Institutional Code of Ethics

Introduction

The collections, programs, and facilities of the Museum of Anthropology are held in the public trust through its role as preserver of human culture and in its presentation of materials with accuracy, honesty, and sensitivity. This Code of Ethics recognizes the Museum of Anthropology’s role as a center for scholarship, stewardship, and interpretation of collections that are held in trust.

The Museum of Anthropology is a division of The University of Missouri, a State University. Its activities and those of its employees, volunteers, and associated persons are governed by the laws of the State and the Collected Rules and Regulations of the University of Missouri. Acceptance of paid or voluntary positions in the Museum requires adherence to the letter and spirit of regulations governing those institutions and the ethical guidelines outlined in this document, which supplements those regulations.

It is the goal of this Code of Ethics to embody the museum’s commitment to public accountability, public trust, public service and ethical practices. Public trust responsibilities must be acknowledged by all employed by the Museum of Anthropology. The Museum of Anthropology Director, staff (both full-time and part-time), curators, docents, interns, research assistants, volunteers, and anyone associated in an official capacity with the Museum have a duty and obligation to preserve and protect that public trust. In all activities, Museum personnel should act with integrity, following the ethical principles outlined in this document as well as any other applicable professional standards.

This Code of Ethics shall be distributed to all Museum staff members and all those associated with the Museum; Museum staff will sign and return the attached form acknowledging receipt, understanding, and compliance with this Code of Ethics. The Museum Director will spend at least one staff meeting session per year reviewing the contents of this document.

Museum Governance

The Museum is administered by a Director responsible for all aspects of the day to day operations of the Museum, and for management of its physical, human and financial resources. The Director reports to the Dean of the College of Arts and Science, University of Missouri. The Dean in turn reports to the Provost, the chief academic officer of the University, and thereby to the Chancellor of the University, appointed by the President of the University of Missouri System. The University of Missouri System is governed by an appointed and state-chartered Board of Curators.

The Museum operates within the administrative framework of the University, which sets rules regarding accounting, purchasing, human resource policies, benefits, and similar operational parameters. The Museum is given full autonomy in pursuing its mission, however, and the University does not set schedules, influence topics for exhibitions or decisions regarding the growth of the collections, or the character of curatorial research and interpretation.

Governance should ensure that the Museum has a clearly stated and appropriate mission, and all activities, objectives, and policies are governed by that mission.
Governance should ensure that the Museum has a written and published Collections Management Policy and Code of Ethics. The Museum Director will determine the contents of those documents in accordance with applicable standards, ethics and law, and they will be reviewed and approved by the Dean of the College of Arts and Science.
Governance should ensure that the Museum develops and maintains appropriate emergency plans to protect personnel, the public, and collections from natural and human-made disasters.
Governance should ensure the Museum has adequate facilities with suitable environment and appropriate security for the museum to fulfill its basic functions and to protect the collections.
Governance should ensure the collections are held in public trust in accordance with all applicable standards governing museum collections, and shall not be treated as financial assets.

Guidelines for Professional Practices

A. General Responsibilities

Employment at the Museum is a public trust and involves great responsibility and dedication. In all activities, Museum Employees must act with integrity and in accordance with stringent ethical principles as well as with the highest standards of objectivity and fairness.

Every employee is entitled to engage in a full range of professional and personal activities with a measure of individual independence equal to that granted comparable professionals in other disciplines and consistent with his/her professional and staff responsibilities. Loyalty to the Museum must be paramount, since museums enjoy high public visibility and their employees a generous measure of public esteem. To the public, museum employees are never wholly separate from their institution. Any museum-related action by employees may reflect on the institution or be attributed to it.

B. Professionalism

Members of the Museum’s administration and governing authority should respect the professional expertise of the Museum staff, who have been engaged because of their special knowledge or ability in some aspect of Museum activity. Governance should be structured so that the resolution of issues involving professional matters incorporates the opinions and professional judgments of relevant members of the Museum staff. In addition to the Code of Ethics outlined here, members of the Museum's professional staff may also be subject to ethical codes based upon their professional or disciplinary expertise. If any individual feels that there is a significant difference between their ethical obligations to the Museum and those specified by codes specific to their discipline, s/he should bring the matter to the attention of the Director; since codes of ethics cannot address every potential situation, it is presumed that the more conservative or rigorous ethical practice should prevail.

