Naming of Campus Facilities and Programs

I. Background

Over the years, UNC Asheville has honored leaders, donors, and faculty whose commitment to the University or contributions to our society have been extraordinary. Through the naming of Facilities or Programs, UNC Asheville has expressed its appreciation for the support to the University, community, state or nation while strengthening fiscal capacity of the University.

II. Definitions

  1. The term “Facility” shall include buildings, inside or outside rooms and spaces, athletics fields, streets, lands, wayfinding, signage, trees, hardscaping, landscaping, and all other tangible property owned or operated by The University of North Carolina Asheville.
  2. The term “Program” shall include departments, institutes, centers, organizations, endowments, positions, or other units associated with the University.

III. Policy

The final authority for naming of Facilities and Programs rests with the UNC Asheville Board of Trustees. No formal commitment for naming Facilities or Programs, in honor of individuals or organizations, may be made without prior approval of the Board of Trustees and successful completion of a thorough vetting process.

  1. Nominations for the naming of Facilities or Programs in honor of faculty, staff, administrators, Trustees, or others associated with UNC Asheville in an official capacity will not be considered by the Board of Trustees earlier than two years beyond the endpoint of the individual’s official capacity with the University. The Board of Trustees may, in individual circumstances, waive the two year requirement by a majority vote when considering a nomination brought forward.
  2. Nominations for the naming of Facilities or Programs in honor of a founder of the University, leader in education/academia, or others, including donors, who have made significant contributions through service leadership, or the advancement of education at university, state, or national level may be considered by the Board of Trustees at any time.
  3. Nominations for the naming of Facilities or Programs in recognition of a significant financial contribution to the University must be submitted to the Chancellor before being brought before the Board of Trustees for consideration.

IV. Naming of Campus Facilities and Programs Based on Financial Contributions

A. Procedures

Nominations to recognize an individual, group of individuals, or entity in connection with a donation made to UNC Asheville should be submitted to the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement for consideration. The Chancellor together with either the Provost or the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement will bring the consideration before the Chancellor’s Cabinet/Senior Staff or, at the Chancellor’s request, may convene an ad hoc committee depending on the scope of the proposal.

Should a potential nomination directly involve an academic Facility or Program, the Chancellor, the Provost, and the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement will consult with the appropriate Faculty or Staff Department Chair or Program Director before moving forward.

Likewise, should a potential nomination directly involve a non-academic Facility or Program, the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement will consult with the appropriate Staff Department or Program Director and corresponding member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet/Senior Staff before moving forward.

If it is deemed appropriate to convene an ad hoc committee to consider the nomination, that committee will include at least two members of the Board of Trustees University Advancement Committee appointed by the Board Chair, the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement and may include members of the faculty, alumni, member of the University Foundation Board, students, staff or others, depending on the scope of the naming opportunity.  The members committee must include an odd number of members.

The relevant members of the Chancellor’s Cabinet/Senior Staff or, if applicable, the ad hoc committee, will review and report on the appropriateness of the nomination, considering all relevant information, including but not limited to, the credentials of the nominee, the profile of the donor and of the honoree (if different than the donor), the suitability of the naming honor, the likelihood of the action reflecting well on the University, the area of interest with any proposed stipulations, and information about how the gift will be paid. Upon receiving the report, the Chancellor may submit the nomination to the Board of Trustees for consideration and approval.

B. Contribution Guidelines

In order for a Facility or Program to be named based upon a financial contribution, the following conditions must be met, unless otherwise approved by the Board of Trustees:

  1. The amount of the gift will comply with the guidelines, as most recently adopted by the Board of Trustees, set forth by the Chancellor after consulting with the Provost, Athletics Director, or Vice Chancellor for University Advancement.
  2. At least three-fourths of the gift must be paid in advance with the remainder in irrevocable form (e.g., cash, trust, contract for will, etc). The remainder will normally be paid over a specific period of time, using CASE Standards & Guidelines, and will be accompanied by a signed commitment that is binding on the donor’s estate.
  3. A deferred gift is not normally acceptable for a Facility where construction or renovation is dependent on the gift. Exceptions may be made in rare circumstances.
  4. If a Facility or Program is to be named, a restricted endowment supporting that Facility or the Programs within it will be established.
  5. A written agreement signed by the donor must be submitted and received by the Office of General Counsel and Vice Chancellor for Advancement prior to the Board of Trustees being asked to approve the nomination.

V. Naming of Campus Facilities and Programs Based on Non-Financial Contributions

A. Procedures

Nominations for the naming of campus Facilities and Programs based on non-financial contributions are normally made by members of the Board of Trustees. However, in rare cases, the University will review nominations not submitted by a member of the Board of Trustees to recognize an individual, group of individuals, or entity for non-financial contributions, including service leadership, or the advancement of education at the university, state, or national level. Non-trustee nominations should be submitted to the Vice Chancellor of University Advancement in order to be considered by the Chancellor. Nominations brought by a current member of the Board of Trustees may be submitted to the Chair of the Board. After consultation with the Chair of the Board, the Chancellor and Provost may consult with the Board of Trustees Executive Committee for naming of campus Facilities and Programs, depending on the scope of the proposal.

