DA 0415

Note this is the same PP 7/02/73.

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY

July 2,1973

CHANCELLORS

Gentlemen:

The Board of Regents at their May, 1973 meeting modified the University policy on found and unclaimed property. Under the policy in effect prior to The Regents' action, all found property, including cash, that was turned over to the University police became the property of the University if unclaimed within the mandatory three-month holding period. This policy was in contrast to that of many local jurisdictions in California which allows the return of unclaimed property to the finder if the owner is not located by the end of the holding period. As a result, there have been numerous misunderstandings on the part of finders of lost property, particularly cash, on University premises regarding their future rights to such property, and this has caused a public relations problem at some campuses. A number of Chancellors and campus Police Chiefs had, therefore, recommended a change in Regental policy to parallel the policy of local police jurisdictions and to provide a greater incentive to finders of lost property on University premises to turn in the property to the police.

The current University policy reads:

That the Chancellors be authorized to dispose of found and unclaimed properties in accordance with Section 2080.8 of the civil Code relating to care and disposition of found and unclaimed property in possession of The Regents of the University of California, as follows:

1. Property shall be held for at least three months by the University of California Police Department;
2. Thereafter all property, except cash or negotiable property, shall be offered for sale at public auction to the highest bidder;
3. Notice of such sale shall be published at least once, five days in advance of the sale, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the property is held;
4. Property neither bid for at a sale nor offered for sale, and the proceeds from any sale, shall be disposed of through established University channels;
5. Unclaimed cash and negotiable property may be returned to the finder after the expiration of the three month period unless the property has been found by a University employee in the course of his employment.
   

Please note the following points:

1. Unclaimed property, other than cash or cash-like property (negotiable instruments payable to bearer) will still be retained by the University and sold at public auction. A change in this provision would have required further legislative action according to General Counsel.
2. University employees acting in the course of their employment are not affected by the change in policy. (This is to conform with current provisions of the Civil Code.)

Please review your current campus procedures on found and unclaimed property and revise them in accordance with the modification in Regental policy.

Sincerely,

C. O. McCorkle, Jr.

cc: President Hitch
Administrative Officers, Office of the President
Principal Officers of The Regents