C. Conflict of Interest

Museum employees should never abuse their official positions or their contacts within the Museum community; impair in any way the performance of their official duties; compete with the institution; or bring discredit to the Museum or to the profession in any activity, Museum related or not. They must be prepared to accept, as conditions of employment, the restrictions that are necessary to maintain public confidence in the Museum’s goals and in the museum profession; they are, therefore, expected to agree to act in conformity with these Guidelines for Professional Practices.

The reputation and name of the Museum of Anthropology are valuable assets and should not be exploited either for personal advantage or the advantage of any person or entity. Information about the administrative and non-scholarly activities of the Museum that an employee may acquire in the course of his/her duties, and which is not generally known or available to the public, must be treated as information proprietary to the Museum. Such information may not be used for personal advantage or for purposes detrimental to the Museum or its mission. No person associated with the Museum may use confidential information (e.g. information about donors, ownership of artifacts, or archaeological site locations) acquired through his/her position in any outside employment or personal activity without the express prior written consent of the Museum Director.

Conflicts of interest are further defined and regulated by the University Board of Curators’ “Policy on Commitment of Time, Conflict of Interest, Consulting, and Other Employment.” All staff members are required to familiarize themselves with the terms of this policy; copies are available in the Human Resource Services Department and also located on-line. Staff members should be circumspect in referring members of the public to outside suppliers of services, such as appraisers, conservators, or framers. Whenever possible, more than a single qualified source should be provided so that no appearance of personal favoritism in referrals is created. Whenever a matter arises that could be perceived as a conflict between the interests of the Museum and an outside or personal interest of an employee or an employee’s family, the employee should bring the matter to the attention of his/her supervisor for resolution.

D. Consulting and Other Employment

Consulting and outside employment by Museum staff members are governed by the University Board of Curators’ “Policy on Commitment of Time, Conflict of Interest, Consulting, and Other Employment.” Outside employment by classified staff is regulated as defined in the University’s Classified Staff Handbook. All staff members are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the terms of these policies; copies are available in the Human Resource Services Office and also located on-line. The University, under policies of the University Board of Curators, requires designated staff members to report consulting arrangements, significant financial or managerial interests, and employment in outside entities whose financial or other interests would reasonably appear to be directly and significantly affected by their research or other University activities. Staff members are regularly notified of these requirements by the University when such reports are expected.

E. Use of Museum Property and Services

Except in a purely incidental way, University resources, including but not limited to facilities, materials, personnel, software, equipment or services, may not be used in external activities unless written approval has been received in advance from the Museum Director or his/her designee. Such permission shall be granted only when the use of University resources is determined to further the mission of the institution. When such permission is granted, the staff member will make arrangements for reimbursement to the University for customarily-priced institutional materials, facilities, or services used in the external activity. Such use may never be authorized if it violates the University Board of Curators’ policy on “Sales of Products and Services.” No person may use the Museum’s collection in any non-Museum matter or context without the prior written consent of the Museum Director. No staff member shall use his/her home for any other personal purpose of storing or exhibiting any object or item that is part of the Museum’s collections or under the guardianship of the Museum, or use any other resources of the Museum except for the official business of the Museum of Anthropology and as approved by the staff member’s supervisor. Objects from the collection may not be used to decorate offices or similar purposes.

F. Use of University Name or Museum Name

As stated in the University Board of Curators’ Policy, the name of the “University Board of Curators” or the name of the “University of Missouri” may never be used as an endorsement of a Museum staff member’s external activities without expressed and advance written approval of the Chancellor and/or the University Board of Curators. Museum staff members may list their institutional affiliation in professional books, articles, and monographs they author or edit and in connection with professional workshops they conduct or presentations they offer. Likewise, the name of the Museum of Anthropology shall not be used by staff members or volunteers in activities external to the Museum, except as a required statement of place of employment. Staff members shall be careful not to affiliate the name of the Museum with the expression of social, historical, economic, or political opinions or viewpoints, except as officially approved by the Museum’s Director.

