4.1 - Acceptance of Gifts

Last updated on April 3, 2023

POLICY:  Spoon River College monitors the acceptance of monetary and non-monetary gifts from any outside source, student, parent, or business associate of the College in order to prevent any outside agency from assuming that gift giving could potentially lead to future business with the College.

SCOPE:

This policy applies to all Spoon River College employees and students during work, class, or during any activity involving the College.  In addition, visitors, vendors, contractors, and all other non-employees are expected to recognize and comply with this policy.

DETAILS:

  1. Employees: Employees of the College may not accept monetary tips, gratuities, or gifts for performing College related duties.  Further, personal non-monetary gifts, greater than $25.00 in value, from any outside source, student, parent, or business associate of the College may not be accepted.
    1. Employees who are presented with gifts over $25.00 in value must follow the procedure(s) below:
    2. Employees speaking to other organizations may accept gifts when vacation benefits are used for the time absent from College duties. Employees being paid by the College to speak to other organizations may not accept personal gifts greater than $25.00 in value.
  2. Foundation: The Spoon River College Foundation solicits and receives donations that further the mission of education and community services.
    1. The Foundation Director accepts all gifts on behalf of the Spoon River College Foundation.
    2. No gifts are accepted under terms which violate federal or state law or College policy.
    3. All potential non-monetary gift donations are referred to the Foundation Director by completing the "Acceptance of Non-Monetary Gifts" form.
      1. The supervising administrator must review the completed form and approve the acceptance of the gift based on whether the gift is useful for College.
      2. The Chief Operations and Safety Officer must review the completed form and approve the acceptance of the gift based on whether the gift will create any facilities or logistical issues (i.e., storage space, additional liability, increased maintenance costs, etc.)
      3. The Foundation Director renders a final decision regarding the acceptance of the gift and notifies the donor. With the acceptance of the gift, the Foundation Director signs the approval portion of the Acceptance of Non-Monetary Gifts form.
      4. The Foundation Director makes arrangements for the acceptance of the donation.
      5. The Foundation does not put a monetary value on any non-monetary gift.

PROCEDURE(S):

  1. Employees notify their supervisor of the gift.
  2. The supervisor obtains the gift and turns the gift over to the Foundation Director.
  3. The Foundation Director accepts the gift on behalf of the Spoon River College Foundation.
  4. The Foundation Director contacts the organization that provided the gift and explains the College’s policy regarding acceptance of gifts to employees and/or provides the donor with acknowledgment of receipt on behalf of the Spoon River College Foundation.