Board of Trustees Policy BOT-08.01-06/11

TO: The University of West Florida Community
FROM: The University of West Florida Board of Trustees
SUBJECT: Policy Concerning Naming Opportunities

It is the intention of the University of West Florida to honor and recognize outstanding support of the University through the naming of facilities, scholarships, fellowships, and other funds that support the mission of the University. Naming recognition may be extended to individuals, families or appropriate organizations. Accordingly, the Board of Trustees of the University of West Florida (the “Board of Trustees”) has adopted this policy to set forth guidelines for naming opportunities for the University.

Upon recommendation of the University President, it is the responsibility of the UWF Board of Trustees to approve any naming recommendations as outlined in this document. Information will be provided to the UWF Foundation Board of Directors regarding naming in recognition of financial support.

Guidelines

I. Naming Campus Facilities

Relationship to Florida Statutes

• The naming of a building, road, bridge, park, recreational complex, or other similar facility of the University shall be in accordance with the provisions of Florida Law. Accordingly, no building, road, bridge, park, recreational complex, or other similar facility of the University shall be named for any living person except in accordance with law and applicable rules or regulations of the Board of Governors of the State University System.

General Policies

• Facilities may be named in recognition of outstanding service to the University and/or in recognition of significant financial support of the University (based on current gift requirements for naming a facility).

• The naming of any building, facility, or wing, must be recommended by the President and approved by the Board of Trustees as a noticed, non-consent agenda item.

• Buildings and facilities cannot be named for an active State University System member, including staff, faculty, students, or trustees.

• Gift-related naming of buildings or facilities for an individual, corporation or organization requires a gift of 25% or more of the total construction cost of the building or facility.

• Non-gift related naming should be reserved for individuals who have made a significant contribution to the field of education, government, science or human betterment and who are of recognized accomplishment and character.

Naming in Recognition of Outstanding Service

• Prior to recommending the naming of a campus classroom, laboratory, conference room, reception area, or similar space based on outstanding service to the University, the President will seek the advice of the Honorary Awards and Recognition Committee in considering nominations for naming a space in recognition of outstanding service.

Naming in Recognition of Financial Support

• The naming of a campus building, facility, or wing based on financial support requires recommendation of the President and the approval of the Board of Trustees as set forth above. The naming of a campus classroom, laboratory, conference room, reception area, or similar space based on financial support requires only approval of the President.

• In the case of facilities costing $1 million or greater, the Foundation shall be required to certify that a charitable gift of sufficient magnitude has been received by the Foundation.

• A facility will be named in recognition of financial support only after the gift required for the naming is completed (a pledge is not sufficient). This does not apply to the naming of interior spaces, such as a classroom, laboratory, conference room, reception area or similar space.

• The Board of Trustees reserves the right to deny the naming of a facility even when a sufficient charitable gift has been received.

II. Naming Major Campus Units

• Naming opportunities for major units of the University will be established by the Board of Trustees. These opportunities shall include but not be limited to the naming of Colleges, Schools, Centers, and Departments.

• Approval by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the University President is required for the naming of any major unit. The President may (but is not required to) seek the advice of the Honorary Awards and Recognition Committee on these matters.

• A major campus unit will be named in recognition of financial support only after the gift required for the naming is completed (a pledge is not sufficient).

• The Board of Trustees reserves the right to deny the naming of a major campus unit even when a sufficient charitable gift has been received.

III. Additional Naming Opportunities

• Additional naming opportunities may be approved by the President. These opportunities shall include but not be limited to the naming of scholarships, fellowships, chairs, professorships, assistantships, and lectures. Prior to approving such an opportunity, the President may (but is not required to) seek the advice of the Honorary Awards and Recognition Committee.

• At the discretion of the President or designee, a named fund may be established in response to the initial gift toward a good faith pledge.

• The President reserves the right to deny the naming of a scholarship, professorship, fellowship, chair, lectureship or other naming opportunity even when a sufficient charitable gift has been received.

• Additional minor naming opportunities (e.g. name on a brick walkway, donor recognition plaque, nameplate on a theatre seat, etc.) may be developed and implemented by staff with the approval of the President or designee.

IV. Renaming Policies

At the University of West Florida, every name assigned to a facility, activity or program is intended to be enduring. However, it is foreseeable that situations may arise where the disassociation of a name from a University facility, activity, or program may be warranted and in the best interest of the University. A recommendation to change or alter in any way the name of a previously named facility, activity or program must be initiated by the President and approved by the University Board of Trustees. As naming authority lies with the Board of Trustees, so does the authority and responsibility to remove/change a name.

Circumstances that may lead to consideration of a name removal/change may include, but shall not be limited to such items as:

• Significant renovation or addition to a previously named space -- the replaced or renovated structure may be renamed in recognition of another donor. Appropriate recognition of earlier donors and honorees shall be included in or adjacent to new and renovated facilities, as well as in redeveloped areas.
  
  
• Actions by an honored person and/or company that are no longer in alignment with the University’s mission and fundamental values and/or brings discredit to the university,
  
  
• Failure of an honored person and/or company to fulfill agreed upon obligations,
  
  
• The demolition of a facility or the discontinuation of a program or activity, or
  
  
• A corporate or individual has a name change.

When a facility, activity or program is proposed for renaming, University representatives will make all reasonable efforts to inform in advance the original donor/ honoree and/or their immediate families.

Naming Opportunity	Minimum Gift FROM DONOR (Match does not count toward minimum)	COMMENT
CAMPUS FACILITIES		Requires Board of Trustees Approval
Facility, Buildings, or Wings	25% of replacement cost (which must represent at least $25,000 from donor)	For existing facility, gift may be unrestricted (e.g. to support overall University needs) or go to endowment to support associated programs within the facility. For new facility, gift may be unrestricted, go to endowment to support associated programs within facility, or be designated to construction costs The same guidelines apply to athletic facilities.
MAJOR UNITS (NON-FACILITIES)		REQUIRES BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVAL
Colleges	$5 million	At least 75% of gift must go to endowment to support College
Schools	$1 million	At least 75% of gift must go to endowment to support School
Departments	$1 million	At least 75% of gift must go to endowment to support Department
Centers	$1 million	At least 75% of gift must go to endowment to support Center
Programs (curricular or co-curricular)	$250,000	At least 75% of gift must go to support Program
OTHER CAMPUS SPACES		REQUIRES PRESIDENT APPROVAL
Classrooms, Laboratories, Seminar Rooms, Conference Rooms, Offices, and Similar Spaces	25% of replacement cost (which must represent at least $25,000 from donor)	For existing facility, gift may be unrestricted or go to endowment to support associated programs within the facility For new facility, gift may be unrestricted, go to endowment to support associated programs within facility, or be designated to construction costs
OTHER NAMING OPPORTUNITIES		REQUIRES PRESIDENT OR DESIGNEE APPROVAL
Distinguished Endowed Chair	$2 million	Endowment for projected full salary/support of Chair
Endowed Chair	$1 million	Endowment for salary/support of Chair
Endowed Professorship	$300,000	Endowment for salary supplement/support of Professor
Term Professorship	$200 K at $40 K/year for 5 years	Term support for salary supplement/support of Professor
Endowed Lectureship	$100,000	Endowment to support lectureship
Endowed Library Fund	$50,000	Endowment to support Library
Endowed Assistantship/Fellowship	$100,000	Endowment to support salary supplement for research, teaching, etc.
Endowed Scholarship	$25,000	Endowment to support student scholarship
Term Scholarship	$5,000 at $1,000/yr. for five years	Term support for student scholarship