Individual departments or other units of the University are charged with stewardship responsibility for the equipment under their control. However, ownership of University equipment is vested in the University of Oregon on behalf of the Oregon State Board of Higher Education, and not in any specific unit or department regardless of whether the equipment was purchased with University funds or donated by an external agency or private individual. Such items need not be listed on the University's equipment inventory to qualify as University equipment.

University equipment may be used only in the conduct of University-related activities. Except as required for the proper accomplishment of the University's mission or for the obvious and recognized purposes of an individual unit or department, University equipment may not be borrowed by, or rented or loaned to any person or group for non-University purposes without the prior written approval of the Vice-President for Administration, on the recommendation of the appropriate dean or director.

Department heads and unit directors may loan or rent equipment under their stewardship to other units of the University for University purposes and are free to transfer control of equipment to other University units upon the agreement of both unit directors and in compliance with University inventory control procedures.
They also may negotiate with equipment vendors for the trade-in value of equipment they intend to replace in compliance with State Board purchasing policies and procedures.

When an item listed on the University's equipment inventory is no longer needed or when it is judged to be of no value, the Office of Business Affairs shall be notified. The Office of Business Affairs is authorized to declare such equipment surplus or scrap and to determine how it shall be disposed of according to appropriate State Board policies and procedures.

(See also OAR 580-50-035 and FASOM 02.40A[2], 4101, 4102, 4111, 4113, 4150, 4201)