Space Survey Training
Fall 2014
Kathy Dobbs, Controller’s Department
Kelly McCool, Facilities Planning & Management
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Agenda
 Why is a space survey necessary?
 Who is involved in the space survey?
 What do the functional categories
mean?
 How do I calculate the % of functions?
 What are the government’s concerns?
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Why is a space survey necessary?
 The survey supports the development of the institution’s
facilities and administrative (indirect) rate proposal.
 The process of assigning institutional space into federally-
defined functional categories is based on the usage of the space.
 The results are used to calculate the percentage of space that is
used to support sponsored organized research (OR), sponsored
instruction/training (SP INSTR), and other sponsored activities
and public service/extension (OSA).
 The survey is used to allocate buildings and equipment
depreciation, capital interest, and operation and maintenance
costs.
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Who should be involved with the space
survey?
 Space Coordinators – front line
 Act as primary department contact
 Gather information on functional usage of the space
 Need first-hand knowledge of activities in the room or MUST interview
occupants/users
 Be the key link to the Principal Investigators (PIs)
 Ensure all departmental accounts/sponsored projects are represented in the survey
 Ensure all departmental space is represented in the survey
 Is any new space missing?
 Departmental Chairs
 Provide support for the process
 Knowledge of activities in the space
 Principal Investigators
 Knowledge of activities in the space
 Knowledge of users of the space
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The space survey process
 Start early – a space survey done correctly takes time!
 Review instructions and definitions before starting
 Gather supporting information: eData custom report – “Salaries for
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Space Survey”, EASE forms, list of faculty, graduate assistants, floor
plans, etc. The space survey should try to reflect the activities for all of
fiscal year 2015.
Space survey opens for departmental entry on September 2, 2014
Space survey needs to be submitted on or before October 31, 2014
Space survey data reviewed and validated by FP&M by December 31,
2014
Space survey data reviewed and validated by Controller’s Department by
January 31, 2015
What space is included?
 Usable square feet (net assignable), excluding common areas
such as hallways, stairwells, restrooms
 However. . . Research equipment housed within circulation space of a
suite should be reclassified as assignable square footage
 Support rooms – Code like the rooms they are supporting
 Alteration/Renovation/Vacant Areas – Do not code with a
function unless space will be occupied by June 30, 2015.
 Make sure ALL new space to be occupied by June 30, 2015 is
on your space survey; contact Kelly McCool if it isn’t. New
space may need to be manually tracked.
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Types of space
 Single function space – Supports one function
 Assigned 100% to the function; most non-academic
administrative offices such as purchasing, payroll, human
resources, residence halls, libraries.
 Multiple function space – Space used in support of more than
one function
 Should be allocated to the individual functions performed in
each room on the basis of usable square feet of space
 Should be allocated to benefitting functions on FTE or salaries
and wages basis (called jointly used space)
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Types of room occupants
 Very important to know who actually occupies a room prior
to assigning the space to functions, as well as the funding
sources for those people.
 Occupant types can change the room function assignment
depending on how they are funded.
Faculty
Post docs
Faculty emeritus
Graduate students
Professional researchers
Undergraduate students
Research assistants and associates
Visiting Professors
Others??
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How do I determine the functional
percentages for space?
 Each room should be analyzed and assigned a percentage of
use for each of the different functional activities taking place.
 Identify occupants using room, whether they are paid or not
 Determine employee’s salary attributed to activities taking
place in the room
 Determine function associated with each employee’s salary –
Use the eData Salaries for Space Survey report
 Calculate a percentage for each function in room based on
salaries associated with activities
“Goal is for SPACE to match the BASE (salaries)”
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Functional definitions
Extremely important – consistent understanding of the
definitions among the academic departments and units.
Agronomy Department
This is
organized
research!
This is
organized
research
Chemistry Department
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Functional definitions
 For sponsored projects and activities (4xx and 6xx accounts),
how do I know what functional category to use? Use the
eData Salaries for Space Survey custom report.
 Each sponsored project account number is assigned a “Higher
Ed Function Code” that defines the functional category of the
sponsored project. Note: Each account can only be given one
“Higher Ed Function Code” and the function with the largest
percent of project activities is used.
 Use the custom report listing to identify the functional
definition for your sponsored projects.
“Remember. . . Space must match base (salaries).”
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Example
 Dr. Z has two projects being conducted in his lab. He spends 10% of his time
while in the lab on Project A (the account is coded as ‘organized research’) and
20% of his time on Project B (the account is coded as ‘other sponsored activities
and public service/extension’). Dr. Z also has two grad assistants and they
both work 100% of the time on Project A. Dr. Z’s salary is $100,000/year
and his grad students earn $10,000/year.
Project A salaries – Dr. Z=$10,000; Grad Assistants=$20,000
Project B salaries – Dr. Z=$20,000
Total salaries in the room = $50,000
Organized Research = $30,000 or 60%
Other Sponsored Activities = $20,000 or 40%
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Other considerations
 Need first-hand knowledge of activities in room or MUST
interview occupants/users.
 Don’t make assumptions on space use based on room type –
research lab is NOT 100% research, faculty office is NOT
100% instruction, etc.
 Don’t make assumptions based on position description –
graduate assistant is NOT necessarily Organized Research.
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Space survey functions
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Functional definitions
 ORGANIZED RESEARCH
(ORG RES) –
Research and development activities that are separately budgeted
and accounted for. It includes the following:
 Sponsored Research - Funded by grants and contracts from
federal, state, foundation or other external organizations (aka
sponsored programs). Required a proposal or other application
to obtain funding.
