This guide explains how Mercer X reviews, accepts, documents, and routes donated items so they can be safely used, loaned, stored, or properly disposed of. This process is written to stay consistent with RPI requirements for gifts-in-kind, capital equipment handling, regulated waste, and technology disposal.
This process applies to items donated to Mercer X for student use, project use, lab use, or possible inclusion in the lab loaning system, including:
Do not leave donated items in the lab without staff approval. If an item may qualify as capital equipment—defined by RPI as tangible property with a unit cost of $3,000 or greater and a useful life of more than one year—it must be reviewed through the Institute’s gifts-in-kind process before receipt. RPI states that gifts-in-kind of capital equipment must be submitted through the Gift-in-Kind Acceptance process with Institute Advancement, and the Controller’s Office must be notified.
Items may be accepted only after review by lab staff. In general, Mercer X may accept: