Building Access Information

Special Requests for Building Unlock/Lock

Access to most Princeton University buildings and facilities are limited to members of the University community and authorized visitors. Academic and administrative buildings are locked after normal business hours and all residence halls and dormitories are controlled by card access. Many access points to University buildings and facilities are armed with alarms which register with Public Safety when they are not properly secured. The University Site Protection Department is on call 24/7 to make needed repairs to any part of the security system.

The Department of Public Safety is responsible for locking and unlocking buildings and doors after business hours and all hours on the weekend. During regular University business (8:45am-5:00pm) hours it is the responsibility of Building Services and the department of Site Protection to lock/unlock the buildings and doors. For special arrangements outside regular business hours, please follow the directions below.

Building Lock/Unlock Form Requests

In order to make a building and/or room unlock/lock request, you must fill out a Lock/Unlock Request Form and submit digitally via this form. Please refrain from sending any requests via personal emails or fax.

All requests must be received 24 hours in advance of your event date to accommodate processing time for card access and manual opening of buildings and rooms.

Weekend building requests (for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday) must be received no later than 12:00pm the Friday in advance of the weekend. Please contact Jeniffer Wilkinson with any questions at (609) 258-5450 or jwilkins@princeton.edu.

Please note that last-minute requests are discouraged. As the administrative office closes at 5:00pm daily, your request may not be processed in a timely manner to accommodate your event.

Cancellation of all requests must be done by notifying The Department of Public Safety, Communication Center at (609) 258-1000 within 4 hours of the start of the event. In the event the building is not open as requested please contact the Communication Center (609) 258-1000 and an officer will be dispatched to assist you.

Event Security Registration

Special Events Registration

In order to register your event with Public Safety and request Special Event Security, please fill out an Events Registration form. We must receive the completed form 10 days in advance of your event.

Event Security Policy

Security measures taken at on-campus events must be adequate to provide for the maintenance of order and to ensure the safety of those attending and participating. Within the university, the executive director of DPS or his/her designee is generally responsible for deciding whether security is necessary for a given event when notified. In consultation with sponsors of the event, DPS will make appropriate security arrangements that involve minimal interference with the scheduled event and the privacy and freedom of those attending. Departments occasionally host a visitor or event that has the possibility of being controversial or disruptive to the campus community. In order to ensure a campus culture where freedom of speech, inclusiveness and open access exist, the Department of Public Safety (DPS), with the endorsements of the dean of the faculty, executive vice president, and vice president for campus life, provides the following guidelines for special security services for departments as they plan for dignitaries or speakers on campus. Please fill out and submit the Event Registration Form on the Public Safety website at http://publicsafety.princeton.edu/forms Please note that DPS requires at least ten (10) business days’ notice in order to arrange for staffing.

• Visitors and special events that may require a public safety presence:
• Dignitaries, heads of state, celebrities, government officials
• Controversial speakers and/or topics
• Events that may draw protest or disruptive crowds
• Events for which a large crowd and/or sizable group of non-University affiliated attendees is anticipated
• Events that involve requests to bring outside law enforcement and/or private security to campus.
• Athletic events
• Events that involve alcohol where undergraduates or attendees under 21 years of age may be present
• Events at certain locations and/or times of day. Some locations require officers to be present for every event (Maclean House, Carl Icahn Laboratory, Fine Tower, Frick Chemistry Laboratory)
• Events requiring permits and/or permissions (fire, protest, parade, etc.)Activities that may interrupt the normal operations of the campus (classes, buildings, traffic, etc.) Events with security generally have billable costs. At the time staffing is requested, you will be asked to provide a departmental account number.

Contact: Duncan Harrison, Associate Director, Support Services, Public Safety
Email: duncanh@princeton.edu
Phone: 609-258-3132

Please note that in order to register your event with Public Safety and request their services, you must fill out a Public Safety Events Registration Form in addition to your ODUS Event Form. Public Safety must receive your form at least 10 days in advance of your event in order to guarantee service.

Always contact Public Safety if any kind of emergency situation arises during your event.

Emergency numbers:

9-1-1 from a campus land line
(609) 258-3333 from your cell phone