research and intellectual vigor of the Faculty. To enable postgraduate students to effectively participate in the academic environment and successfully complete their research program, the Faculty will endeavor to provide office space and equipment. The purpose of this document is to establish guidelines for the fair and equitable allocation of office space and resources to postgraduate research students. It contains agreed principles resulting from discussions held between the ABP Research Office, the ABP Facilities team and representatives of the postgraduate student group on 29 March 2007.

2. Office Allocation and Resources

The Faculty will work to ensure that:

full-time research students are provided with their own workstation in shared office space;
part-time students have access to shared study space and to workstations that have not been
allocated to a full-time student;
all workstations are equipped with desks, chairs and bookshelves and a computer;
postgraduate researchers have access to a breakout space that will be the responsibility of postgraduate researchers to maintain;
the postgraduate offices are located, where practicable, near each other;
all postgraduate researchers have 24-hour access to the building and office space.

3. Office Allocation Eligibility and Priority

3.1 Eligibility

To be eligible for office space the postgraduate student must be enrolled in a research degree in the Faculty. Postgraduate students may be requested to vacate office space:

if they take leave of absence from their studies for more than 2 months;
if they change status from full-time to part-time;
if their candidature has lapsed; or
if they do not consistently utilize the office space allocated.

3.2 Priority The allocation of vacant office space will be prioritised as follows:

(1) full-time PhD and research Masters students

(2) part-time PhD and research Masters students

Due to space constraints it is highly unlikely that dedicated workstations will be available for students based outside of Melbourne or for part-time students. Full-time students who are willing to 'hot-desk' should inform the ABP Research Office.

3.3 Special Needs

Students who are not eligible for a dedicated workstation according to the above criteria but who can demonstrate a special need may apply to the ABP Research Office. The eligibility of students with special needs will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Cases of special need may include, but are not limited to, students who have:

demonstrably difficult personal or home circumstances affecting their study, for example child care or a disruptive home environment;
a medical condition or disability;
specific academic needs; or
have submitted their thesis but have been required by their examiners to make substantial changes before the thesis is finally accepted for award.

Postgraduate research students who require an office due to a special need (see 3.3) must apply to the ABP Research office in writing. Students occupying a workstation under the special needs criteria should report any change in circumstances to the ABP Research office.

4. Procedure for the Allocation of Office Space

At the commencement of the research program, postgraduate students will be allocated a workstation according to the conditions of eligibility and priority listed above. The Faculty maintains some desks in smaller 2- or 3-person offices; as these become available, they will be allocated to students in the final writing-up stages of their thesis.

Part-time students will have access to shared spaces in the postgraduate room. Part-time students who wish to be allocated a workstation may apply in writing to the ABP Research office. Workstations will be allocated to part-time students subject to availability and may need to be vacated at a later date to accommodate a full-time student.

5. Conditions of Occupancy and Vacating

Postgraduate research students:

are expected to make full and proper use of the facilities allocated to them;
should leave their work space in a condition that will enable it to be used by another student as a 'hot desk' when going on study leave;
are responsible for informing the ABP Research office of changes to their candidature that may affect their eligibility for an office or if they no longer require an office;
unless otherwise notified, students will be required to vacate their office space within a fortnight of submitting their theses.

The fourth floor postgraduate room is a quite study space shared by students at various stages of candidature. Occupants are expected to respect others' privacy, property and study needs. Research students should not:

use the postgraduate space to meet their own students (i.e. if they are undertaking sessional teaching);
sleep overnight in the postgraduate room;
play loud music (headphones must be used if listening to music);
bring food into the postgraduate room (coffee, tea and other beverages are allowed); or
allow entry to anyone not authorised by the ABP Research office or the Facilities team to use the space.

Mobile phones must be on 'silent'; calls should be taken to the breakout room.

Children must be accompanied by their parent/guardian at all times. Students with young children should organize appropriate child care for the times they will be using the postgraduate room to study.

Students who are found to breach any of these conditions may be asked to vacate their office space by the research manager or facilities manager and have their access card disabled.

The ABP Research office and Facilities team will endeavor to:

give a minimum of ten days notice to a postgraduate research student to vacate an office; and
allocate office space in an equitable manner according to the above guidelines.

6. Further Information

Lorenne Wilks
Research Manager
T: 03 8344 6416
E: lwilks (@unimelb.edu.au)

Andrew McAlinden
Facilities Manager
T: 03 8344 6843
E: andrew.mcalinden (@unimelb.edu.au)