Source: https://www.rcfp.org/open-government-sections/g-gifts-trusts-and-honorary-degrees/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 12:00:13+00:00

Document:
Discussions by a public body should fall under OML.
Because these matters are not exempted by statute, the meeting must be open to the public. However, the FOIA’s open meetings requirement generally applies only to a “governing body” of an entity subject to the act. Thus, if a state university planned to award an honorary degree, a meeting of administrators to consider the issue and make a recommendation to the university president would not be open to the public, since the administrators do not constitute a governing body.
Under the Bagley-Keene Act, a body may meet in a closed session when the donor or proposed donor has requested in writing that the matter be kept confidential. Cal. Gov't Code § 11126(c)(5).
Open, unless the donor requests an executive session. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-6-402(3)(a)(I).
Meetings regarding charitable contributions and the like may not be open. See 29 Del. C. § 10004(b)(5).
A meeting, or portion of a meeting, may be closed to prevent premature disclosure of an honorary degree, scholarship, prize, or similar award. D.C. Code Ann. § 2-575(b)(7).
The Act has no exemption for discussions of gifts, trusts or honorary degrees.
There are currently no cases addressing this point. Meetings are presumably open.
No exemption addresses these topics specifically, so they are presumably open.
Unless authorized by a federal statute or other state statute, see Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-1; § 5-14-1.5-6.1(b)(7), or unless the meeting fits into the general categories of executive sessions in Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-6.1(b), meetings regarding gifts, trusts, and honorary degrees must be open to the public. Note that the identity of a donor in a record may be exempt from the Access to Public Records Act. Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-1(b)(15).
No provision of the open meetings statute exempts discussion of gifts, trusts and honorary degrees from public attendance. Iowa Code chapter 68B requires the preparation of disclosure reports. See Iowa Code § 68B.2 (“‘Public disclosure’ means a written report filed by a person as required by this chapter or required by rules adopted and issued pursuant to this chapter.”); Iowa Code § 68B.22 (noting reporting requirements for specific gifts); Iowa Code § 68B.35A (requiring personal financial disclosure filed with the chief clerk of the house or the secretary of the senate to be recorded on the legislative internet site); Iowa Code § 68B.39 (authorizing the supreme court to prescribe rules relating to the receipt or acceptance of gifts financial disclosure).
Not addressed by Kansas law.
The Act does not provide an exemption for meetings within this category.
Not a basis for closing a meeting.
Discussions by a public body regarding these subjects may fall within the "invasion of individual privacy" exception and arguably can be held in closed session. See N.J.S.A. 10:4-12b(3).
Public bodies may meet in closed session to “consider and authorize” the acceptance of certain gifts, and to choose the recipients of honors, awards, honorary degrees, and the like. G.S. § 143-318.11(a)(2).
Open sessions. Ohio Rev. Code § 121.22(B)(2).
Public trusts must comply with the act. 1981 OK AG 109.
If any such matter involves records subject to exemption, they may be discussed in executive session.
There is no exemption for these matters as meetings.
Presumably open, but such discussions are not addressed in the Act.
The Open Meetings Act contains no provision that would allow meetings concerning these topics to be closed. However, the Government Records Access and Management Act (discussed in the Open Records portion of this outline) classifies as protected the names of the donors to public institutions of higher education, if so requested. Utah Code § 63G-2-305(37).
Discussion by boards of visitors of state institutions of higher education, of matters relating to gifts, bequests and fundraising activities, and grants or contracts for services or work to be performed by such institution may be closed. Va. Code Ann. § 2.2-3711.A.9.
Discussion by boards of trustees of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Virginia Museum of Natural History, the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation and the Science Museum of Virginia may be closed when considering matters relating to specific gifts, bequests, and grants. Va. Code Ann. § 2.2-3711.A.10.
Discussion of honorary degrees or special awards may be closed. Va. Code Ann. § 2.2-3711.A.11.
No limitation; such discussions should be open.
The 1999 amendments to the Open Meetings Act permit executive sessions to "avoid the premature disclosure of an honorary degree, scholarship, prize or similar award." W. Va. Code § 6-9A-4(10).
A governing body may meet in executive sessions to accept an anonymous gift.

References: § 11126
 § 24
 § 10004
 § 2
 § 5
 § 5
 § 5
 § 5
 § 68
 § 68
 § 68
 § 68
 § 143
 § 121
 § 63
 § 2
 § 2
 § 2
 § 6