G. Political Activity

Political activities by staff members are governed by the University Board of Curators policy. Copies of these policies are available in the Human Resource Services Department and on-line. These policies describe the provisions relating to seeking election or appointment to public offices or political positions.

H. Personal Collecting

Personal collecting by members of the staff is allowed, subject to the following guidelines for persons having significant responsibility for acquiring objects for the Museum of Anthropology (Director, all Curators, all Collections Managers, hereafter called Collections Committee Staff). Collections Committee Staff shall not become involved in any transactions that by virtue of their office give rise to a conflict of interest, or to the appearance of a conflict of interest. While some collecting areas (e.g., books, contemporary ethnographic or artistic works) pose limited ethical concerns, members of the staff acknowledge that personal collecting of archaeological materials, and their sale or purchase, is discouraged.

I. Dealing

No Collections Committee Staff person shall act as a dealer. Upgrading a personal collection by occasional trades or purchases is not considered dealing in works of art or artifacts. The acquisition and deletion of objects from a personal collection may require disclosure as set forth in Section H.

J. Loans of Artifacts to the Museum by Staff

While loans of artifacts by Museum Staff or Committee Members can be of benefit to the Museum, it should be recognized that exhibition can enhance the value of the exhibited object and thus the loan may be perceived as a conflict of interest. Care should be used to maintain objectivity in such cases. In any case where such a conflict might be perceived, particulars regarding potential conflicts of interest must be fully disclosed and made transparently available to others, and if the individuals involved have a formal or informal role in decision-making within the Museum they should recuse themselves from all related discussions.

K. Staff Assistance

Members of the University administration, faculty, staff, docents, interns, and volunteers may receive technical assistance and expertise from the Museum staff, to the extent that such assistance would be offered to a member of the general public.

L. Equal Opportunity

Extensive laws, regulations, and procedures of the federal government and the University govern matters pertaining to equal opportunity in employment in the Museum. Staff members and volunteers are expected to support and carry out these policies without hesitation. The Museum of Anthropology does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, genetic information, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions is also prohibited. The Museum’s nondiscrimination policy applies to all phases of its operations. Further, this policy applies to sexual violence and sexual harassment (forms of sex discrimination) occurring both within and outside of the Museum context if the conduct negatively affects the individual’s educational or work experience or the overall Museum or campus environment. Retaliation directed to any person who pursues a discrimination complaint or grievance, participates in a discrimination investigation, or otherwise opposes unlawful discrimination is prohibited.

While the Museum of Anthropology fully supports equity in the workplace, some requests concerning traditional care or handling protocols associated with indigenous collections may limit the ability of individuals to handle or engage with certain objects based on their age, gender or other circumstances. Out of respect to these concerns staff may voluntarily agree to comply with handling protocols requested by tribes or Native communities, or request reassignment to other comparable and appropriate duties.

M. Interpersonal Relationships

Museum Staff members must be fair-minded, non-discriminatory, and treat all individuals, both internal and external to the university community equitably, with civility, respect and dignity. Professional Museum workers must always be dedicated to the high standards and discipline of their profession, but they must also remain mindful that they are employees as well as independent experts. While they must strive for professional excellence in their own specialty, they must at the same time remember that they are part of a team effort and must cooperate supportively with their colleagues. Interpersonal relationships among Museum staff are also governed by policies of the University of Missouri, including Chapter 330 of the UM Collected Rules and Regulations. Copies are available in the Human Resource Services office and on-line.

N. Inter-Institutional Cooperation

The Museum, in pursuing its goal of contributing to the preservation of humanity’s cultural heritage and the increase of knowledge, should respond positively to opportunities for cooperative action with Missouri museums and other institutions nationally and internationally to further this goal.

O. Ownership of Scholarly Material

Staff members are encouraged to write and publish, both for the Museum and independently. Ownership of work results and copyright is governed by the University’s “Copyright Policy.” Copies of both documents are available in the Human Resource Services office and on-line.

