ROWAN UNIVERSITY POLICY

Title: Policy for Naming University Facilities, Academic Programs & Non-Academic Programs

Subject: Naming of Campus Facilities and Programs

Policy No: Adv: 2014:XX

Applies: University-Wide

Issuing Authority: President

Responsible Officer: Associate Vice President for University Advancement/ Executive Director, Rowan University Foundation

Adopted:

Last Revision: 5/7/2010

Last Reviewed: 4/14/2015

I.   PURPOSE

This policy establishes uniform and consistent guidelines for the naming of facilities and academic/non-academic programs at Rowan University. It also outlines procedures for seeking approval for naming and information regarding the perpetuity of names.

II.  ACCOUNTABILITY

Under the direction of the President, the Associate Vice President for University Advancement/Executive Director of the Rowan University Foundation shall ensure compliance and implementation of this policy.

III. APPLICABILITY

This policy is applicable to all individuals involved in proposals for naming of buildings, spaces, streets, walkways, facilities or properties owned or leased by Rowan University. This includes, but is not limited to: deans, development directors, the President, Trustees, Foundation Board members, Alumni Board members and members of the University community.

IV. POLICY

A. OVERVIEW

On occasion, Rowan University seeks to recognize the efforts and contributions of individuals by the naming of buildings, spaces, streets and walkways, facilities/properties, and academic and non-academic programs. This policy establishes a uniform and consistent procedure to gain University approval. Accordingly, all proposals shall be reviewed and approved in accordance with this policy.

B. POLICY STATEMENT

The following guidelines shall govern any naming decisions:

• • Final authority rests with the Rowan University Board of Trustees
  • Recommendations to the Board of Trustees shall come through the Foundation Board via the Advancement Committee of the Board of Trustees
  • The Vice President for University Advancement maintains a master list of facility naming opportunities and coordinates the naming request and approval process

C. NAMING POLICY

1. The naming policy will govern the naming of buildings, spaces, streets and walkways on the Glassboro, Camden, Harrison and Mantua campuses (generally referred to as the West Campus), as well as any facility or property in other locations owned or leased by Rowan University. In addition, this document covers the procedures to name academic and non-academic programs.
2. Proposal for Naming in Honor of an Individual when No Gift is Involved
3. A proposed honoree shall have achieved distinction in one or more of the following ways:
4. While serving the University in an academic capacity, the individual has demonstrated high scholarly distinction as to have earned a national or international reputation in the individual's field(s) of specialization;
5. While serving the University in an important administrative capacity, the individual has rendered a distinguished service that warrants recognition of the individual's exceptional contributions to the welfare of the University; or
6. Although not having serviced the University as an academician or administrator, the individual has made extraordinary contributions to the community, the region, the nation or the world.
7. A proposal may be made for naming in honor of an individual who has served the University in an academic or administrative capacity if:
8. s/he has been retired or separated from the University for more than two years and no longer plays a decision-making role at the University; or
9. two years has passed since the person's death.
10. Proposal for Naming in Recognition of a Gift
11. In reviewing requests for approval of naming a project for a donor or for a person whose name is proposed by a donor, consideration shall be given to:
12. The significance of the proposed gift as it relates to the realization and/or success of the project or to the enhancement of the project's usefulness to the University;
13. The urgency of need for the project or for providing funds for the project;
14. The eminence and integrity of the individual or entity whose name is proposed; and
15. The relationship of the individual or entity to the University.
16. The gift shall be in an amount which either a) funds at least 50 percent of the total cost of the project to be named or b) provides funding for that portion of the total cost which would not have been available from any other source (such as federal or state loans or appropriations, student fees, or bond issues), the latter to constitute a significant portion of the total cost as determined on the merits of each individual case. If a project is funded by several private donors, and one donor makes a gift covering a significant portion of the amount needed, consideration may be given to naming the project after that donor.
17. To avoid any appearance of commercial influence or conflict of interest, due diligence should be taken before recommending the naming of a major program, area, building, open space, or roadway that involves the name of a corporation or a corporate foundation. The naming for an individual associated with a corporation shall be handled as any naming for an individual.
18. Corporate names may be used to designate individual rooms or suites of rooms, as well as endowed chairs and professorships. Plaques in public spaces within buildings may recognize the contributions of corporations. The size, design, and working of plaques and other signs that acknowledge corporate generosity and express the University's appreciation shall be modest in size to avoid the appearance of advertising.
19. A naming conferred in recognition of a pledge is contingent on fulfillment of that pledge and will be approved on that condition
20. When a proposed naming for an individual is accompanied by a gift, and the individual to be honored is serving the University in an academic or administrative capacity, the naming may take effect upon approval.
21. The Vice President for University Advancement maintains a master list of facility naming opportunities. See Appendix A for a list of naming opportunities threshold.

