In an effort to recouperate costs for operation of the greenhouse facility in an equitable manner, space fees were implemented for all users beginning July 1, 2003. The fees are based on the amount of space, measured in square feet, occupied by the project. Fees are charged quarterly.

Fiscal Year 2007-2008: standard quarterly fee will be $1.79/sq.ft./qtr.
                             Outdoor space quarterly fee will be $1.25/sq.ft/qtr.

Fiscal Year 2007-2008 Calendar:

Summer Qtr.:	June 18 - September 18, 2007
Autumn Qtr.:	September 19, 2007 - January 6, 2008
Winter Qtr.:	January 7 - March 30, 2008
Spring Qtr.:	March 31 - June 22, 2008
Summer Qtr.	June 23-September 23, 2008

Q. How do I get space in the greenhouse?
A. To request space, submit a Service and Space Request Form at least 2 weeks prior to the anticipated project start date. Project start and finish dates, chart field information, and the signature of the responsible faculty person are required. This form is available on the greenhouse web site and in the greenhouse coordinator's office, 704 Bio Sci Greenhouse. Also, all Users must undergo Worker Protection Standard Training as required by the US. EPA, before the start of their project. Training is available online at the greenhouse web site.

Q. How is greenhouse space allocated?
A. Space is allocated on a first come first serve basis. Request forms are stamped with a receipt date and space is allocated according to that date. Priority is given to CBS faculty, staff and students. No space will be assigned to a user permanently. Maximum space assignment is one year. For ongoing projects, Greenhouse Users may reapply for the same space.

Q. How much does greenhouse space cost? How are fees determined?
A. Charges are based on the number of square feet actually occupied by the project, not on space requested since this can vary widely. Equipment and supplies stored in the greenhouse will be included in space assessments and charged at the prevailing rate. Space will be checked monthly and the quarterly charge will be determined based on the occupancy peak during the quarter. No space is double billed.

N.B. 10'X12' greenhouse rooms will not be divided among users due to their small size. The occupant of a small room will be charged for the entire room, which is 120 sq. ft.

Q. When will I be charged?
A. An occupancy report and summary of charges are made at the end of each quarter. Each department/unit should expect to receive charges within the first few weeks of the following quarter. Each department will be responsible for paying both the teaching and research space charges incurred by their department. The occupancy report summarizes space usage and will accompany the billing so that department/unit heads can backcharge individual researchers or courses if they elect to do so. Monthly reports are made for monitoring purposes only.

Q. What materials and services are provided by the greenhouse?
A. Fees include: pots, media, labels, pest and disease control, fertilizer, labor, lighting, operation of the greenhouse equipment (fans, vents, etc.), sanitation, weekend/holiday/LOA watering, and project consultation with facility staff. Daily plant care (Monday-Friday) is not included as it is the responsibility of the researcher to be active in their project's welfare.

Q. What do I need to provide?
A. Researchers and instructors are to provide the organisms (plants, seeds, insects) required for their project. Users may also provide their own pots, media, and labels if desired. Users are required to provide any materials which are inherent to the project. For example: chemicals, pollination bags, sleeves, cages, monitoring equipment and so forth.

Q. What if I need more time or space for my project?
A. If a project cannot be completed in the originally requested period or requires more space than originally anticipated, users should notify the Greenhouse Coordinator in writing using a Project Extension/Expansion Form. The Greenhouse Coordinator will review space requests to make sure that extending the length and/or size of your project is feasible. If so, then an extension of the space allocations will be granted.

Q. Are fees prorated?
A. No. Space is charged by the quarter. Users occupying space for less than the entire quarter are financially responsible for the entire quarter. If the assigned space is not used within two weeks of the project start date, it is subject to re-assignment. If the Greenhouse User wishes to hold the space, fees will accumulate even if vacant. For projects in which pots or specialized media has been requested and purchased fail to occur, the User will be charged actual costs for those items.

Q. Why are there fees for greenhouse space?
A. The Greenhouse Committee was delegated the responsibility of finding an equitable way of recovering costs from its users. After several years of insufficient budgeting, the greenhouse was falling into a state of disrepair as maintenance was continually deferred. Since users span several departments inside and outside of the college, the committee put together a comprehensive business plan recommending user fees be implemented to cover a budget which will keep the facility operating at a research quality level.

Q. When did user fees start?
A. User fees were implemented July 1, 2003. Any project housed in the greenhouse on or after this date is subject to user fees.