Guidelines for the Assignment, Allocation and Use of Campus Research Space

Purpose

In an effort to optimize the use of research space within the Faculty of Medicine and to ensure that there are transparent, agreed-upon principles underlying the organization and allocation of research space, we have established the guidelines described herein. Traditionally, research space has been organized within a departmental structure and its allocation has been the purview of department chairs and directors.  Such a departmental organization is not always optimal, with programmatic research groupings generating improved interaction among researchers working in inter-related domains (as in the Life Sciences Complex).

The purpose of the current guidelines is to:

• Establish the principles regarding research space allocation within the Faculty of Medicine;
• Describe the process of assigning and allocating research space;
• Establish the fundamental terms of use of allocated space.

Principles

1.1 Ownership of Research Space

All research space, including wet and dry laboratories, researchers’ offices, core facilities, platforms, animal facilities (Vivarium) and research administration areas are the property of, and administered by, McGill University, as managed by the Faculty of Medicine.

The Faculty, in turn, allocates space to Departments, Schools, and Research Centres, to be managed primarily by Department Chairs and Directors.  The Faculty’s Space Committee will serve as the oversight committee for research space allocation.  Periodic reviews will allow us to adjust allocations according to the changing needs of our researchers and to optimize use of the available research space.  (Details of the process may be found later in this document.)

1.2 Eligibility Criteria

Only active faculty members whose research is (primarily) conducted on campus will be eligible for research space assignment on campus. 

An active faculty member meets all of the following criteria:

• holds a tenure-track or CAS position at the level of Assistant, Associate or (full) Professor
• receives grants of more than $25,000 annually for wet lab research or $10,000 annually for dry lab research (average of past 3 years’ grants and awards with peer review, or contracts);
• has published within the last three years;
• supervises undergraduate, graduate, and/or postdoctoral trainees.

Associate Members and Adjunct Faculty are not eligible to receive research space; nor are faculty members whose primary research activities are based at an affiliated hospital research institute. 

New recruits to the Faculty are exempt from the minimum funding criterion and will be allocated a pre-determined allotment of research space for a maximum of three years, based on letters of offer, in keeping with the spirit of the current guidelines. After this initial period, the recruit’s research space allocation may be adjusted based on the criteria outlined in this guideline.

1.3 Recognized Research Centres, Core Facilities, Shared Infrastructure

The Director of an officially recognized McGill research centre may submit a request to the Faculty’s space committee for dedicated research space for the centre.  Allocation of such space will depend on the availability of appropriate wet or dry lab space, existing space allocated to centre members and funding criteria described herein.
Similarly, requests for allocated space for core facilities or other shared infrastructure may be submitted by an approved scientific director and must include an indication of the number of users and frequency of use.  Details of the space needs, including any special requirements (temperature, BCL standards, etc) must be provided along with the space request. 
Procedure for the Allocation of Wet & Dry Laboratory Research Space

The basic wet laboratory planning unit is the lab bench, using a standard bench measure of 5.27 linear metres.  The basic dry laboratory planning unit is the dry lab module of approximately 40 sq m.  Research workstations/offices for students and other trainees working outside of the wet or dry lab will be allocated through an independent mechanism within each unit.  Housing of special equipment or shared facilities is excluded from these allocations.

1.4 Allocation of Wet Laboratory Modules to PIs

The primary (but not sole) planning metric to determine research space allocation is based on a PI's three-year average research operating funding from eligible external funding sources (including grants and contracts but excluding infrastructure funding [e.g., CFI]). Note that “eligible funding sources” as used for space allocation purposes only include funding that is administered at McGill. The portion of funding spent at other research centres is excluded for space allocation purposes.  Adjustments associated with team, training, and other non-direct research operating funds will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.  Another important factor that will influence the space allocation is the number of students and postdoctoral fellows currently supervised by the PI.  Finally, idiosyncracies associated with particular lab configurations and requirements will be addressed as needed.

 Table 1: Funding Ranges & Associated Bench Allocations
 From  To  Lab Benches Sides
  $             -       25,000  0.00
  $          25,001      150,000  2
  $        150,001      250,000  3
  $        250,001     400,000 4
  $        400,001      600,000  6
  $        600,001       900,000  8
  $        900,001   1,200,000  11
  $     1,200,001    2,000,000  15
  $     2,000,001   3,000,000  18

1.5 Space Allocation of Dry Lab Space to a PI

As for wet lab space, the primary (but not sole) planning metric to determine dry lab research space allocation is based on a PI's three-year average research operating funding from eligible external funding sources (including grants and contracts but excluding infrastructure funding [e.g., CFI]).).  Note that “eligible funding sources” as used for space allocation purposes only includes funding that is administered at McGill. The portion of funding spent at other research centres is excluded for space allocation purposes. 

As noted above, the basic unit to plan the allocation of dry lab space is the "dry lab module." A dry lab module is 40 sq. m. Modules are allocated in 0.25 module increments according to the funding ranges shown in Table 2 (calculated as the average of three years’ eligible funding).  As with wet lab allocation, the number of students and postdoctoral fellows currently supervised by the PI will be factored into the allocation.

Table 2.  Dry Lab Module Funding Ranges

From  To  Dry Lab Modules
 $                 -     $       10,000  0.00
 $          10,001   $     100,000  .5
 $        100,001   $     175,000  .75
 $        175,001   $     250,000  1.00
 $        250,001   $     400,000  1.25
 $        400,001   $     600,000  1.5
 $       >600,001     2.0
  
 1.6 PI Offices

A PI who has been allocated research space on campus is eligible for one office, ideally in proximity to his or her research team.  PIs are subject to the Guidelines for the Assignment and Use of Office Space in the Faculty of Medicine from the moment they are assigned an office on campus.