D. PROCEDURES FOR SEEKING APPROVAL FOR NAMING

(See Exhibit 3)

E. PERPETUITY OF NAMES

1. The University is committed to retaining the name of each facility bearing a donor-designated name. The name is intended to remain for the life of the facility regardless of any subsequent change in the occupying unit(s). If the facility is razed at some future date, the University will recognize the honoree in an appropriate way, as approved by the University President.
2. Naming of facilities, spaces, endowments and programs in honor of corporations or other organizations will have a set number of years attached to the naming which will be determined on a case-by-case basis and listed in the signed agreement.
3. Under extraordinary circumstances when the continued use of the name would compromise the public trust and reflect adversely upon the University, Rowan University reserves the right to rename the facility or program.
4. Rowan University has an extraordinary history. The institution has evolved from a two-year normal school in 1923 to a comprehensive university with a medical school in the twenty-first century. Should circumstances warrant, the Rowan community—students, alumni, faculty, staff, and governing boards—can bring forward proposals to rename a facility bearing an honorific name that is not associated with a gift to the Vice President for University Advancement to reflect Rowan's evolution. Once reviewed, the Vice President may forward the proposal to the University President for support and then to the Board of Trustees for approval.
5. Naming associated with a particular facility, space, endowment or program will not preclude further naming within the facility, space, endowment or program.
6. When a facility is proposed for renaming, Rowan University will make all reasonable efforts to inform in advance the original donors or honorees and their immediate family members. 

V. RESPONSIBILITIES

The Vice President for University Advancement maintains a master list of facility naming opportunities. All approvals for naming must adhere to the procedures outlined in Exhibit 3: Approval Responsibilities.

V. ATTACHMENTS

A. Attachment 1, Specific Procedures

B. Attachment 2, Approval Responsibilities

C. Attachment 3, Naming Opportunities Threshold and Approval Authority

D. Attachment 4, Endowment Pledge Agreement Template

ATTACHMENT 1

SPECIFIC PROCEDURES

• All proposals for naming of facilities or programs both in honor of an individual when no gift is received as well as in recognition of a gift must adhere to the guidelines set forth.
• Procedures for seeking approval for naming must follow the processes as outlined below in Exhibit 3.
• Procedures for issues related to the perpetuity of names are outlined in Section V.
• All individuals shall adhere to the Naming Opportunities Threshold and Approval Authority as found in Appendix A.

ATTACHMENT 2

APPROVAL RESPONSIBILITIES

A.The approval processes outlined below are to be followed based on the type of naming opportunity being proposed. A prospective donor should not be approached about the naming opportunity until initial internal approval from the Vice President for University Advancement is received. Therefore, there needs to be careful planning in advance of any solicitation involving naming to ensure a desirable outcome with the donor.
B.To initiate the naming approval process, Deans/Development Directors are required to work with the Vice President for University Advancement to review the proposal. Other times, naming opportunities may be initiated by the President, a Trustee, a Foundation Board member, an Alumni Board member or various other members of the University community and coordinated by the Vice President for University Advancement.
C.The Vice President for University Advancement will review and consult with the following parties before submitting a recommendation to the University Advancement/ University Relations Committee of the Board of Trustees:

• University President or designee;
• Foundation Board of Directors; and
• President of University Senate or designee

If the Committee approves the recommendation, it is then brought to the Board of Trustees for final review and approval.

1. To name a structure or a space with permanence of 10 years or more, the Board of Trustees is the ultimate authority for approval.
2. To name an interior space with the capacity of 50 or less people or an exterior structure that can be relocated or exhibits less permanence, the University President is the final authority for approval of the recommendation submitted by the Vice President for University Advancement. At the discretion of the President, the request may be forwarded to the Board of Trustees for approval.
3. To name a college, school, department, institute, or university-wide center, the Board of Trustees is the final authority for review and approval.
4. To name an endowed or a non-endowed fund, a development director does not require internal approval prior to solicitation as long as the fund adheres to the minimum funding requirements. However, once a Pledge Agreement is developed, all steps outlined in the agreement must be followed. If unique circumstances arise in the negotiation process, exceptions and modifications must be submitted to and approved by the Vice President for University Advancement. See an Endowment Pledge Agreement template in Appendix B.
5. All deliberations with regard to naming will be held in private and the deliberations themselves will be considered confidential.
6. Every reasonable effort will be made to ensure that a naming request be acted upon within ninety (90) days of the initial submission of the proposal to the University Advancement/University Relations Committee of the Board of Trustees.

ATTACHMENT 3

NAMING OPPORTUNITIES THRESHOLD AND APPROVAL AUTHORITY

Endowed Funds

ATTACHMENT 4

ENDOWMENT PLEDGE AGREEMENT TEMPLATE

This document shall serve as an agreement between the Rowan University Foundation and Donor for a pledge commitment between the two parties with the following conditions:
Donor agrees to:
Pledge Amount to the Rowan University Foundation to establish the Account. The pledge is expected to be paid in Year, one year after Donor's initial pledge of Amount is paid in full.

Rowan University Foundation, on behalf of Rowan University, agrees to:

• Invest and manage the Amount as part of the Rowan University Foundation portfolio and pay the current spending policy annually to Rowan University for the purpose of funding the Account. To preserve the Amount gift, the first endowment payout will occur one year after receipt of the payment.
• Publicize the Fund as part of the Account.
• Designate the responsible individual to expend the funds in accordance with the donor's wishes.
• Provide a yearly reporting to donor on the fund as well as a financial reporting of the fund. 

It is the donor's intention to fulfill the terms of this pledge. However, should unforeseen circumstances require modification or cancellation of these terms, the donor reserves the right to do so in writing to the Rowan University Foundation.
Agreed to, on this date day of month, year.

__________________________________________          __________________________________________

 Executive Director Rowan University Foundation                                              Donor