P. Development and Fundraising

The Museum's ability to fulfill its mission and serve its public depends, in large part, on the scale of resources available. Funding from businesses and individuals through development and fundraising activities enhances the Museum's capacity to achieve its mission and serve its audiences more effectively. As part of the University of Missouri, all development and fundraising activities will be in compliance with applicable law and in accordance with established University policies. Such support must always advance the Museum's stated mission and avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest. While restrictions or conditions of support are generally not accepted, if in a particular instance such conditions are accepted they must be explicitly stated and agreed by all parties in writing at the time of the gift. While the Museum does not exclude particular businesses or categories of businesses from support of Museum activities, any offers of support, underwriting or sponsorship--and any attendant forms of recognition--will be reviewed on a case by case basis to ensure that the support advances and is consonant with the Museum's stated mission.

Q. Records Retention

The Museum of Anthropology, as a unit of the University of Missouri, follows the University's document retention and destruction guidelines (sections 901-911 of the University's Business Policy Manual). These include guidelines for retention and disposal of a range of records, handling of confidential records under both FERPA and HIPPA guidelines, backup, imagery and web access to documents, archival procedures, records audits (section 910) and electronic records (section 911). Any documentation involving collections is retained in perpetuity; consequently, the museum may exceed the University of Missouri’s document retention guidelines when necessary.

R. Whistleblower Protection

The Museum of Anthropology is subject to the University of Missouri's official whistleblower policy, stated in the MU Human Resources Policy Manual HR-520 "Reporting University Related Misconduct," which states that "any threat of or attempt to penalize or retaliate against an employee for filing a good faith report or participating in the investigation of a good faith report regarding University related misconduct will be considered a separate and distinct violation of University policy."

Employees or others who suspect fraud or fiscal misconduct may report their concerns without fear of reprisal, either through their supervisors, higher level supervisors, or through the formal University Fiscal Misconduct Reporting Line, which is securely managed by an outside provider.

The toll-free number is (866) 447-9821. The website to submit a report is https://www.compliance-helpline.com/UM.jsp.

S. Social Media

The Museum of Anthropology staff is subject to The University of Missouri’s policy on social media which can be found at http://identity.missouri.edu/social-media/guidelines.php.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteer participation within the Museum of Anthropology is vital at all levels of its endeavors. Volunteers constitute any person who is working for or on behalf of the Museum who is not on the Museum payroll. The staff should be supportive of volunteers, receive them as fellow workers, and willingly provide appropriate training and opportunities for their intellectual enrichment. While volunteers participate in many Museum activities, those with access to the Museum’s collections, programs, and associated privileged information work in areas that are sensitive and must adhere to the Museum's stated policies. Access to the Museum’s internal activities and information is an honor, yet the lack of material compensation for effort expended on behalf of the Museum in no way frees the volunteer from adherence to standards that apply to paid staff. Volunteers must work toward the betterment of the institution and not for personal gain other than the gratification, knowledge and satisfaction derived from Museum participation. Although the Museum may accord them stated special privileges, volunteers should not accept gifts, favors, discounts, loans, or other dispensations of things of value that accrue to them from other parties in connection with carrying out duties for the institution. Conflict of interest restrictions placed upon the Museum staff must be explained to volunteers and, where relevant, observed by them.

Volunteers associated with the Museum should understand clearly the policies and programs adopted by the Museum and must adhere to the administrative application of such policies and programs. Volunteers must hold confidential those matters of program function and administration that are not generally known or available to the public.

COLLECTIONS

A. Management, Maintenance, and Conservation

The Museum of Anthropology derives its central purpose and its usefulness to the University and the general public from its collections. It is the Museum’s highest ethical obligation to protect the physical integrity and safety of the collection, including associated documentation. The on-going safety and preservation of the collection should always be considered when planning any museum program, exhibit, or activity.

Maintenance of collection information in an orderly and retrievable form is a central obligation of Collections staff. Physical care and accessibility of collections will be in keeping with professionally accepted standards. Collections should be made reasonably accessible in a manner facilitating educational, research and other uses outlined by the Museum’s mission, without placing the collection at undue risk.

