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FLEX Lab

Protocols for Use

The Flex Lab is a flexibly allocated space, and office / lab assignments are subject to periodic review. Allocations may change over time, and a particular assignment of space may need to be modified to accommodate changing research needs of the group and facility. All occupants are expected to adhere to the protocols outlined in this document.

Facility Hours

  • The Flex Lab is open from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. The building is a secured facility outside of these hours and during weekends and holidays.
  • After-hours access is granted under certain conditions and subject to the following rules:
    1. Do not provide building access to unauthorized people.
    2. Do not prop any doors open.
    3. Allowing access to unauthorized personnel is a breach of security. Report any observed incidents to David Kish, the Flex Lab Director.
    4. Occupants and user groups agree to the following statement:
      If I bring in guests after hours, I will be responsible for their behavior. I will personally escort all guests out with me as I leave the Flex Lab. I understand that doors may not be propped open, and I will not permit others to use my access fob/card. Failure to follow these rules will result in my access being immediately revoked.

Open Work Spaces

  • The Flex Lab provides a welcoming open office environment
  • Touchdown seating can be used by those working in the Flex Lab as well as by official visitors.
  • If you leave a touchdown station for more than 30 minutes, please remove your belongings.
  • No food is permitted at the workstations. Work café areas are provided for eating. Do not use personal appliances (e.g., coffeemakers or refrigerators) in the open work spaces.
  • Networked printers are provided for use by building occupants; local printer use is discouraged.
    • Research groups will provide a single account to accrue printing expenses for group members.
  • Be courteous about cell phone use in the open work areas. If a phone call will last more than a few minutes, please move to a Focus Booth for the conversation.
  • Be aware of others working in the open office. If your group is talking for more than a few minutes, please move to a meeting room.
  • Graduate students working in Flex Lab are eligible to check out a locker. Please see the Laboratory Director for assistance.
  • Office space assignments will be periodically evaluated by the Laboratory Director to insure spaces are put to their best use.

Meeting Rooms

  • Meeting rooms with HDMI-connected flat panel monitors and conference phone capability are available for scheduling.
  • Room Wizards are tools to help reserve meeting rooms. For instructions on use, please see Laboratory Director.
  • Reserve meeting rooms via Outlook or using the Room Wizard at the meeting room door.
  • If a meeting is canceled, please use Outlook or a Room Wizard to delete the meeting so the room can be made available for use by others.
  • Shiny wall surfaces are painted with Idea Paint, and you can use dry erase markers to write on them. Please erase your writing before leaving meeting rooms or other shared spaces. If you are not sure if the wall is suitable for writing, please check with the Laboratory Director.
  • Blue, green, or matte (flat) finish wall surfaces are not suitable for writing. Please do not write on these surfaces. If accidentally written on, please alert the Laboratory Director immediately.
  • When bringing in food for meetings, please remove trash from the room at the end of the meeting and dispose of it appropriately.

Focus Booths

  • Focus Booths are rooms provided for telephone calls, concentrated “heads down” work, and for meetings of groups of 2-3 individuals.
  • Do not use Focus Booths for periods longer than two hours.
  • Focus Booths have writeable wall surfaces. If you are not sure which surface is writeable, please ask the Laboratory Director.

Work Cafes

  • Work Cafes are shared spaces and are the social hubs of the floor
  • Please clean up after yourself when using the microwaves, refrigerators, countertops, or sinks. Our custodial staff will not clean work café sinks.
  • If you make a mess, clean it up.
  • Do not leave your dishes in the sink or on the countertops.

Private Offices

  • One Idea Paint wall is provided in each office as a writeable surface.

Laboratory Spaces

  • Laboratory spaces are assigned to specific research groups. These assignments are formalized with a space use agreement signed by the research group Principal Investigator(s) and the Flex Lab Director, David Kish.
  • Laboratory space assignments will be periodically evaluated by the Flex Lab Director to insure spaces are put to their best use.
  • Researchers will conduct their work in accordance with University and OSHA guidelines and generally accepted best practices.
  • Notify the Flex Lab Director and ECN before establishing private wifi networks.
  • The Flex Lab safety committee, made up of representatives of research groups within the laboratory, will review building and laboratory safety and proposed higher risk or novel research.
  • Researchers will complete training programs appropriate for their work and work environment before being granted access to their laboratory space.
  • Fume hoods in Flex Lab are available for shared use with other researchers.
  • Individuals or groups who fail to adhere to these procedures may have their research within Flex lab restricted or may be asked to leave the facility.

Space Use Protocol Revisions

These space use protocols are subject to revision, and document revisions will be provided to building occupants when they are updated. Users agree to abide by these protocols as a condition of occupancy of their assigned space.