ASPIRE Application

There has been no change from the last space survey. Can't the Controller's office use those results?
Even if the space has not changed it's function from the last survey, we still need to know that it has been reviewed and approved by the authorized individual in the department.

If I have a problem accessing ASPIRE, what do I do or whom do I call?
Use your ISO username and password to log in. If you are still having problems then call (7-2436) or email spaceinv@mtu.edu

What if there is a room on the ASPIRE, and we do not have stewardship of that room anymore?
You need to coordinate the transfer of the stewardship of that room with the other department. If mutually agreeable, then Call (7-2436) or email spaceinv@mtu.edu.

What if we have stewardship of a room, but it is not assigned to our department on ASPIRE?
You need to coordinate the transfer of the stewardship of that room with the other department. If mutually agreeable, then Call (7-2436) or email spaceinv@mtu.edu.

When should a room be prorated?
A room should only be prorated if that room is shared between two departments or if the room has multiple use codes assigned to it. Our goal is to limit the prorates to Research related rooms and to prorate only when absolutely necessary.

There is a room on my sheet that has a prorate of 2, but I do not see prorate 1. Where is the first prorate?
This room was prorated between multiple departments. Again, our goal is to only prorate research related rooms.

How do I prorate a room?
Please see the instruction sheet .

How do I prorate class labs?
There is no split since the whole room is a "class lab" (use code 210). The room technically has only one use, regardless of its seating configuration.

The area (net assignable square feet) listed for a room appears to be incorrect, how do I get this fixed?
Send an e-mail to spaceinv@mtu.edu. In your e-mail, tell us which room it is. We will then determine what the proper square footage should be and make the change in our system.

What is the difference between the Function Code and the Functional Use Percent?
Although they appear to be somewhat related, they're different as well. The Function Code data item is an Institutional Analysis data item and Functional Use Percentage is an A-21 data item.

The Function Code is used to group space by function as defined by the Post Secondary Education Facilities Inventory and Classification Manual.

The Functional Use Percentage subgroups space according to the A-21 definitions. It is the basis of the determining the space for calculating the F&A rate. See our Definitions document.

Does this room have wireless coverage?
Telcom is looking to identify all rooms that can use MTU's Rovernet network service from a wireless laptop connection. Telcom will also be verifying this data, so if you don't know or don't have a means to check, then leave this question unanswered. But if you have a wireless laptop to check, or if you know for a fact that your department members use the wireless network from particular places, this information would greatly speed up the work that Telcom needs to do, and your data will be greatly appreciated! This question is asked on numerous external surveys (including a facilities survey sponsored by NIH/NSF) on the university's technology infrastructure.

Does this room have a mounted, overhead projection system and screen?
Some departments have projection systems that they cart from room-to-room. We are not concerned about these systems at this time. Only count rooms that have an installed (usually on the ceiling) projector and screen. This question gets asked on numerous external surveys on technology usage in higher education.

Does this room have computer workstations for undergraduate student use?
We are looking for rooms that have any number of computers that can be used by undergraduate students. In addition to your standard departmental undergraduate computing labs, please include rooms that are only used by particular undergraduate classes or labs, or used by undergraduate groups. We do not need a count of workstations- this can be ascertained from other data maintained by Telcom once we verify which rooms to look at. Do not count rooms that have an instructor or staff work station that is not used by students directly.

Does this room have computer workstations for graduate student use?
We are looking for rooms that have any number of computers that can be used by graduate students for any purpose. In addition to your standard departmental graduate computing labs, please include rooms that are only used by particular graduate classes or labs, or used by graduate groups. We do not need a count of workstations- this can be ascertained from other data maintained by Telcom once we know which rooms to look at. Do not count rooms that have an instructor or staff work station that is not used by students directly.

One of my offices has a desk and a conference table which can seat six. How many workstations should I report?
One (for the desk). We ask that you report the normal maximum occupancy of a room given its use. Since this room is coded as an office, and since this office is normally occupied by one person, you should record only one workstation. If the room were to be coded as a conference room however, you should then record six workstations (as maximum seating for the conference table) even though the conference room may normally be used by fewer than six people.

