AP 6630 Donation/Naming Procedure for Memorial Trees and Benches
References:
BP/AP 6500 Property Management
BP 3250 Institutional Planning
BP 6630 Memorial Trees and Benches
Purpose
The following procedure provides information and instructions for the donation and naming of memorial trees and benches on campus. This procedure will ensure that requests presented to the College are clear and defined, have been evaluated for potential impact to the College’s Campus Master Plan, and have appropriate funding for the installation and maintenance of memorial dedications on campus. All memorial dedication requests and post-approval payments are facilitated through the RCC Foundation. Those eligible for consideration include prior RCC officers, staff or students who do not already have a memorial dedication at RCC.
Adopt-a-Tree Procedure
- The person in whose memory the bench will be created must be deceased.
- This procedure is the most readily available and preferred form for memorial dedications on campus.
- The total cost for each memorial plaque will be developed by the College and reviewed with each donor request to ensure that all costs have been included.
- A plaque consistent with current RCC signage standards will be placed in front of an existing campus tree in memory of a person of the donor’s choosing.
- The plaque will generally include the name/species of the tree, the name of the individual who has passed, and generally the years of their life and possibly a quote, as space permits.
- An Arboretum Tree Map is available to help guide the request process for selecting a potentially available tree and can be found on the College website at the following link: Arboretum Tree Map.
- A higher level of donation may be required for existing trees on campus with more historic significance, rarity, and longevity, and at the discretion of the College Foundation.
- Adopted trees are named for the life of the tree and will be replaced if it dies within five years of the adoption date. The species of replacement tree will be at the discretion of the Facilities Management, Planning and Construction Department in coordination with the RCC Foundation.
Memorial Tree Planting Procedure
- The person in whose memory the tree will be planted must be deceased.
- The tree type can be negotiated with the College if a specific species of tree is preferred.
- The total cost will be developed by the College and reviewed with each donor request to ensure that all costs have been included.
- Each memorial tree will be identified by a small plaque, consistent with current RCC signage standards, for the person in whose memory the tree was planted.
- Memorial trees are named for the life of the tree and will be replaced if it dies within five years of the planting date. The species of replacement tree will be at the discretion of the Facilities Management, Planning and Construction Department in coordination with the RCC Foundation.
Memorial Bench Procedure
- The person in whose memory the bench will be created must be deceased.
- Benches will be metal, welded, and powder-coated only and will incorporate a memorial plaque on the bench that provides the name of the person in whose memory the bench is donated.
- RCC reserves the right to determine the type of bench purchased and placement on College campus grounds.
- All costs developed by the College will be reviewed with each donor to ensure that all costs have been included.
- A reasonable attempt will be made to repair vandalized benches; however, benches are generally not replaced if destroyed by vandalism or if they have been stolen. Exceptions to replacement are at the discretion of the College.
All tree and bench locations will be finalized and approved by the Facilities Management, Planning and Construction Department in coordination with the RCC Foundation and subject to the College’s Master Plan.
Rescinds Policy Numbers: AP-070
Approved: August 1, 2023