Procedures must be maintained for the periodic evaluation of the condition of the collections and for their general and specific maintenance in keeping with professionally accepted standards. Management of the Museum's holdings is governed by its formally reviewed and approved Collections Management Policy.

B. Acquisitions

The acquisition of artifacts or collections is one of the principal activities of the Museum. Acquisitions must also serve the Museum’s other purposes: to preserve and conserve anthropological materials for future generations, to display those objects according to the highest professional Museum standards, to encourage the study of anthropology, and to provide increased understanding and appreciation to the broadest possible audience or audiences.

Growth of the Museum's collections is by selective acquisition. In the acquisition of objects, the Museum must carefully weigh the interests of the public for which it holds the collection in trust, the donor’s intent in the broadest sense, the interests of the scholarly and cultural community, and the Museum’s own financial well-being. Toward these goals, the Museum seeks to develop a collection that is as broad and comprehensive as possible, within certain limitations. As a rule, acquisitions must support the teaching and research mission of the University. In deciding whether to acquire works, the Museum will consider the appropriateness of the object or objects relative to the University’s other permanent collections, particularly the art collections of the Museum of Art and Archaeology, and work cooperatively with other museums on campus to best advance the interests of the University and the communities it serves.

The Director and staff of the Museum are best qualified to assess the pertinence of an object to the collection or to the Museum of Anthropology’s programs. If necessary, the Director and staff may consult outside experts in the field. The Director and the staff are responsible for the search for possible acquisitions. Normally, acquisitions are proposed to the Director by one of the Museum curators after a professional review of the objects’ authenticity, provenance, attribution, condition, and significance. The appropriate Curator must present a formal acquisition proposal including this information to the Collections Committee; this recommendation becomes part of the permanent object file. The Director may perform this curatorial role within his/her area of expertise. The Director and/or curators should consult with members of the faculty, or other individuals, when additional expertise is needed or desired. If conflict occurs between the Director and members of the Collections Committee with a proposed acquisition, the decision to acquire will only be made in consultation with and following approval by the Dean of the College of Arts and Science.

No object may be acquired, by either purchase or gift, without the Museum Director’s approval. The majority of the Collections Committee and Director’s approval is sufficient for purchases, except when additional approvals are required by the terms of a bequest, endowed fund, or contribution.

Objects acquired by the Museum must have a valid legal title. The Museum will acquire an object only when it is reasonably certain that the work has not been derived from illicit trade and that its acquisition does not contribute to the continuation of illicit trade in antiquities or works of art. Gifts and bequests should preferably be of an unconditional and unrestricted nature, and no work should be accepted with any guarantee of display, publication, perpetual ownership, attribution, or valuation by the Museum. In the case of a bequest that includes such restrictions or conditions, the Director in rare cases may, however, decide that the object is of sufficient merit to warrant acceptance of the restrictions. Any limitations or restrictions must be clearly stated in the Deed of Gift or other instrument of conveyance.

Standard research on objects being considered for acquisition should include a request that the sellers, donors, or estate executors offering an object provide as much provenance information as they have available in order to ensure that the object or objects are not derived from illicit excavations or antiquities trafficking, or were improperly appropriated during the Nazi era. If credible evidence of improper origin or appropriation is discovered, the Museum should notify the donor, seller, or estate executor of the nature of the evidence and should not proceed with acquisition of the object until taking further action to resolve these issues. Depending on the circumstances of the particular case, prudent or necessary actions may include consulting with qualified legal counsel and notifying other interested parties of the Museum’s findings. Under certain circumstances acquisition of objects with uncertain provenance may reveal further information about the object and may facilitate the possible resolution of its status. In such circumstances, the museum may choose to proceed with the acquisition after determining that it would be lawful, appropriate, and prudent to do so, provided that the currently available object and provenance information is made public as soon as practicable after the acquisition.

Antiquities considered for acquisition should be accompanied by documentation showing they were not illegally exported from their country of origin after November 17, 1970, the date of the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. Commercialization of antiquities poses a significant risk to world heritage, and the Museum will be sensitive to the material impact of purchases of antiquities or archaeological objects on the integrity of sites and monuments.

