Policy 3-044: Museum and Library Collections and Non-Museum Decorative Items

1. General
2. Accounting and Financial Reporting
3. Decorative Items

‌Purpose and Scope‌

1. Purpose.

   To establish university policy with respect to the preservation and display of works of art, artifacts, and other museum and library collections.

2. Scope.

   This policy applies to the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU), the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA), and the University Libraries. For objects, art works and other collection objects purchased or otherwise acquired by any unit of the university (including the Museums and University Libraries), see also Policies 3-003, 3-041 and 3-040. The circulating collections of the University Libraries are excluded from this policy.

‌Definitions‌

The following definitions apply for the limited purposes of this policy and any associated regulations.

1. Museum collections -- An assemblage of objects (art, artifacts, and specimens) and their associated documentation from various disciplines legally acquired as per Museum Collections Management Policies and preserved, studied, interpreted, and held in trust for public benefit by the University's Museums. Objects usually are considered part of the Museums' collections once they are accessioned.

2. Art -- For purposes of this policy only, “art” includes a physical object or non- material artwork created to fulfill an aesthetic or artistic function. Including: Visual Work of Art -- painting, drawing, photograph, print, mixed media, artist's book, rare book, or sculpture; Decorative Art Objects -- ornamental or functional purpose glassware, ceramic, metalwork, furniture, furnishing, or textile object; Conceptual Art -- work of art consisting of an idea; and Traditional Art -- a ceremonial, religious, or functional object created by an ancient, traditional, or contemporary culture.

3. Artifact -- any object made or modified by a human culture and later recovered by an archeological endeavor

4. Specimen -- any geological or biological object

5. Library collections -- includes books, printed material such as broadsides, maps, and newspapers, multimedia, and other works, including Art, held in the University Libraries. These may be considered art or artifacts as tangible creations of artists and craftspersons such as printers, bookbinders, papermakers, illustrators, designers, and writers. The function of these pieces can be historical, aesthetic, artistic, artifactual, and/or intellectual. For the purposes of this policy, the circulating collections of the University Libraries are not included. See Policy 6-318 for guidance related to books purchased outside of the University Libraries.

6. Museum -- term used collectively to refer to both the Natural History Museum of Utah and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.

7. Libraries -- term used collectively to refer to the J. Willard Marriott Library, the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, the James E. Faust Law Library, and the Emma Ray Riggs McKay Music Library.

8. Governing Authority -- the University Officer or Administrator to whom the museum or library director or dean reports.

9. Collections management policy -- a museum professional term encompassing procedures established to manage the referenced collections, evidenced by a written document and approved by the governing authority. The policy addresses all collections-related issues, including accessioning, documentation, storage, and disposition.

10. Decorative items -- decorative items are generally ornamental or functional works of art intended to provide a pleasing environment at the university. While such items may have significant value, they are, by definition here, not included in the collections of either Museum or the Libraries.

‌Policy‌

1. ‌General‌

   1. Natural History Museum of Utah -- consistent with Utah Code, the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) is a place where tangible objects reflecting the past, present, and continuing development of our natural history may be collected and displayed for educational and cultural purposes. The NHMU makes available to people throughout the state anthropological (including archaeological), geological (including paleontological), and biological objects retrieved primarily, but not exclusively, from the state of Utah. NHMU provides professional expertise and assistance in the proper care of archaeological and paleontological collections from state lands as they are housed throughout the state.

   2. Utah Museum of Fine Arts -- consistent with Utah Code, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) is a state general and multicultural art museum charged with the broad responsibility of collecting and exhibiting, for the education and enrichment of its citizens, art and related objects from around the world from prehistoric times to the present.

   3. The directors of UMFA and NHMU (collectively, the “Museums”) and the University Libraries are delegated the authority to carry out their respective collections management policies including inventory, security, preservation of, and access to the collections entrusted to them. Such policies are developed by the Museums and Libraries, are internal to those organizations, and are approved by the appropriate governing authority. Such policies must be consistent with ethical and accreditation standards established by the American Alliance of Museums or appropriate library associations.

   4. The university will only accept objects (including art, artifacts, books, and specimens) which have been legally and ethically acquired.

   5. Deaccession or other disposal of Museum or Libraries collections shall not be for financial gain or to offset operating expenses, but will be done in accordance with the collections management policies of the Museums and Libraries, which stipulate that funds so obtained may only be used for the acquisition of objects for the collection or direct care of collections.

