Student Lab Access

No person may use the undergraduate labs without the express permission of the lab coordinator or a full time Physics and Computer Science faculty member. Access authorization for students in a scheduled lab period will be handled by the lab coordinator. Students using the electronics, physics, or optics undergraduate laboratories may be required to complete a Laboratory Safety and Use form.

Junior (first-year) students may only have supervised access to the labs. Senior students may, with special permission from the course instructor, have unsupervised access to the labs. Authorization for unsupervised access will be arranged in writing by the course instructor with Terry Sturtevant and copied to the department chairperson. Scheduling time for use of any lab outside lab hours must be done in consultation with the lab coordinators using the lab.

The lab coordinator or faculty member who authorizes access to a lab is primarily responsible for the person or persons who are given access. This responsible person must ensure that the lab user receives training in whatever activities they are to conduct in the lab.

Access Categories

Supervised: During Scheduled Lab Periods

Authorization: lab coordinator.
Person present: course instructor, lab coordinator or designated instructional assistant.
Emergency contact: lab coordinator, instructional assistant, lab technician.
Access allowed to: students registered in the course for that lab period.
Access denied to: everyone else.
Departure: ensured by person present at the end of that scheduled lab period.

Supervised: Outside Scheduled Lab Periods

e.g. Student continuing work on a project after a lab period; student making up a lab missed due to illness.
Authorization: course instructor or lab coordinator.
Person present: no student may work alone in a lab; authorizing person in building and providing supervision.
Emergency contact: authorizing person , lab technician, department office, or security.
Access allowed to: students authorized by the course instructor or lab coordinator.
Access denied to: everyone else.
Departure: ensured by the authorizing person.

Unsupervised: When Building is Open

e.g. Student has keypad access to the lab for project work.
Authorization: course instructor; department chair to be informed when authorization is given.
Person present: no student may work alone in a lab.
Emergency contact: lab coordinator, lab technician, or department office (during regular working hours); security (after regular working hours).
Access allowed to: students authorized by the course instructor; students must have keypad access to the lab.
Access denied to: everyone else.
Departure: must leave if required by security.

Unsupervised: When Building is Closed

e.g. Student is working in a lab when the building closes for the evening.
Authorization: course instructor; department chair to be informed when authorization is given.
Person present: no student may work alone in a lab.
Emergency contact: security.
Access allowed to: students already in the lab may continue to work in the lab. Students must have keypad access to the lab and Laurier One Card identification.
Access denied to: everyone else.
Departure: must leave if required by security.

Need Access to a Building?

If you're a graduate student, research assistant, doing a thesis, or otherwise need access to Faculty of Science buildings outside regular hours, fill out the Building Access Request Form for the Department of Physics and Computer Science. Please note, it is your responsibility to read University Policies regarding Health, Safety and Security.