 University Research - Funded with University funds, which are
separately budgeted and accounted for under an internal
application for institutional funds.
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Functional definitions
 SPONSORED INSTRUCTION AND TRAINING
(SP INSTR) –
 Specific instructional or training activities funded by grants and
contracts from federal, state, foundations or other external
organizations (aka sponsored programs).
 ISU does not have very much sponsored programs activity that meets this
functional definition.
 This category does NOT include sponsored training of
individuals in research techniques (commonly called research
training) as these activities should be coded as organized
research.
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Functional definitions
 OTHER SPONSORED ACTIVITIES AND PUBLIC
SERVICE/EXTENSION
(OSA) –
 Programs and projects funded by grants and contracts from
federal, state, foundations or other external organizations (aka
sponsored programs).
 Involves the performance of work other than instruction/training or
organized research - Usually includes public service type programs.
 Major OSA sponsored projects/programs are within the ISU
Extension and Outreach Unit but could exist elsewhere.
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Additional required information on
space survey
Sponsor funded activities:
 Organized Research
 Sponsored Instruction and Training
 Other Sponsored Activities and Public Service/Extension
Require completion of these additional fields on the
space survey:
 Principal Investigators
 # of Graduate Students
 Account #’s – These would be the sponsored program account
numbers, and the University funded research projects and cost
share account numbers
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Additional information required for
sponsored activities
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Functional definitions
 OUTSIDE AGENCIES
(OUT AGNCY) –
 Use this function if the space is used by non-University
businesses and organizations on a consistent and long-term
basis, such as a lease arrangement.
 This includes space used for Ames Lab projects and
Ames Lab activities in ISU academic departments’
space.
 Note that if the Outside Agencies function is selected, the user
must also identify what kind of agency is using the space
(federal, state, local (govt.), non-profit or for-profit).
 This is NOT the correct function for temporary visiting
researchers or non-ISU paid researchers.
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Other functional categories
 Instruction/Departmental Research (INST) –
Informal university funded research, class space, academic advising, teaching labs,
GA/TA office space.
 Fee for Service Centers (SERV CTR) –
Service/recharge centers located within academic and research units providing
goods to primarily other University departments. Examples would be testing
services and copy centers (account numbers start with 202).
 This does not include: service centers established by auxiliary services (for example, Bookstore
would be AUX SER); FP&M (would be O&M); Library (would be LIB); and administrative support
for the entire university (for example, Postal and Parcel Services would be UNIV ADMIN).
 Departmental Administration (DEPT ADMIN) –
Administrative activities of Deans and Departments that support common or joint
objectives related to instruction, research, and other sponsored activities. Support
includes administrative duties such as personnel, accounting, IT, budget, etc.
 General University Administration (UNIV ADMIN) –
Administrative activities/central support for entire University, such as the Provost,
business services, student accounts receivable, human resources, mail services, etc.
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Other functional categories
 Sponsored Projects Administration (RES SUP) –
Units primarily established to administer sponsored projects. Activities would
include central admin proposal review, contract negotiation, sponsored accounting
and compliance.
 Student Services Administration (STU SER) –
Activities related to the administration of student affairs and services to students.
This would include dean of students, admissions/registrars, counseling and
placement services, and student group advisors.
 Auxiliary Services (AUX SER) –
Athletics, University Bookstore, ISU Center, Memorial Union, Parking System,
Reiman Gardens, Department of Residence, ISU Dining, Student Health Center,
and Recreational Services.
 Library (LIB) –
Activities that directly support the operations of the central library system.
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Other functional categories
 Other Institutional Activities (OIA) –
Includes non-sponsor funded extension activities. Also includes service/recharge
centers for primarily external customers.
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This is the catch-all for activities that don’t fit anywhere else.
 Operation and Maintenance (O & M) –
Includes activities that operate, maintain, preserve and protect the university’s
facilities. Includes space assigned to janitorial services, mechanical uses, public
safety, risk management, grounds care, utilities, FP&M management, central
stores, environmental health & safety, etc.
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Post survey checks & other
considerations
 Do analysis to determine if total organized research space is
reasonable – Dept salary % vs. Dept space %
 Review all areas coded as 100% ORG RES, SP INSTR, or OSA
 If class work done in space (grad student offices/desks, work on
thesis) or used for class presentations/teaching, then space can’t be
100% ORG RES.
 ORG RES, SP INSTR, or OSA space but no sponsored awards or
sponsored salaries.
 Space should NEVER be coded the same (80%/20% splits) for all
research labs.
 Consider coding faculty office space like 100% of time is spent –
based on effort/time. Possibly use effort reporting (EASE) form?
 Non-ISU paid/visiting researchers should be factored into ORG
RES percentage; may need to impute unpaid salary amount
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Government concerns
 Rooms should be surveyed by individual with knowledge of its use.
 Space coordinator attended appropriate training.
 Survey should reflect usage for entire fiscal year.
 Space matches base (salaries).
 Visiting professors and emeritus faculty are not ORG RES unless
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funded from ORG RES projects.
Seed money and department funded research are not ORG RES.
Pay special attention to GRA’s, students in the space, how they are
funded, and how much time they spend in the room.
Desks for GRA’s in research labs – determine what activities they are
doing at those desks.
Documentation available that supports functional percentages.
Questions
 For questions related to space survey functions and
percentages, contact Kathy Dobbs 294-6653 or
kadobbs@iastate.edu.
 For questions related to space survey access or mechanics,
contact Kelly McCool, 231-1968 or kmccool@iastate.edu.
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