Does a desk need to have a computer or phone to be considered as a workstation?
No. A workstation is a physical location where one primarily does his or her work. It does not need to have a computer or phone or even someone currently working there to be considered as a workstation. For example, your department may have a workstation which is currently unused because of a hiring freeze. Since someone could still be working there, it should still be reported as a workstation.

Key to this definition is the word "primarily". A person may have a desk at which most of their work is completed, and may also have a large table at which they periodically sit at to sort papers, etc. Because most of the person's work is completed at the desk, the desk is to be reported as a workstation while the large table will not.

How do we account for faculty "overload" in our space allocation percentage?
The room utilization percent allocation for A-21 purposes should follow the effort reporting of the occupant. Just as effort reporting is based on percent of time (because faculty are not hourly employees), the functional use of the room should also follow the percent of time methodology.

How do I account for the room use during the summer, if a faculty member teaches during the summer session?
Remember that for this study, we are looking at the fiscal year rather than the academic year. Summer may be "extra comp" based on an academic year contracts, but it is just another month in the fiscal year. Since this functional use of space study looks at the activity of a room for the entire fiscal year, the summer time room use should be weighted into your percent allocation computation.

Which Research Percentage column should Senior Design and Enterprise activities fall under?
Both of these activities have been assigned a Banner RESEARCH program (function), so therefore they need to be reported as Research on the space survey.

What are some examples of Organized Research?
Refer to the Definitions document .

What is the difference between departmental administration (DA) and general administration (GA)?
General Administration is the central administrative offices, like Purchasing, Payroll, Accounts Payable, and Accounting. Departmental Administration is used primarily for academic administration. For example, Departmental Administration includes academic department chairs.

What do I do with Distance Education / Distance learning space?
Distance Learning is considered "Instruction."

Do I use the Library functional use percentage column for our departmental library?
No. This column is only to be used for the Van Pelt Library.

What do I do for Primary User when I have a faculty member who is on a leave or sabbatical?
Set the room functional use percent to 100% Other Institutional Activity (OIA).

When do I have to supply an account/index number to a room?
Rooms with research related activity should have all of the account/index numbers assigned to it. Remember, the University Space Committee is now using this data for space allocation purposes. Therefore, you want to give your department the proper credit for the work that is done in a given room. Indexes are not required for the residence halls and Daniell Heights.

Is there a way to print the ASPIRE data?
There are many ways to print the data. However, we have tried to structure or group the data in the most useful way so that you would not need to print.

Other questions

This is a busy time of the year. Why are we doing the Space Inventory Survey now?
An accurate Space Inventory Survey needs the commitment of many people, especially the faculty in the research departments. We therefore need to have the survey completed and (to the best of our abilities) validated before the end of the academic year for academic departments and June 30 for the administrative and auxiliary departments. Realizing that you have busy schedules, we scheduled individual February training sessions for the academic departments so that you would have at least 2 months to complete the survey before the end of the academic year.

What if I don't have access to the Telcom drawings?
Ask your System Administrator to install it for you. They will work with Telcom to get the necessary software.

What if I forget the password for the Facilities Management web based building floor plan drawings?
Call (7-2436) or email spaceinv@mtu.edu

What if I have a problem opening up the Facilities Management PDF building floor plan drawings?
First speak to your System Administrator. If still not resolved, call or email Pat Muller (pamuller@mtu.edu).

What if the Facilities Management building floor plan drawings don't reflect our actual building layout?
Call (7-2014) or email Pat Muller (pamuller@mtu.edu)

What if the door plate doesn't agree with the room number on the building floor plan drawings?
Call (7-2436) or email spaceinv@mtu.edu. Secondly, go to the Room Attribute section in ASPIRE. Then, either confirm that the attribute recognizes this abreviation or change the attribute.

How do I know which department is officially assigned the space by the University Space Committee?
There are letters and notices, but there is not a comprehensive University Space Committee departmental space assignment list. This space inventory has been a good exercise because some rooms have been reported to us that no one is claiming as being assigned to them.

How do I handle SHARED SPACE?
See the examples on the PowerPoint training material.

How do I handle VACANT SPACE?
See the examples on the PowerPoint training material.

If I have a question about my Equipment Inventory list, whom do I call?
Call (7-2252) or email Kelly Dube (kjdube@mtu.edu)

My question is not on this list. What do I do?
Call (7-2436) or email spaceinv@mtu.edu.