C. Accessions

Artifacts or works of art acquired by the Museum, through purchase, gift, bequest, or exchange, are normally accessioned into the collection, with the exception of works that do not merit accessioning but that are included in a larger group of objects acquired either through gift or purchase. These objects may be placed in the Museum's Education Collection or disposed of in accordance with the Museum's Collections Management Policy. Decisions regarding accessions are proposed by the Museum curators and must be approved by the Director.

D. Deaccessions

To deaccession is to remove an object permanently from the collections. Great care must be taken in making decisions to withdraw an object from the collections.

In addition to the statutory basis for deaccessioning, the Museum has further restricted and defined the process as follows. Deaccessioning of objects from the collection must be for the sole purpose of improving and refining the quality of the Museum’s collection. The result of deaccessioning, either through transfer, exchange, sale, donation, or destruction, should be based on the best interests of the Museum, the University of Missouri, the scholarly and cultural community represented, the donor’s intent in the broadest sense, the public trust, and the public the Museum serves. The Museum should attempt to ensure that the deaccessioned object continues to receive proper care and retains its documentation. Deaccessioning shall not be undertaken on the basis of cash value of any object to be sold. Deaccessioning shall be considered for the following reasons:

The object is not relevant or useful to the Museum according to the Museum's Mission Statement and Collections Management Policy.
The object is of inferior quality or is insignificant in relation to other works of the same type in the collections. It is recognized, however, that even a work of modest quality may have sufficient study or teaching value so as to warrant its retention.
The object is in such poor condition that conservation is not feasible or will result in a loss of its integrity or scholarly value.
The authenticity, attribution, or genuineness of the object can be shown to be false or fraudulent, and the work lacks sufficient scientific merit, or intellectual importance to warrant retention. Such a work, however, may be retained in the Permanent Collection if it has continuing worth in fulfilling the Museum's mission.
The object is subject to legitimate repatriation or restitution claims under applicable state, federal, and international laws.
It can be proven that the Museum does not possess good title to the object.

All recommendations for deaccession must originate with the appropriate Curator having jurisdiction over that portion of the collection, or the permanent staff member exercising curatorial responsibility for that portion of the collection in the absence of a Curator. In recommending deaccessions to the Museum Director, the Curator having jurisdiction shall present a written statement of the purpose and justification of the proposed deaccession, observing the highest standards of scholarship and professional practice. It is the responsibility of the Director to make sure these standards are observed and that the Museum holds clear title, and that legal or contractual considerations do not prevent deaccessioning. If the Director approves, the Director and Curator having jurisdiction shall then present the proposal to the Collections Committee for approval. Supporting material shall include at least the following: signed recommendation, accession number, description of object, method of acquisition, proposed means of disposal, condition report, justification, and estimated value if known. All written materials relating to the deaccession shall be kept as part of the Museum’s permanent records. Before disposal, all accession numbers and other identifications relating to the Museum of Anthropology shall be removed from the object or marked to indicate removal from the Museum's holdings.

Having been approved through the process outlined above, deaccessioning shall be conducted in such a way as to maximize improvement of the Museum’s collection, while preserving its integrity and reputation. This may be accomplished through sale at public auction; sale to, exchange, transfer to another unit within the University of Missouri; sale or donation to another museum or institution; or through consignment or sale to a dealer or other buyer subject to University regulations. The Director in consultation with the Curator involved shall decide in each instance whether it is in the Museum’s best interest for its ownership of the works to be revealed.

No person associated with the Museum of Anthropology, or any representative or relative of such person, may acquire an artifact or work of art deaccessioned by the Museum. This prohibition also applies to individuals with a previous relationship with the Museum, for a period specified in the Museum's Collections Management Policy.

Income derived from deaccessioned objects shall be used solely for the purchase or acquisition of other artifacts or art works or for direct care of collections, such as conservation of individual artifacts. Under no circumstances may funds from a deaccessioning be used for any other purposes.

