Handbook of Operating Procedures > Series 600 University Advancement > 6.5.1 Gift Solicitation, Acceptance and Stewardship

6.5.1 Gift Solicitation, Acceptance and Stewardship

A. Purpose

The purpose of this section is to set forth University policies in accordance with the Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations,https://cms.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules/60101-acceptance-and-administration-gifts, procedures related to soliciting, accepting, processing and stewarding of all gifts.  

B. Persons Affected

This policy applies to all faculty and staff of The University of Texas at Tyler. 

C. Definitions

Gifts are defined as contributions in the form cash, securities, and gifts-in- kind to benefit the university for an unrestricted purpose or designated for an endowment, capital projects, general student support, research, sponsorships, or other related general support. 

D. Policy and Procedures

All soliciting of gifts from private sources must be coordinated with the Vice President of University Advancement or his/her designee. In accordance with UTS138 4.7, the President has the responsibility of acceptance with advisement from the Vice President of University Advancement, general counsel and the UTS Office of External Relations, Communications and Advancement Services. All gifts to the University shall be accepted and processed through the Advancement Office in accordance with the laws and Board policies unless otherwise noted in https://cms.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules/60101-acceptance-and-administration-gifts, https://cms.utsystem.edu/sites/policy-library/policies/uts-138-gift-acceptance-procedures.

E. Responsibilities

Either the President or Vice President for University Advancement is the delegated agent for the University to receive gifts to the University from the private sector.  This includes the responsibility of maintaining all the gift records and acknowledging every gift received according to IRS, Board of Regents, UTS138, Gift Acceptance Procedures, and UT Tyler policies and procedures.  All gifts received by the University – check, cash, credit card or non-cash gifts (gift-in-kind) must be processed through the Office of University Advancement.

The Office of University Advancement will receive and document all gifts and prepare required gift reporting documents utilizing standards of the IRS and the CASE Management Reporting Standards.  Upon receipt of a gift, a Donor Report Form is processed by the Office of University Advancement that includes the donor’s name, address, date of gift, amount of gift, purpose of gift and account number (cost center).  

Gifts-in-kind or non-cash gifts (materials or long-lived assets such as equipment, software, printed materials) must be approved by the appropriate Dean and the Vice President for University Advancement or his/her designee. 

An IRS 8283 form and Gift-in-Kind Acceptance Form are provided to the donor for completion.

Gifts of intellectual property such as inventions, patents and other creations of the mind should be reviewed by the Office of General Counsel and executed by the UT institution.
www.uttyler.edu/ohr/hop/
https://www.utsystem.edu/sites/policy-library/policies/uts-138-gift-acceptance-procedures

Gifts of real estate, minerals or remainder interests in personal residences or farms must be reviewed by the U.T. System Real Estate Office and Office of General Counsel and processed by the Real Estate Office prior to acceptance. https://cms.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules/60103-guidelines-acceptance-gifts-real-property

Gifts through planned giving instruments such as wills, trusts, life insurance, retirement accounts, and others must be approved by the Vice President of University Advancement and coordinated with the UTS Office of External Relations, Communications and Advancement Services. 

The Vice President for University Advancement shall be responsible for maintaining records regarding any known gifts that will accrue to the University at some time in the future such as wills, trusts, life insurance plans, gift annuities, and retirement plan assets, etc. The University of Texas System Office of Development and Gift Planning shall be notified regarding deferred gifts. Deferred gifts are documented in the computer database system. https://www.utsystem.edu/sites/policy-library/policies/uts-138-gift-acceptance-procedures

When a gift is given to establish an endowment, an endowment agreement will be executed by the Office of University Advancement for signature by the donor(s) and President of the University. Endowment gifts are those for which donors have stipulated under the terms of the gift agreement creating the fund, that the principal of the fund is not expendable.  The University of Texas System Office of Development and Gift Planning must approve the acceptance of gifts restricted to establish an endowment. https://cms.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules/60102-fees-endowment-administration-and-management 

Gifts for endowments are processed through the normal donor reporting process.

The Vice President for University Advancement is responsible for generating the stewardship letter to the donor and all other donor stewardship activities in coordination with the President, appropriate vice president(s), dean, directors, and others. 

The Vice President of University Advancement must approve all new tribute signage and any modifications or removal of existing tribute signage.  

F. Review

This and all other policy and procedure documents concerning gifts to the University shall be reviewed periodically by the Vice President for University Advancement in consultation with the President.