Who Does That?

Everyone knows the feeling of being locked out. Steve Seeley is the guy that can get you back in.

As the lock and door supervisor in Campus Planning and Facilities Management, Seeley has become an expert on the various types of keys and locks at the University of Oregon. His department works on everything (except residence halls) including office doors, file cabinets, padlocks and golf carts.

Security is a top priority. Requesting keys goes through several steps of approvals by authorized managers and the lock shop. Maintenance crews and outside contractors must sign in and out keys from monitored key boxes for each job.

Seeley’s team members are considered institutional locksmiths as they have only one client, the UO. They understand the nuances of each building and door. The locks are strongly secure and would hinder the average locksmith. Seeley savors each challenge such as a mystery key left in a desk 10 years ago or creating a skeleton key from scratch.

At the beginning of the academic year, Seeley and his team can cut 250 keys a day. When new or restored buildings become reality, locksmiths are the first people in the building to remove all the hardware and the last out when they install new locks.

Some doors are now accessible by key cards or automated doors opened by code, but the need for metal keys remains.

If you lose your key or swap offices, chances are Steve Seeley will make you a new key.

—Jennifer Archer, University Communications