Objects of minimal or no market value may be used for study purposes or destroyed.

E. Native American Remains, Sacred Objects, and Objects of Cultural Patrimony

It is the University of Missouri Museum of Anthropology’s intent and policy to comply with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 25 U.S.C. §3001-13 (1990), 104 Stat. 3042, P.L. 101-106 and subsequent amendments. Under NAGPRA, the museum is required to compile information about such material, to disseminate the information to and consult with tribes about collections that may be subject to repatriation, and in certain circumstances, return such material to affiliated Native American tribes, Native Hawaiian groups, or specified individuals. The Director shall be charged with the primary responsibility for complying with the mandates of NAGPRA.

Museum staff will be aware of and sensitive to issues that arise out of cultural concerns of Native American tribes. Such concerns may relate to appropriate standards for the use and management of Native American objects. Museum staff members will make a good faith effort to consult with affiliated Native American tribes associated with objects in the collections and to take their interests into account at all times provided that such interests are consistent with applicable law and the Museum’s duties for care and management of its collections.

F. Repatriation and Restitution

Should it be conclusively proven that an object that has been acquired by the Museum was illegally exported from its country of origin or from the country where it was last legally owned, the Museum will, under appropriate circumstances, take reasonable steps for the return of the object to the country establishing the clearest claim. The Museum Director and Curators shall make every effort to ensure that no such claims exist before making acquisitions. If the Museum determines that an object in its collection was unlawfully appropriated during the Nazi era without subsequent restitution, or under other, similar circumstances, the Museum will seek to resolve the matter with the claimant in an equitable, appropriate, and mutually agreeable manner.

Repatriation or restitution requests made under the provisions of NAGPRA will be handled under extant law and institutional NAGPRA policies. All other claims will be considered on a case by case basis informed by applicable law, treaty, and applicable standards of ethics or professional best practice. Regardless of source all claims will be addressed openly (to the degree possible and appropriate), seriously, responsively and with respect for the dignities of all parties involved.

G. Loans

The Museum of Anthropology lends objects from its collection to other non-profit institutions for temporary exhibitions for scholarly and educational purposes. Objects are not lent to University Departments or Administrative Offices for decoration purposes.

Loan requests must be reviewed and approved by the Director and appropriate Curators, based upon the following criteria:

The condition of the objects.
The value of the objects.
The impact of the loan upon the Museum of Anthropology’s exhibitions, education programs, and support of teaching and research.
The quality and importance of the exhibition or project for which the loan is requested.
The qualifications and expertise of the requesting institution.
The facilities, physical environment, and security arrangements of the requesting institution.

From time to time the Museum of Anthropology borrows objects from individuals or institutions to advance its programmatic or research interests. All incoming loans will be governed by the following provisions:

Loans will only be accepted where there is a clear connection between acceptance of the borrowed object(s) and the Museum mission, and that the inclusion of the borrowed object(s) will not reduce the intellectual integrity of the exhibition or research project in which the object(s) may be included.
Loans will only be accepted after examination of the lender's relationship to the Museum to ensure that there are no real or apparent conflicts of interest relating to the loan (for example, where the lender has a formal or informal decision- making role within the Museum). In any case where such a conflict might be perceived, individuals involved must recuse themselves from the decision- making process, and particulars regarding potential conflicts of interest must be fully disclosed and made transparently available to others.

The Museum retains full decision-making authority over any exhibition or program involving borrowed works, and will consult with the lender regarding proper interpretation and display. If the Museum receives financial or non-financial support from a lender, that support will be made public.

H. Appraisals of Objects

Museum staff is prohibited from providing appraisals or monetary valuations of artifacts to any party outside the Museum. Exceptions will only be made, with prior approval in writing from the Director, for appraisal or authentication of materials as a professional courtesy for other museums, non-profit institutions, or to governmental or law- enforcement agencies. While such an exception may be appropriate in certain situations, it requires the utmost care by Museum staff to avoid any real or perceived conflict of interest, or to inadvertently increase the commercialization of antiquities and thereby the risk of looting and spoliation of archaeological sites.

