This article discusses space assignments and how they're maintained.
What are space assignments, and why do departments care?
Every space/room has required information that needs to be tracked, including Function, Room Type, and Allocated Cost Center. The University is required by law* to track some data, such as Area and Function, as defined by the Ohio Department of Higher Education's Higher Education Information System (HEI). HEI has based some of their facility tracking standards on the National Center for Education Statistic's Postsecondary Education Facilities Inventory and Classification Manual (FICM). Other data, such as Cost Center and POM fields, are internally required and defined. This information is tracked in the University's Space Information and Management System (SIMS).
Some of these assignments have financial impacts in downstream systems, so data is assigned and changed following a process to ensure the necessary approvals have been acquired and affected parties are notified of any adjustments.
Assignable vs Nonassignable Space
Per HEI and FICM, nonassignable space is space that is necessary for the general operation of a building, exclusive of restricted access circulation. This means that restricted access circulation, such as hallways that can only be accessed if one has specifically been given a key or swipe access, are considered assignable space and are assigned to units.
Assignable vs nonassignable is represented in the Function field for the University. Function R-Non Assignable Area is nonassignable space per HEI and FICM. Functions P-Inactive and Q-Alteration are treated as nonassignable space by the POM model. For more information about Functions, see Room Function and Room Type Definitions.
POM
POM charges are calculated by Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) in the Office of Business and Finance (B&F). The calculations for unit charges use SIMS data including POM designations, Function, and Allocated Cost Center. The data used for calculation is pulled from SIMS every June and December and sent to B&F. B&F uses the December data to calculate unit charges for the upcoming year and the June data is used to provide units with projections for the coming year.
The current POM model uses 4 fields to determine if a space is chargeable, including Function, POM-Custodial, POM-Maintenance, and POM-Utility. Currently, most buildings are assigned POM true or false for the 3 POM categories at the building level, meaning all rooms in the building are assigned POM automatically according the POM designation of the building. Function is then used to determine what spaces are assignable or nonassignable. Thus, POM false and nonassignable spaces are excluded from the current POM charging model.
Please reach out to the FP&A team with any questions regarding the current POM model.
Initial Assignments
Initial assignments for a building are determined generally before the building opens. After receiving a final room schedule from the architect, FITS will work with Planning and Design in Planning, Architecture and Real Estate (PARE) or OSUWMC Facilities Planning, Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) Operations Administration, and FP&A to determine the appropriate Allocated Cost Center, Occupant CCs, POMs, Function, Room Type, and Room Sub-Type. The room data is then loaded into SIMS after assignments are approved by PARE/OSUWMC.
Assignment Updates
Data updates in SIMS are initiated when requested by the source/owner of the data attribute, after renovations, and during facility audits. See Data Attribute Definitions for information on data attribute sources.
For requesting updates to the Allocated Cost Center or Function (that will change a space's assignable/nonassignable status), users submit a request to their college-level space contact. That contact will submit a Space Request to the PARE planning team (OSU Space Request Process) or the OSUWMC Facilities Planning team (OSUWMC Space Request Process). All associated college-level space contacts will be notified by PARE or OSUWMC Facilities Planning prior to finalization for allocation updates.
Alterations and Demolitions
Spaces that are under alteration or being prepped for demolition can be designated as such in the Function and/or Allocated Cost Center fields. Doing so will remove the space from POM charges. Requests for assignment to the Alteration or Inactive Cost Center or Function follow the process outlined above. If a building is slated for demolition and physical demolition work has already begun but the room or building information is still showing in SIMS, please submit a FITS Request for a data update.
Footnotes
*OAC 3333-1-02 binds the university to report to HEI, but the following laws have facility reporting components that pertain to HEI reporting requirements: ORC 3333.04, ORC 3333.07, ORC 3345.50, ORC 3345.51, OAC 3333-1-02, OAC 3333-1-03, OAC 3333-1-29, OAC 3333-1-30, and uncodified law in various budget bills.