About a year ago, my research group moved our operations to a different lab. Our new space has a door that opens directly into adjoining office space. They aren't our offices, but after several weeks without seeing anyone in there, I began using the space when I needed someplace to sit and work on my laptop when I need to leave the lab to afford some privacy to participants in my experiments. I'd just let myself in through the unlocked door and sit in there at a table, leaving no trace of my presence, aside from a hand-written note introducing myself, explaining when and why I let myself in, and asking them to contact me if there was any problem at all. I arrived one day to find the door locked for the first time. I went out through the hallway and spoke to an administration person who happened to be there. She explained that they'd just finished changing the locks on the door in response to security complaints from the "occupants," and that I'd no longer be able to use the space. The hallway door to those offices has a glass window. I check sometimes and have still never seen anyone in there.
The incident is fairly representative of my experience at this particular institution.
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