Facility Access and Security

Facility Access

CMP administrative offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. CMP offices are closed during weekends and scheduled university holidays. Animal care is provided seven days a week/365 days a year (366 if a leap year), and a duty supervisor and veterinarian are on call 24 hours a day.

Access to CMP buildings is given to Texas A&M personnel who conduct business in the facility on a routine basis. Access to the CMP animal facilities requires authorization through CMP administration. Authorization processes are described in the next section.

During normal office hours the CMP Laboratory Animal Resources and Research (LARR) facility may be accessed through the administrative entrance. To enter through the front office, everyone must sign in and out at the receptionist’s desk – NO EXCEPTIONS. Access to the CMP LARR facility through other entrances requires authorization by CMP Administration and the Principal Investigator.

CMP-Support Animal Buildings remain locked at all times and require key access. Periphery gates to the CMP-Support Facility are coded and require authorization by CMP Administration and the Principal Investigator for access.

Acquiring Authorization for Access to CMP

To acquire card and/or key access to the CMP LARR and support facilities, personnel must complete and submit a CMP access request form and attend a CMP orientation. The access request forms are available at the receptionist’s desk in the CMP administrative offices.

Orientations are scheduled weekly. Once a request form is submitted to the CMP receptionist, orientation attendance will be either scheduled or verified. Authorization for key or card access will not be given until after the CMP orientation has been completed and access clearance is verified through the principal investigator.

CMP encourages investigators and their staff to plan ahead and seek facility access at least 48 hours before access to the area is needed. Occasionally, there are problems with the proper functioning of the access cards. To avoid problems with access after normal business hours, please verify that they work before they are actually needed. Problems can then be addressed in a timely manner and solved before access needs become critical.

To ensure adequate security for all animals, only authorized personnel can access the facility. Due to the high turnover of lab personnel, facility access for technicians and lab staff will automatically expire every 12 months and must be renewed. Principal investigators access is for an indefinite period of time. Access cards and keys should NOT be shared.

Visitors

ALL visitors to the facility must be accompanied by CMP personnel unless other arrangements have been made through the CMP program manager. Media and special group visits are disruptive to daily animal care activities and MUST be scheduled and coordinated through CMP administration.

Photography and Media Visits in CMP Facilities

The use of photography/video equipment and/or the production of audiovisual materials by anyone in the CMP facility require prior approval through the CMP administrative offices. An acknowledgment and agreement form regarding the production of audiovisual materials must be completed and submitted for approval to the CMP executive director or his designated representative. Such measures are in place to ensure that all materials produced in the CMP facility provide the best possible presentation. The public’s perception of animal use in teaching and research is extremely important.

Visits from any media representatives require at least 24-hour notification of CMP administration and the Office of Communications and Public Relations from the Office of the VPR prior to the event. Deviations from this notification time line must be approved by the CMP executive director or their designated representative. All media members must be accompanied by CMP administrative personnel. As explained previously, media visits are very disruptive to the daily work schedule, and coordination through CMP administration is of utmost importance.

Children in CMP Facilities

Children (16 years and under) are not allowed in the CMP facilities without written permission from the CMP Executive Director or his designated representative.

Pet Animals in CMP facilities

To prevent unnecessary exposure of the laboratory animals to potential pathogens, pet animals are NOT allowed in the CMP animal facilities.

Parking

Limited parking is available at the CMP facilities. Five University Business parking slots are available at the northeast end of the CMP administrative offices parking lot with the use of a departmental University Business (UB) parking placard. UB placards may also be used anywhere in the adjacent parking lot (Lot 36). CMP administrative offices has a limited number of UB placards that may be checked out at the receptionist’s desk for parking in the CMP administrative lot (Lot 79).

Placards must be returned after each visit. A white drop box is located at the administrative entrance for returns after 5:00 PM.

As a reminder, UB parking placards are only valid with a current Texas A&M hang-tag. Visitors should inquire at the CMP administrative front desk about parking arrangements.