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PROCEDURE

University lost and found procedure: from collection point to campus office

This university lost and found procedure covers how a campus police or security team handles found items, from the libraries and buildings where they are handed in to a central office and back to students and staff, with examples quoted from universities’ own published policies.

Campuses have many collection points, so the procedure sets how long each one keeps an item before it goes to the central office.

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By Armaan Wadhwa and Pooja

Updated

The procedure, step by step

  1. Set collection points and their limit

    Name the buildings that take found items and how long each keeps them before sending them to the central office.

    For example, Boise State University: Lost and Found Property will be retained by the collection site for no more than one (1) week before it is transferred to Central Lost and Found at the Information Desk. Boise State University

  2. Log each item at the central office

    Record the date, where it was found and who handed it in, with a description and a photo, and a reference on the item.

  3. Contact named owners

    When an item carries a name or student number, contact the owner directly, and encourage students to mark their belongings.

    For example, UNSW Sydney: Please help us return lost property by writing your name and student number on books, notes, folders and other items whenever possible. UNSW Sydney

  4. Handle cards and documents by rule

    Follow your written rule for bank cards, campus cards and passports, and record what was done with each.

    For example, St. Mary's University (Texas): Credit or Debit Cards not claimed at the University Police Department office within 90 days will be disposed of by rendering the card unusable/ cut or shred, and such action will be documented and recorded by card number, issuing entity and card holders name. St. Mary's University (Texas)

  5. Post notice of high-value items

    Where your policy says so, post notice of valuable items and hold them longer.

    For example, Texas Tech University: If the item has a fair market value of $500 or more (high value), a notice will be posted on this page, and the item will be held for 90 days. Texas Tech Police Department

  6. Require identification at release

    Ask for a government or campus identity card and a description before release, and record who collected the item.

    For example, University of California, Irvine: Property will not be released without a valid government or UCI identification card. UCI Police Department

  7. Hold for your published period

    Keep each item for the period your policy states, and publish it.

    For example, St. Mary's University (Texas): All property turned in to the University Police Department lost and found will be held for 90 days prior to disposal. St. Mary's University (Texas)

  8. Dispose of it as policy allows

    Donate, auction, recycle or destroy unclaimed items as your policy allows, and keep a record of each disposal.

    For example, Cal Poly Humboldt: Unclaimed items will be sold via an ongoing on-line auction at www.propertyroom.com Cal Poly Humboldt

Where the holding period comes from

Universities set their own periods, and some cite a state law. Our holding periods data lists the periods universities and colleges publish, with the words that support each one.

Frequently asked questions

How long do universities keep lost property?+

Each university sets its own period. The holding periods data on this site lists the periods universities and colleges publish, with the median and the middle half for those in the table.

Should campus buildings keep their own lost and found?+

Many campuses let buildings hold items for a short time and then send them to a central office, so one log holds everything. Write the limit for each collection point into your policy.

What ID should a campus ask for before returning an item?+

Your policy decides. The University of California, Irvine, for example, publishes that it releases items only on a valid government or campus identity card.

Run the procedure in one place

vFound Lost & Found takes each found item from photo to shelf to claim to return, with every step recorded, on your site’s own lost and found page.

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