VIII-5.30 - POLICY ON ENDOWMENT FUND SPENDING RULE
(Approved by the Board of Regents, June 21, 1990; Amended by the
Board of Regents, April 12, 1996, Amended by the Board of Regents,
June 27, 2003)
Expenditures from the University System of Maryland Endowment Fund
shall not generally be made for ordinary operating expenses. The
Endowment Fund shall be used, instead, for designated purposes,
such as scholarships, special grants, and research projects. Since
costs of these activities can be expected to be affected by
increases in the cost of living, the following guidelines are
established:
1. The Endowment Fund spending policy is framed with a view to
preserve purchasing power of the fund assets over time; to protect
against erosion of nominal principal; and to promote stability and
predictability of annual budgeting.
2. In calculating the distributions as detailed below, a general
constraint or limitation will be that distributions will be made
only to the extent that the individual gift or fund will not be
reduced below its original value.
3. The implementation of the Endowment Fund spending policy will
span two phases: a transitional phase comprising fiscal years 2004
and 2005, and a permanent phase beginning in fiscal year 2007 and
extending into the indefinite future.
The procedures for determining the annual per share (or unit)
distributions in each phase are as follows:
TRANSITION PHASE (FY 2004 & 2005)
a) The target long-term spending rate is 5.0% applied to the
endowment market value basis. The endowment market value basis is
the simple average of the per share market values of the 12
quarters running through the fiscal year immediately preceding the
year of distribution.
b) Each year, the per share distribution is the prior year's
distribution increased by an inflation rate of 3%, subject to the
following limitations:
I. If this calculation, upon substantial decline in the market
value, produces a per share distribution exceeding 5.5% of the
endowment market value basis, the current per share distribution is
the lesser of 5.5% of the market value basis or the previous Year's
amount.
II. If this calculation, upon substantial increase in the market
value, produces a per share distribution less than 4.5% of the
endowment market value basis, the current per share distribution is
4.5% of the market value basis.
c) The per share distribution determined under subsection b)
above, shall be increased to reimburse institutions for the costs,
including indirect costs, of administering endowments at the
representative institutions and the System Office.
The maximum amount reimbursable to representative institutions
is as follows:
Fiscal Per Share Distribution
Year
2004 The lesser of FY 2003 reimbursement
increased by the inflation rate of
3%, or 1.10% of the market value
basis.
2005 The lesser of FY 2004 reimbursement
increased by the inflation rate of
3%, or 1.05% of the market value
basis.
An additional distribution shall be made to reimburse the
System Office costs, including indirect costs, of
administering the Common Trust Fund, limited to the lesser of
the previous year's distribution, increased by the inflation
rate of 3%, or .15% of the market value basis.
PERMANENT PHASE (FY 2006 AND THEREAFTER)
d) The target long-term spending rate is 4.75% applied to the
endowment market value basis. The endowment market value basis is
the simple average of the per share market values of the 12
quarters running through the fiscal year immediately preceding the
year of distribution.
e) Each year, the per share distribution is the prior year's
distribution increased by the University's projected long-term
inflation rate of 2%, subject to the following limitations:
III. If this calculation, upon substantial decline in the market
value, produces a per share distribution exceeding 5.0% of the
endowment market value basis, the current per share distribution is
the lesser of 5.0% of the market value basis or the previous Year's
amount.
IV. If this calculation, upon substantial increase in the market
value, produces a per share distribution less than 4.5% of the
endowment market value basis, the current per share distribution is
4.5% of the market value basis.
f) The per share distribution determined under subsection d)
above, shall be increased to reimburse institutions for the costs,
including indirect costs, of administering endowments at the
representative institutions and the System Office.
For fiscal years 2006 through 2007, the maximum amount
reimbursable to representative institutions is as follows:
Fiscal Per Share Distribution
Year
2006 The lesser of FY 2005 reimbursement
increased by the inflation rate of
2%, or 1.00% of the market value
basis.
2007 The lesser of FY 2006 reimbursement
increased by the inflation rate of
2%, or 0.95% of the market value
basis.
In subsequent years, the maximum amount reimbursable is
limited to the previous year's reimbursement increased by the
inflation rate of 2%. An additional distribution shall be made
to reimburse the System Office costs, including indirect
costs, of administering the Common Trust Fund, limited to the
lesser of the previous year's distribution, increased by the
inflation rate of 2
%, or .15% of the market value basis.
g) The distributions under subsections c) and f) above shall be
reviewed annually by the Finance Committee to ensure consistency
with the target spending rate and the spending objectives
stipulated in section 1 above.
h) All institutions receiving distributions under subsections c)
and f) above (administrative cost reimbursements) will provide
annual reports of sources of funding, as well as expenses of the
institution's fundraising operations to the University System of
Maryland Office of Advancement.
4. The provisions in section 3, subsection b) shall be reviewed
in fiscal year 2007 against actual market performance over the
prior three fiscal years. If the average annual rate of return of
the Common Trust Fund exceeds 15% for the period, consideration
shall be given to a one-time additional distribution not to exceed
1% of the market value basis for fiscal year 2006.
5. In the event of a protracted market decline leading to a loss
of 20% or more of the portfolio in a one year period, the Finance
Committee will cause this spending policy to be reviewed, giving
consideration to actual reduction in the amount of annual
distribution.
Replacement for: BOR V - 1.01