2. ‌Accounting and Financial Reporting‌

   1. Art, held by the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, or Library Collections, held by the Libraries, are capitalized based on the costs of acquisition; or the fair value at time of donation; or, based on generally accepted accounting principles governing nonmonetary exchange transactions if exchanged for another object of art. These items are not depreciated for financial reporting purposes. Items with an acquisition cost or donated value of $5,000 or more will be capitalized.

   2. Individual objects of art, artifacts and specimens held by NHMU are not capitalized unless purchased for more than $5,000 and with an estimated useful life of more than one year. Such objects, if capitalized, are not depreciated.

3. ‌Decorative Items‌

   1. Decorative items, including prints, sculptures, rugs, paintings, ceramics, etc., may be purchased with appropriate funding sources by various colleges, departments, or units as part of maintaining a pleasing environment on campus. While such items may be expensive or considered “museum quality,” they are not considered part of the collections of either Museum. Such items may also be received from donors. The following specific requirements apply in these circumstances:

      1. Purchase of decorative items is subject to Policy 3-003.

      2. Such items will be capitalized if at least $5,000 in value and may be depreciated, if appropriate. Policy 3-040 applies with respect to these assets.

      3. Items valued at less than $5,000 are considered noncapital assets for which Policy 3-041 applies.

      4. Decorative items that will primarily be displayed in an individual's office or workspace may be subject to an additional level of scrutiny to assure that the item is 1) reasonable, 2) for business purposes, 3) appropriate to the circumstances, and 4) properly safeguarded. Such acquisitions will require the approval of that individual's supervisor if the item could appear to a reasonable person to be either extravagant or lavish.

      5. Decorative items, if possible, should have affixed a Property Accounting property tag. In situations where the item's physical characteristics preclude affixing a label or where affixing the label cannot be done without affecting the item's value or visual design, then the college or department must assure the item is secured and safeguarded.

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         Sections IV- VII are for user information and are not subject to the approval of the Academic Senate or the Board of Trustees. The Institutional Policy Committee, the Policy Owner, or the Policy Officer may update these sections at any time.

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‌Policies/ Rules, Procedures, Guidelines, Forms, and other Related Resources‌

1. Policies/ Rules. [ reserved ]

2. Procedures, Guidelines, and Forms. [ reserved ]

3. Other Related Resources. [ reserved ]

‌References‌

1. Utah Code Section 9-8a-302 Utah Museum of Natural History -- Definitions

2. Utah Code Section 9-8-804 through 806 Utah Museum of Natural History and Utah Museum of Fine Arts -- Reposited Materials

3. Utah Code Section 9-9-403 Utah Museum of Natural History -- Ownership and Disposition of Native American Remains

4. Utah Code Sections 53B-17-601 through 603 Utah Museum of Natural History

5. Utah Code 53B-17-701 Utah Museum of Fine Arts

6. Utah Code Sections 79-3-501 to 503 Utah Museum of Natural History -- Paleontological Collections

7. Utah Rule R807-1 Utah Museum of Natural History -- Curation of Collections from State Lands

8. Utah Rule R850-60 Utah Museum of Natural History -- Cultural Resources

9. Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36, Chapter 79 (36 CFR 79) Utah Museum of Natural History -- Curation of Federally Owned and Administered Archaeological Collections

10. Antiquities Act of 1906 vol. 34 Stat. 225, 16 U.S.C. 431-433

11. Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) of 1979, vol Public Law 96-95; 16 U.S.C. 470aa-mm

12. Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) 25 U.S.C. 3001 et seq. (November 16, 1990)

13. Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA) of 2009, Omnibus Public Lands Management Act (OPLA) of 2009, Public Law 111-011, P.L. 111-001, Title VI, Subtitle D

14. Policy 3-003: Authorizations and Approvals Required for Financial Transactions

15. Policy 3-040: Property Accounting

16. Policy 3-041: Accountability for Noncapital Equipment

17. Policy 6-318: Acquisition and Control of Non-Library Books

‌Contacts‌

The designated contact officials for this Regulation are

1. Policy Owner(s) (primary contact person for questions and advice): Director of the Utah Museum of Natural History and Director of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts

2. Policy Officer(s): Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs in consultation with the Vice President for Administrative Services

   See Rule 1-001 for information about the roles and authority of policy owners and policy officers.

‌History‌

Revision History.

1. Current version. Revision 1.

   1. Approved by the Academic Senate on November 4, 2024, and Board of Trustees on November 12, 2024, with effective date of November 12, 2024.

   2. Legislative History

   3. Editorial Revisions [reserved]

2. Previous versions.

   1. Revision 0. Effective date: June 6, 2010

      1. Legislative History for Revision 0

3. Renumbering

   1. Not applicable