1.7 Research Associate, Technician and Trainee Workstations

PIs are responsible for assigning workstations within their research space allocation to full-time research associates, assistants and technicians.

Terms of Use for Research Space

1.8 General

1. Allocated research space is assigned to a PI or a Centre, Core Facility or Shared Infrastructure for a period of three years and its use is subject to standard annual performance review of users.
2. At 30 months into the term, following review by the department chair or unit director, a PI will be notified if there will be an increase or decrease in the amount of allocated space, based on the criteria set out in this document. Any increase in allocated space is subject to availability.  Changes will not normally be made for minor adjustments (approximately two bench lengths (one two-sided bench) or less for wet labs or .25 dry lab module or less).
3. Research space cannot be reassigned by one PI to another PI.  However, a Chair or Director may recommend re-assignments.  If such re-assignments are non-controversial, the Space Committee need only be informed of the changes (see below).
4. A PI is responsible for providing space within his/her allocated space for members of his/her research team.
5. When a PI leaves the University or vacates space for other reasons, the research space assigned to the PI will revert to the administering unit or to the Faculty for reassignment (subject to the mechanisms herein).
6. A PI who is on a sabbatical leave retains the use of his/her allocated research space, including office space, while on leave.
7. A PI who is allocated research space must abide by terms and conditions set out by the University pertaining to the use, operation and financial obligations of research space.  Any PI who has been found to be in violation of these terms and conditions (through official University mechanisms) must relinquish his/her research space.  Implications for trainees will be taken into consideration.
8. In the case where a researcher must relinquish his/her space for not respecting the terms and conditions of the Agreement, the Research Space Allocation Committee has the sole right to re-assign the space to the PI if the violation(s) of the Agreement is/are resolved within a reasonable period of time.

Space Allocation Decision and Appeals Mechanism

1.9 Research Space Allocation Committee Membership & Mandate

The Research Space Allocation Committee is comprised of individuals in the following positions:
 Vice-Dean, Life Sciences
 Vice-Dean, Academic Affairs (Chair)
 Associate Dean, Research
 Chair, one of the Basic Science Departments (nominated by that group)
When dry lab allocation is at issue, a Director of one of the Schools in the Faculty (with dry lab expertise and nominated by that group) will be added to the committee.

The Committee reports to the Dean & VP (Health Affairs).

The mandate of the Committee is to oversee the review of existing research space allocation every three years, in keeping with the allocation mechanisms and guidelines described herein, and to make recommendations concerning space reallocation, after consultation with relevant PIs, department chairs/directors, and the Building Director’s Office.  For local adjustments within a unit, the Chair/Director is authorized to handle any changes, provided that the Building Director’s office and the Research Space Allocation Committee are notified of the changes.  For any adjustments that involve multiple units or any that are potentially contentious, the Research Space Allocation Committee should be consulted to oversee the process and mediate potential conflicts.  The Committee is also responsible for review of space requirements associated with large CFI applications that have significant space implications.

The Committee is also charged with responding to appeals, as described in Section 5.2 below. 

Finally, the Committee is responsible for reviewing the current guidelines within five years to ensure they remain appropriate or are adjusted based on circumstances at the time.

1.10 Dispute mechanism

In the event that a PI disputes his/her space allocation as assigned by a department chair or unit director, the following procedure will apply:

1. A PI may submit a request by email to the Research Space Allocation Committee for confirmation and validation of eligible funding data.
2. The request must be submitted within thirty (30 days) of initial or renewal module allocation by the Faculty.
3. Within 10 working days, the Research Space Allocation Committee will provide the PI with his/her current funding record as recorded  in the University’s funding database
4. The PI will have 15 days to provide additions and/or corrections regarding eligible funding.
5. To ensure completeness, accuracy and eligibility, the Faculty will validate within 15 working days the PI's additions or corrections, percentage contribution to grants and funds administered at the University.
6. If warranted, the research space allocation will be adjusted, subject to availability.
7. Allocation of research space is not subject to temporary adjustments in allocation to accommodate new trainees.

1.11 Special circumstances

When a dispute regarding space allocation is not resolved by the mechanism described above, a PI may submit a written request for additional space using the following procedure:

1. A PI may submit a case in writing to the Dean for a research space allocation exceeding the amount allocated. 
2. The request will be reviewed within 60 days by an ad hoc committee established and chaired by the VP (Health Affairs)/Dean. The membership of the committee will comprise the Dean and two senior faculty members who are not in conflict of interest.
3. The ad hoc committee will provide a recommendation and the Dean will make a final decision within 30 days of receiving the committee’s recommendation.

Guideline Adoption

This guideline will only be considered adopted when it has been approved by the Deanery Executive Committee and the Faculty Council.
 
Guideline Maintenance and Version/Revision History

1.12 Guideline Maintenance

 At least every five years, the Faculty will review the procedures outlined in this guideline.

1.13 Version/Revisions

The table below documents the version/revision history for this policy. A cumulative version/revision history for this document is maintained for seven years.

Date Version Version/Revision Summary
1 April 2016 V1  Reviewed by Basic Science Chairs
19 December 2016 V2 Approved by Basic Science Chairs
3 February 2017 V3 Approved by School Directors
20 February 2017 V4 Approved by Deanery Executive Committee