• Section 1 - Purpose and Context
• Section 2 - Definitions
• Section 3 - Policy Statement
• Section 4 - Procedures
• Part A - Who to Contact
• Part B - Types of Memorials
• Donations
• Physical Memorials
• Special Cases
• Part C - Applications to Install a Physical Memorial 
• Part D - Location, Types and Maintenance of Physical Memorials
• Part E - Physical Memorials - Other

Section 1 - Purpose and Context

(1) The University recognises that colleagues, families or members of the public may wish to establish a physical memorial to commemorate a deceased staff member or student, or a member of the public who had a strong association with the University.

(2) This document provides advice to staff, students and the University community on the process for establishing a memorial, the types of memorials that may be established and who in the University can assist.

(3) The University has a coordinated process for establishing memorials. These procedures should be read in conjunction with the Donations and Fundraising Policy.

(4) The naming of buildings or spaces, including those that are in the form of a memorial, are managed under the Naming Recognition Policy.

Section 2 - Definitions

(5) For the purposes of this policy, definitions that apply can be found in the Policy DDS Glossary, in addition to the following:

1. Deceased Staff member means a deceased person who, at the time of their death, was a current or former employee of the University.
2. Deceased Student means a deceased person who, at the time of their death, was a current or former student of the University.
3. Physical Memorial means plaques, gardens, landscaping (including landscape furniture) or other non-structural means of commemorating deceased staff members, students, alumni and community members.

Section 3 - Policy Statement

(6) These Procedures support the Naming Recognition Policy and Donations and Fundraising Policy.

Section 4 - Procedures

Part A - Who to Contact

(7) People wanting to establish a memorial to commemorate the life of a deceased staff member, deceased student, or deceased member of the public must contact the Office of Advancement. 

(8) Depending on the circumstances, a Death Response Plan Coordinator may liaise with the Office of Advancement in the first instance. Refer to the Death Response Policy.

Part B - Types of Memorials

Donations

(9) The University encourages memorials in the form of a donation to support scholarship, teaching, learning and research. This may include donations that support:

1. a student scholarship
2. a prize for a high achieving student
3. the salary of a professorial chair
4. the purchase of equipment for teaching or research

(10) The Office of Advancement will provide assistance and advice regarding individual or group donations or establishing a memorial endowment for the purposes of providing a scholarship or prize. The type of assistance that the Office of Advancement is able to provide will vary depending on the needs and wishes of the donor and must comply with related policies such as the Scholarships for Coursework Students Policy. 

(11) Commemorative donations may also be made in the form of items for the University Art or Library collections, or funding to purchase such items. In-kind donations such as works of art or books will be considered in accordance with the Art Collection Development and Access Policy or the Library Collection Development Policy.

(12) The Donations and Fundraising Policy provides further information on donations.

Physical Memorials

(13) On the recommendation of the Office of Advancement, and with the endorsement of the Vice-President, People and Advancement, the Vice-Chancellor and President may approve the installation of a physical memorial for a deceased staff member, deceased student or alumnus/alumna, or deceased community member.

(14) The University determines the conditions upon which it will establish and maintain a memorial, including the memorial’s location and form, and may require the donor to enter into an appropriate form of acknowledgement or agreement.

(15) It is expected that those seeking to establish a physical memorial will meet the full cost of the purchase, installation and ongoing maintenance where required. The Division of Infrastructure and Commercial and the Finance Office will determine or review the cost estimates at the time of the request.

(16) The University reserves the right to alter or remove a physical memorial at anytime.

(17) Considerations guiding the approval of physical memorials include:

1. For staff:
   1. Service – a staff member should be continuously employed for at least five years and have maintained an exemplary record during their employment.
   2. Contribution – a staff member should have made a significant contribution to the University through professional service, teaching, research and/or community engagement.
2. For students and alumni:
   1. Contribution – a student or alumnus/alumna should have made a significant contribution to the University through their activities, leadership, performance, representation, career and/or community engagement.
3. For community members:
   1. Connection – a community member should have a sustained and significant connection to the University.
   2. Contribution – a community member should have supported the University's activities through advocacy and engagement.

Special Cases

(18) The University acknowledges that its campuses may be the site of temporary memorials to recently deceased individuals, including the display of flowers, images and gifts. The University will deal sensitively and respectfully with temporary memorials but reserves the right to remove temporary memorials at its discretion.

(19) Requests for scattering the ashes of cremated remains are discouraged but will be considered by the Office of Advancement on a case-by-case basis.

(20) The University occupies sites that may have been the location of historical institutional abuse or other kinds of trauma. The Office of Advancement will consider requests to create a physical memorial acknowledging such circumstances on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Vice-President, People and Advancement and Vice-Chancellor and President.

Part C - Applications to Install a Physical Memorial 

(21) Applications for the installation of a physical memorial to a deceased staff member or deceased student are made to the Office of Advancement. The application may be submitted via the Provost of the relevant campus or through a Death Response Plan Coordinator who will recommend the proposal to the Executive Director, Advancement.

(22) Applications will identify the type of memorial proposed and include sufficient information about the deceased staff member, student, alumna/alumni or community members so that their association with the University can be identified.  

(23) The Office of Advancement will refer the application to the Division of Infrastructure and Commercial to consider the location and type of memorial. The Office of Advancement will then recommend the application to the Vice-President, People and Advancement for endorsement and finally to the Vice-Chancellor for approval.

(24) The Office of Advancement will liaise with the applicants, or their representatives, regarding the outcome of their application, including, if approved, ongoing communications about arrangements to establish the physical memorial.

Part D - Location, Types and Maintenance of Physical Memorials

(25) To ensure a coordinated approach to locating physical memorials, the Division of Infrastructure and Commercial will determine the location of suitable memorial areas, such as gardens or drives, on each campus and will identify these on the Campus Master Plans and footprint. The Division of Infrastructure and Commercial will also determine the types of memorials that may be installed. This ensures furniture or plants are appropriate and consistent with others on campus.

(26) The Division of Infrastructure and Commercial will establish and maintain a memorial register for physical memorials installed in accordance with these procedures. The register will detail for whom the memorial is established, the location of the memorial and a contact name. Details within the memorial register will be provided to the Office of Advancement.

(27) It is envisaged that memorial areas will remain undisturbed but where it is necessary to relocate or remove a memorial area, the Division of Infrastructure and Commercial will notify the Office of Advancement who will, to the best of their ability, contact next of kin or other contacts and let them know.

Part E - Physical Memorials - Other

(28) The Vice-Chancellor and President may approve the establishment of a physical memorial for any purpose. However, if the physical memorial includes the naming of physical property or is for a prominent person, then the application must be dealt with under the Naming Recognition Policy.