Prairie View A&M University Administrative Procedures Manual
Acceptance of Personal Gifts by Employee 60.06
Issued: May 15, 1998
1. Background It is the practice of some vendors (current or prospective) to offer personal gifts to University employees. While such a gift may be totally innocent, it can give the appearance that it is not. To the extent possible, employees of the University must be innocent in both fact and appearance. Thus, in the best interest of the University, employees should not accept gifts from vendors.
2. Procedures
2.1. Whenever a vendor offers to give an employee a personal gift of any kind, the individual should politely decline the offer. Depending upon the item in question, it might be appropriate to suggest they make their donation to the University.
2.2. If an item is received through the mail, it is not necessary that the University go through the added expense of paying to mail the item back. Instead, alternative actions should be taken. If the item is money, it should be forwarded to the Development Office for depositing as an unrestricted gift to the University. If it is non-cash, the item may be given to someone who has no contact with the vendor or it may be discarded.
