8.9
A Policy on Dispensing Departmental Funds from Gifts and Endowments

Updated as of July 1, 2018

Departmental gift and endowment funds are funds that have been donated to Wesleyan to benefit the mission of the department and the University, and may have additional specific restrictions. As such, spending from them is subject to the usual policies and oversight of Academic Affairs and Finance, as well as scrutiny to ensure spending matches the intent of the donor. Academic Affairs will also monitor the failure to spend effectively from such funds, as allowing them to grow without sufficient spending serves neither the mission of the University nor the intent of the donor. If a department fails to spend such funds effectively, Academic Affairs and University Relations may consider reallocating them to better serve the purpose of the donor.

All salary payments to Wesleyan employees, whether faculty or staff, from departmental accounts must be approved by Academic Affairs in advance.

Payment to faculty for summer salary is allowed under this policy, subject to Academic Affairs’ Policies on Compensation and Outside Work and to prior approval by the vice president for academic affairs (VPAA), who will evaluate all requests in terms of how the moneys will contribute to progress on a specific research or teaching initiative. Any request for summer compensation should, therefore, include a brief description of the activity to be undertaken and some discussion of how it fits into the larger picture of individual or departmental research or teaching programs. Brief reports of progress derived from summer activity that was underwritten by departmental funds will be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs by October 30th of each year.

Any equipment purchased by any Wesleyan funds, including departmental gift or endowment funds, will be the property of Wesleyan. Such equipment may therefore not be given away or sold without approval of the VPAA.