The Plant Science greenhouses are primarily intended to provide plant materials and instructional laboratory space in support of teaching in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. A small amount of research space is available for projects with special needs for proximity to labs. Research greenhouse space is available in several other CALS greenhouse facilities. As teaching use is uneven it is possible that additional research space in the Plant Science greenhouses may be available on a temporary basis.

All those who propose to use the greenhouses must request space with the web based CALS greenhouse space request form. The current URL and instructions for accessing the web site may be obtained from the greenhouse manager or greenhouse staff members.

Space requests for teaching uses must specify the course for which the space will be used. The Tower Road Greenhouse manager will assign greenhouse space for teaching use, with consideration given to compatibility with the needs of other greenhouse users.

Requests for research use of the Plant Science Greenhouses should be made only if the project has special requirements for a location close to the laboratory where the experimental work on the plants will be carried out. Special requirements shall be of a physiological or biochemical nature, such as the need for close proximity to specialized instrumentation in Plant Science, Emerson or Bradfield Hall laboratories, and/or the sensitivity of the studied plant phenomenon to mechanical or physical disruption associated with moving living plants. It should not be solely for the convenience of the researcher. Requests are expected to be modest in size and relatively short term in nature (semester or shorter), but may be repeated as needed. Criteria for short-term use may be less strict at times when there is a reduced demand for teaching space.

Space requests for research uses of the Plant Science Greenhouses must include a justification of why the work cannot be accomplished at another CALS greenhouse facility. The Plant Science Greenhouses Research Use Committee, a subcommittee of the Greenhouse Faculty Advisory Committee, will consider these requests in consultation with the Tower Road Greenhouse manager. Consideration will be given to compatibility of the proposed research use with the existing and anticipated teaching uses. If the requirements of the proposed research project are incompatible with those of the teaching materials, priority will be given to teaching needs. If the Plant Science Greenhouses Research Use Committee members are unavailable to make a timely decision the Tower Road Greenhouse manager shall have the authority to make an immediate initial decision on the space request.

If the space required for high priority research uses exceeds the available research space, the Committee may ask the greenhouse manager to find under-utilized teaching space for temporary research use. Users of teaching space are expected to cooperate with such efforts, and to avoid leaving plants in the facility beyond the time actually needed for teaching purposes.

If space requirements for teaching materials grow to exceed the available unoccupied space, and greenhouse space is being used for research purposes, the greenhouse manager will inform the Plant Science Greenhouses Research Use Committee of the space demands. The committee will determine which research materials must be located elsewhere and will notify the appropriate greenhouse users. Should the committee determine that the research materials should be given priority they will so inform the manager who will determine which teaching materials shall be relocated.