• Section 1 - Purpose
• Scope
• Section 2 - Glossary
• Section 3 - Policy
• Responsibilities
• Section 4 - Procedure
• Purpose
• Scope
• Lost and Found Property Process
• Disposal of Found Property
• Stolen Property
• Section 5 - Guidelines

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) This document sets out Charles Sturt University's policy and procedure on the receiving, retention, collection and disposal of found property and the reporting of lost property relating to any staff, students and visitors to the University.

(2) This Policy and Procedure is intended to:

1. set out the principles that guide the Charles Sturt University's management of property which is reported lost or which is found at all campuses;
2. outline the retention, collection and disposal requirements of found property.

Scope

(3) This Policy applies to all staff and students of Charles Sturt University (the University). Stolen property (or property suspected of being stolen) is out of scope of this Policy and should be reported to University Security.

Section 2 - Glossary

(4) For the purpose of this Policy:

1. Lost property - means cash or items with an approximate value of more than $10 that have been reported to the University as lost on University premises.
2. Found property - means cash or items with an approximate value of more than $10 (including student notes) that have been found on University premises and reported to the University.
3. Claimed property - means cash or items of found property which have been claimed by the owner.
4. University premises - includes any land which is owned, controlled, managed or occupied by the University together with any building, construction or facility of any kind (whether permanent or temporary) on that land and also includes any other building, construction or facility which is under the control, management or occupation by the University.
5. Lost and Found Property Register - refers to the register held by the relevant Student Central Office that records details of lost, found and claimed properties. Register includes the following:
   1. an item number;
   2. the date and location that the cash/item was lost or found and if claimed;
   3. a description of the item;
   4. name, identifying information (Student/Staff number or drivers licence number) and contact details of the reporting person (if volunteered); and
   5. date collected, name, identifying information (Student/Staff number or drivers licence number) and contact details of the claiming person.

Section 3 - Policy

Responsibilities

(5) It is the responsibility of Student Central staff to:

1. receipt found property;
2. keep records of lost property;
3. attempt to locate owners of found property; and
4. establish proof of ownership and identity before releasing any found item; and/or
5. to dispose of property at the end of the retention period in accordance with the procedures outlined in Section 4 below.

(6) Details relating to lost, found and claimed properties will be recorded in a Lost and Found Property Register kept for each University premises/campus at the relevant Student Central Office.

(7) Found property will be retained by the relevant Student Central Offices for a minimum period of three months from the date the item was recorded on the Lost and Found Property Register. If the item remains unclaimed three months from the date the item was recorded on the Register and there is no prospect of identifying or contacting the owner, disposal of the item will be at the discretion of the Senior Manager, Student Central. The intent for disposal of items will be to benefit the intended recipient, or if containing personal or confidential information to be destroyed.

(8) Found property will be stored in a safe and secure location and maintained in such a way as to not subject any item to damage.

Section 4 - Procedure

Purpose

(9) The Lost and Found Property Procedure outlines how lost, found and claimed properties are managed by Student Central staff.

Scope

(10) This Procedure applies to all enquiries placed by staff, students or visitors of the University regarding lost and found property to Student Central Offices.

Lost and Found Property Process

(11) Staff at the relevant Student Central office will be responsible for estimating the approximate value of lost and found property.

(12) Details of lost and found property with an approximate value of more than $10 received by or reported to the local Student Central's offices must be recorded in a Lost and Found Property Register held by each local Student Central office. Student notes are considered valuable and receipt of any notes will also be recorded. Items of less than $10 in value will be disposed of in accordance with clause 17.

(13) Any cash found will be counted by Student Central's staff in the presence of the finder.

(14) Student Central's staff will take reasonable steps to identify and contact the owner of an item of found property.

(15) Where an owner is identified by Student Central, the owner will be required to provide proof of identity and acknowledge receipt of the property by signing a release form. Where an owner comes forward to claim an item they will be required to provide an identifying description of the item as well as proof of identity and acknowledge receipt of the property by signing the release form. The details will be recorded in the Lost and Found Property Register.

(16) Student Central will regularly advertise in the official student news publication a general description of items found on each University premise/campus.

Disposal of Found Property

(17) Disposal of an item will be at the discretion of the Senior Manager, Student Central, in accordance with the table below:

Stolen Property

(18) Reports of stolen property must be reported to Security in the first instance.

Section 5 - Guidelines

(19) Nil.