Should a potential nomination directly involve an academic Facility or Program, the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement and the Provost will consult with the appropriate Faculty or Staff Department Chair or Program Director and report any feedback to the Chancellor.

Likewise, should a potential nomination directly involve a non-academic Facility or Program, the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement will consult with the appropriate Staff, Department or Program Director and corresponding member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet/Senior Staff involved in the specific non-academic Facility or Program and report any feedback to the Chancellor.

If it is deemed appropriate to convene an ad hoc committee to consider the nomination for either academic or non-academic related Facilities or Programs, that committee will include at least two members of the Board of Trustees appointed by the Board Chair, the Chancellor, and up to two members of the faculty, alumni, Foundation Board, students, staff, University Advancement Committee of the Board of Trustees or others, depending on the scope of the naming opportunity.

The Chancellor, and if applicable, the ad hoc committee, will review the appropriateness of the nomination, considering all relevant information, including but not limited to, the credentials of the nominee, the suitability of the naming honor, and the likelihood of the action reflecting well upon the University. Upon receiving the information from the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement, or the report from the ad hoc committee, the Chancellor will submit the nomination to the Board of Trustees for consideration and approval.

VI. Duration and Modification of Named Facilities or Programs

As the University of North Carolina Asheville grows, not only in student population but also in its academic, social, and community offerings, situations may occur where it is in the best interest of the University to demolish, dismantle, replace, renovate, relocate, remove, alter, or re-name Facilities or Programs in order to best meet the needs of the University.

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to exercise this option if a currently-named Facility or Program would either inhibit or discredit the growth of the institution.  Should the Board of Trustees determine this measure is necessary, the appropriate University representative will make all efforts to inform, in advance, the appropriate honorees or their family when this is to occur.

If modification of a named Facility or Program is requested, the request should be submitted to the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement for review and consideration. If the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement finds merit or validity with the request, the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement will confer with the Chancellor or Chancellor’s Cabinet/Senior Staff prior to bringing the request forward to the Board of Trustees. As with nominations to name Facilities and Programs based on financial or non-financial considerations, the Chancellor may form an ad hoc committee to review the proposal to modify the named Facility or Program. In this instance, the ad hoc committee will be organized in a manner consistent with the requirements for committees formed to consider nominations based on either financial or non-financial contributions, depending on the circumstances prompting the original Facility or Program name.

A. Duration

  1. The duration of a benefactor’s or honoree’s name on any Facility or Program ordinarily continues for as long as the Facility or Program is used in the same manner or for the same purpose for which the naming occurred. Upon demolition, replacement, substantial renovation, re-designation of purpose, or similar modification of a named Facility or Program, the University may deem that the naming period has concluded.
  2. The University may, but is not required to, provide for the appropriate perpetuation of the previous name.  Perpetuation of the previous name in an equivalent subsequent naming is not required. If appropriate, perpetuation of previous names may include, for instance, a plaque in or adjacent to new and renovated Facilities, or on, in, or near a building that once housed a discontinued Program.

B. Term Naming

In appropriate instances, a naming may be granted for a predetermined fixed term. At the end of the term, the name of the Facility or Program shall expire but may be renewed with the same or a new name. The Facility or Program naming agreement should clearly specify the period of time for which the Facility or Program will be named.

C. Renaming

When the benefactor’s or honoree’s naming period has concluded, the Facility or Program may be renamed, with the original name removed, in recognition of new gifts or non-financial contributions, subject to any specific terms and conditions set forth in the original naming agreement.

D. Honoree Name Changes

If a benefactor or honoree requests a change to the name of a Facility or Program (e.g., due to divorce or corporate merger), the University will consider the request. If approved, all replacement signage and other related costs shall be at the donor’s or honoree’s expense.

E. Revocation of Naming Approval or Conferral

  1. In certain circumstances, the University reserves the right, on reasonable grounds, to revoke and terminate its obligations regarding a naming, with no financial responsibility for returning any received contributions to the benefactor. These actions, and the circumstances that prompt them, may apply to an approved naming that has not yet been acted upon or to a conferred naming.
  2. If the benefactor’s or honoree’s reputation changes substantially so that the continued use of that name may compromise the public trust, dishonor the University’s standards, or otherwise be contrary to the best interests of the University, the naming may be revoked. However, caution must be taken when, with the passage of time, the standards and achievements deemed to justify a naming action may change and observers of a later age may deem those who conferred a naming honor at an earlier age to have erred. Namings should not be altered simply because later observers would have made different judgments.
  3. If the benefactor fails to maintain payments on a pledge upon which the naming was bestowed, the naming may be revoked after a pro rata period of time that reflects the number of pledge payments made, given the estimated useful life of the building or the term of years covered by the Facility or Program naming agreement, as applicable.
  4. If a planned gift upon which the naming was bestowed does not result in the value agreed upon, the naming may be revoked immediately or after a pro rata period of time based on a comparison of the anticipated value agreed upon and the actual realized value.

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