In seeking and accepting gifts to the Museum, no member of the staff shall provide any sort of monetary valuation of objects for the donor. For purposes of internal record keeping and insuring the collection, however, the Museum shall establish values for the works in its collection, exercising care not to communicate those valuations to the donor.

The donor of an object must be solely responsible for obtaining and paying for appraisals and valuations for his/her own purposes, including tax deductibility. If donors request assistance in determining the value of works being offered, Museum staff will provide either the names of multiple possible appraisers or contact information for national associations referring competent appraisers, or both. The Museum of Anthropology shall avoid any action that might appear to be an effort to assist the donor in securing an income tax deduction, beyond those documentary actions mandated by governmental revenue authorities. Curators and others involved with gifts of objects to the Museum must be familiar with IRS Publication 526 dealing with the valuation of donated property, especially as concerns the rules relating to charitable gifts of art objects and the appraisal requirements as described in the instructions to IRS Form 8283.

I. Display and Exhibition

Displays and temporary exhibitions, physical or electronic, should be in accordance with the stated mission of the museum. Exhibitions should not compromise the care and conservation of the collections.

All information presented in exhibitions should be well-researched, accurate, and give appropriate consideration to represented groups or beliefs. Exhibitions of sensitive materials will be displayed in a manner consistent with professional standards and respect for all.

The museum should avoid displaying or otherwise using material of questionable ethical origin. Such displays can be seen to condone or contribute to the illicit trade in cultural property.

It is the responsibility of Museum professionals to present accurate information about the artifacts the Museum owns, exhibits, interprets or publishes. This forms a part of the primary charge of the Museum to preserve significant materials unimpaired for the future. Intellectual honesty and objectivity in the presentation of objects is, therefore, the duty of every individual associated with the Museum of Anthropology, whether in a paid or unpaid capacity.

J. Commercial Use

In arranging for the manufacture and sale of reproductions, replicas, or other commercial items adapted from objects in the Museum of Anthropology’s collections, all activities must be carried out in a manner that will neither discredit the integrity of the Museum nor trivialize or damage the original object. Great care must be taken to identify replicas and reproductions as what they are in a manner that will be permanent. Great care must also be taken to ensure accuracy and high quality of manufacture. Antiquities or ancient items, archaeological objects or sensitive ethnographic objects will not be sold by the Museum or the Museum Store, nor will the Museum or the Museum Store promote activities that might promote the illicit trade in antiquities, looting of archaeological sites, or improper alienation of cultural property.

K. Availability of Collections

While the Museum of Anthropology assumes as a primary responsibility the safeguarding of its collections and therefore must regulate access to them, the collections should be made available to the general public, within regularly maintained hours that are published routinely and on a nondiscriminatory basis. Artifacts in storage should be made available for viewing by appointment, but non-Museum staff must always be supervised by an appropriate Museum staff member. Access to some parts of the collection may be restricted due to active scholarly use by staff members and scholars, but normally only for the duration of the immediate research effort. Areas where stored collections are maintained should be organized for the purposes of conservation and security and also categorized, to the extent possible, for easy access for research and study.

L. Cooperative Curation Agreements

The AAD serves as the repository for the majority of archaeological material produced from the myriad of research and educational projects and federally mandated cultural resource management projects conducted in the state of Missouri. If an understanding for curatorial services between an agency and the AAD is agreed upon, the AAD will assume curatorial responsibility for such materials pursuant to 36 CFR Part 79. The agency is responsible for legal compliance with state and federal laws, Museum policies and procedures set forth within the Collections Management Policy and any curation agreements.

REVISION AND UPDATES

The Museum of Anthropology is committed to openness and transparency in the creation and implementations of its policies. Both the Museum's Code of Ethics and Collections Management Policy are living documents, subject to ongoing change and revision over time. The current version of both documents is available at the Museum's website.

The Museum Director will dedicate at least one staff meeting per year to discussion of these policies, and issues relating to these policies and their interpretation may be considered at any time. Revisions and updates may be made at any time, and following review and approval by the Museum's governing authority will take effect and be posted on the Museum's website.

policy approved 2017