Here at Baylor University our Development Department (External Affairs)
routinely accepts three-dimensional items, including whole houses of furniture
and artifacts, for the university. Many come through wills or estates to the
university. It used to be that they would get this material and sell it before
the museum ever knew about it. We finally got them to at least tell us about
these "donations" so we could have right of first refusal. Now, they are
accepting material for us from alumni or potential donors in order to make
them happy in hopes they will give large sums to the university later. Our
director is in another city this morning looking at material that has already
been accepted by the university development office for the museum. We are
trying to get this stopped also. We would like to look at it first, of course.
However, many donors want us and/or the university to take everything without
regard to what we actually need, since the donor just wants to get rid of it
all. There are certain legal issues with accepting goods given as tax write-
offs and then having the university turn around and sell them. I don't know
how they get away with it. The solution seems far away. If you get some good
replies I would like to hear some of them.
 
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