In order to inter ashes in a vault, a request must be made to the Landscape Superintendent in Facilities Management 434-982-4668 or the Office of Business Operations 434-982-5166. The Landscape Superintendent will schedule and oversee the removal of the granite front panel and the opening and closing of an individual vault. Although individuals are free to select any urn(s), each vault will accept four standard urns (each 5" X 5 1/8" X 7 1/8"). These urns may be purchased from a number of suppliers, e.g., by contacting Mr. William Kenneth Fields at Hill and Wood Funeral Service 434-296-6148, Mr. Barry Morris at Teague Funeral Services and Crematory 434-977-0005, or Mr. Martin Burks at J.F. Bell Funeral Home 434-295-9169 who have consented to keep in stock several urns of these dimensions. Also, Church and Chapel Metal Arts 800-992-1234 has agreed to make urns in the appropriate dimension. Inner dimensions of each vault are: 10 3/4" H, 10 3/4" W, and 10 3/4" D.

In order to ensure an appropriate memorial, it is important that lettering inscribed on the front panel be uniform. The Licensee (vault purchaser) is responsible for contracting with a vendor for the engraving and is also responsible for the cost of the engraving. Requirements for standardization of engraving as approved by the Cemetery Committee are as follows:

1. It is recommended that only names and birth and death dates appear on the panels; however, any appropriate message may be selected by each vault licensee.
2. Each individual vault is covered by a 12 7/8" square granite panel. A 1" border must remain at all sides of the panel free of any engraving.
3. Names are to be in 1" tall letters. However, if the surname is to stand alone, it may be up to 1 1/2" tall. Dates are to be 3/4" in height. Both letters and dates must be in upper case, sandblast letter style. Dates may be abbreviated. Numerals are to be of Arabic style (not Roman numerals). Lettering smaller than 3/4" in height is illegible.
4. The existing texture (thermal) of the panel must not be changed, i.e., it must remain the background of the engraving.
5. No other materials such as bronze or brass plaques may be attached to the granite panels.
6. Coloring of the lettering or of any other portion of the granite panel with paint or any other medium is not allowed with the exception that the Cemetery Committee recommends using a dark gray shadow wash in the crevice of the letters to assist legibility when first engraved.
7. Should engraving need correcting, the cost of the new panel and of replacing any engraving on the two other portions of the panel is to be the responsibility of the licensee, not the Cemetery Committee or the University of Virginia.
8. A template of the desired inscription must be submitted for approval to the Supervisor of Landscaping in Facilities Management. If the standard requirements are not met, that official will request review by the Cemetery Committee.
9. Pending approval of the template, the lettering will be sandblasted on the front panel. If the sandblasting is performed at the engraver's facility, a temporary panel will cover the vault while the granite panel is being engraved. The Landscape Superintendent in Facilities Management can provide a list of engraving firms.