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Policy and Procedure Statements

UPPS 08.03.04 - Public Art and Memorials

Public Art and Memorials

UPPS No. 08.03.04
Issue No. 6
Effective Date: 10/11/2023
Next Review Date: 9/01/2026 (E3Y)
Sr. Reviewer: Dean, College of Fine Arts and Communication

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to allocating resources for the creation, installation, management, and removal of public art and memorials.

  1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

    1. For major new construction projects, as defined by The Texas State University System (TSUS) policy, one percent of the construction budget will be allocated for the acquisition of public artworks, unless an exception is approved by the TSUS Board of Regents. These works of public art shall be located at or near the site of construction projects.

    2. The university president will propose an amount to include for public art and memorial projects when the first project budget is submitted to the TSUS Board of Regents for inclusion in the Capital Improvements Plan.

    3. Others may propose permanent or temporary public art displays and memorials for university locations within public view.

    4. The TSUS Committee on Public Art must approve public art and memorial projects, including erecting of statues and monuments.

    5. This policy does not address student art installations that are covered by separate guidelines and coordinated by the School of Art and Design. Nor does it address art installations located in the Alkek Library, Honors College, or Joann Cole Mitte Art Building.

  2. DEFINITIONS

    1. Memorial – a structure of artistic value that is erected to commemorate an event, person, or group. Statues or monuments may only be erected for persons who have made outstanding or meritorious contributions to the university, the TSUS, or who have attained the highest distinction in their respective fields of endeavor or for entities that have supported the university or the TSUS in an exceptional or noteworthy way.

    2. Public Art – various forms including sculpture, paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, murals, and mosaics, whether physically present or electronically generated, located in a place accessible to the general public. It is the specific intent to define public art as including all forms of artwork whether decorative or functional, interior or exterior, freestanding or physically integrated into buildings as artistic elements, and whether designed by students, faculty, or independent professional artists.

  3. PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

    1. The TSUS Committee on Public Art is facilitated by the director of Public Art. For Texas State projects, the majority of the committee members are nominated by the university president.

    2. In addition to any members appointed by TSUS, the Texas State committee members with voting rights will typically be:

      1. two presidential representatives, who will typically be the dean of Fine Arts and Communication and the director of the School of Art and Design;

      2. two School of Art faculty members;

      3. two non-School of Art faculty members;

      4. two alumnae;

      5. the Texas State Art Gallery director;

      6. one member from the Division of University Advancement; and

      7. one student.

    3. The committee will also typically have advisory members:

      1. one from the project design team;

      2. one from Facilities, Planning and Construction; and

      3. the director of Public Art, who will serve in an advisory capacity as well as a tie-breaking vote when needed.

    4. The TSUS Committee of Public Art shall meet as public art proposals require review or to address other public art planning issues. The TSUS Committee of Public Art will base its recommendations upon committee consensus.

    5. The TSUS Committee of Public Art does not presume any authority over artworks, photographs, etc., that faculty and staff place on view in their offices.

    6. When a work of public art is selected, the TSUS Committee of Public Art will provide the university archivist with information about the artists, donors, and historical background needed to catalog the university’s public art collection.

  4. PROCEDURES FOR DECISIONS REGARDING PUBLIC ART AND MEMORIALS

    1. The TSUS Committee on Public Art will advise the President’s Cabinet on the acquisition, placement, maintenance, removal, relocation, and rejection of public art and memorials on campus. Public art selection must address such issues as: artistic quality, appropriateness, site context, public sensibility, durability, maintainability, safety, and cost.

    2. When selecting works of public art:

      1. As appropriate, the university may utilize faculty members in the School of Art and Design to help the committee develop unifying themes or to select specific artists or works of art. Faculty and staff members who will provide their artwork for consideration in a major construction project are precluded from participating in the selection process.

      2. The director of Public Art will bring recommendations from the TSUS Committee on Public Art to the president.

      3. The director of Public Art will bring the president’s recommendation to the Chancellor for response.

    3. Prior to approving the placement of memorials on campus, in accordance with UPPS No. 08.03.03, Campus Memorials, the University Advancement Executive Council will consult with the TSUS Committee on Public Art.

  5. INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC ART

    1. The public art may require infrastructure to support the design (e.g., structural, plumbing, or electrical design), all of which require a state of Texas licensed engineer to prepare and certify that the construction documents comply with code. All plumbing and electrical work is to be performed by state of Texas licensed plumbers and electricians.

  6. FUNDING

    1. Those purchasing or making loan arrangements must secure and document funds prior to making any acquisition arrangements. If funding is contingent on philanthropic contributions, the appropriate official (as defined in UPPS No. 03.05.01, Soliciting, Accepting and Processing Gifts and Grants from Private Sources) must approve a formal fundraising plan prior to submitting the project.

  7. PROCEDURES FOR CATALOGING

    1. The TSUS Committee on Public Art will oversee a committee that will develop and maintain a catalog containing a description of every work of university public art. Therefore, each public artwork should have an identification number affixed to, associated with, or inscribed into it, for tracking location, monitoring condition, and managing inventory. This identification number and record will also include name of artist, title of work, media, date acquired, and other pertinent information.

    2. The catalog will be placed in the University Archives and updated as needed.

  8. DEACCESSIONING

    1. Deaccessioning provides a way to ensure the value of a collection through extended periods of time. Deaccessioning is done with thought and care and includes viewpoints from a variety of sources. To protect the collection, works of art must be accessioned for at least three years to be considered for deaccession unless otherwise approved by the Chancellor.

    2. Conditions for considering deaccession

      1. inability to be preserved properly;

      2. deterioration or damage beyond usefulness or repair;

      3. threat to public safety;

      4. requested for reparation by other groups;

      5. redundancy or forgery;

      6. lacking historical or academic value; or

      7. sale can be used to finance acquisition of a work of art of greater importance to the System’s collection.

  9. PROCEDURE FOR DEACCESSION

    1. The director of Public Art will provide a written Deaccession Request to the TSUS Committee of Public Art for review. The request will include:

      1. legal right confirmation;

      2. condition for considering deaccession;

      3. condition of artwork report;

      4. method of removal including relocation, donation, sale, or disposal;

      5. appraisal as needed;

      6. course of action as needed (when, how, is community input needed, etc.)

    2. The request will be reviewed by the TSUS Committee on Public Art, which will provide nonbinding recommendations to the president and Chancellor for approval.

    3. If the deaccession request is approved, the director of Public Art will provide a written Deaccession Request to the Component for removal. The request will include:

      1. names and titles of persons on the TSUS Committee on Public Art recommending the piece(s);

      2. method of deaccession;

      3. date of deaccession;

      4. condition report;

      5. accession TAG or ID number as needed;

      6. evidence of title;

      7. photographic documentation of deaccessioned piece.

    4. The director of Public Art will update the inventory, maintenance schedule and insurance documents.

  10. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS

    1. Reviewers of this UPPS include the following:

      PositionDate
      Dean, College of Fine Arts and CommunicationSeptember 1 E3Y
      Public Art CommitteeSeptember 1 E3Y
      Director of Public ArtSeptember 1 E3Y

  11. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

    This UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

    Dean, College of Fine Arts and Communication; senior reviewer of this UPPS

    Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

    President