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Honorary Naming of College Facilities and Programs

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  1. POLICY

    Salt Lake Community College recognizes the importance of naming opportunities for its facilities and programs. The college will accept named gifts and honorary names to recognize people or organizations that have made notable contributions, service or association with the college. These naming actions should not detract from the institution’s values, dignity, integrity, or reputation, or deviate from the college master plan. This policy outlines the procedures for naming these spaces and features.

  2. REFERENCES
    1. Degree-granting Institution Board of Trustees -- Powers and Duties, Utah Code Ann. § 53H-3-202.
    2. Delegation of Responsibilities to the President and Board of Trustees, Utah State Bd. of Higher Education r. 220
  3. DEFINITIONS
    1. Benefactor: Any individual, family or organization that has provided financial contribution or non-financial support to the college.
    2. Facility: Any college structure or part of a structure, location, open space, or other feature of the college campus or other property under the college’s control.
    3. Functional Name: A designation used to describe the general purpose of any college facility.
    4. Gift Agreement: A legal document signed by a donor and a college officer confirming the obligations of the involved parties relating to the naming of a college facility in return for a gift to the college.
    5. Honorary Name: A name given to a college facility to acknowledge an individual or entity who provided unique service to the college.
    6. Named Gift: A monetary gift given to the college in return for which the college honors an individual, family, or organization by naming a college facility for the benefactor.
    7. Naming Action: The actions the college takes to adopt an honorary name, accept conditions of a named gift, or implement a functional name for a facility or program.
    8. Program: Any college, department, division, center, institute or position under the administrative control of the college.
  4. PROCEDURE
    1. Naming Actions

      The college has three types of naming actions:

      1. Honorary naming is used for individuals or entities which have:
        1. made a significant contribution of service, association, research, teaching or support that has had a direct, substantial, and positive impact on the college; or
        2. achieved an extraordinary, important, and lasting accomplishment that benefits the college or community.
      2. Gift naming (named gift) is used for individuals or organizations that provide a financial gift with the condition that the college uses the benefactor’s name for a college facility or program.
      3. Functional naming describes the general purpose of a college facility or program.
    2. Authority to Approve Naming Action
      1. The board of trustees, upon the president's recommendation, has the authority to:
        1. give a college facility, school, division, or program a name in return for a gift of
          $1 million or more; and
        2. name college buildings
      2. The president has the discretion to:
        1. give a portion of a college facility or a program an honorary name;
        2. give any college facility a functional name; and
        3. name a program within a school or division in return for a gift of less than $1 million without the board of trustees’ approval.
      3. The president may delegate naming authority.
    3. Criteria for Naming Action
      1. Consistency with the College’s Mission, Vision, Values, and Master Plan
        1. Naming actions must align with the college’s master plan, mission, vision, and values.
        2. Naming actions must not create a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest.
        3. Naming actions must neither confer nor appear to confer special privileges to any person or entity.
      2. Contribution Requirements for Named Gifts for Facilities
        1. A benefactor wishing the college to name the entirety of a college structure must commit to donating at least 30 percent of the funding for new construction or a comparable amount for an existing structure.
        2. A benefactor must enter into a gift agreement with the college. The gift agreement’s terms for payment must not exceed five years.
        3. The president may negotiate deviations from monetary and time restrictions provided the donation is of a substantial and appropriate amount.
        4. The board of trustees must approve any negotiated deviations.
      3. Contribution Requirements for Named Gifts for Programs

        The president may determine the value of a contribution required to a program in return for a naming action.

    4. Procedure for Approving a Naming Action
      1. Honorary Name
        1. Any person may submit a written proposal to name a college facility or program to honor an individual, family, corporation or foundation.
        2. Proposals must be submitted to the vice president of Institutional Advancement and shall include:
          1. a biographical summary of the person or institution to be honored;
          2. a description of the facility or program and the proposed name;
          3. a description of the contribution the person or institution has made to the college or community; and
          4. the reason the contribution and the person or institution merits being honored.
        3. The vice president of Institutional Advancement or designee will coordinate the proposed honorary naming action. This includes:
          1. providing notice of a proposed naming action and discussing it with the president and any appropriate vice president; and
          2. ensuring that the appropriate departments conduct an appropriate proposal review. These include the:
            1. associate vice president of Facilities Services;
            2. assistant vice president for Institutional Marketing and Communications;
            3. associate vice president for People and Workplace Culture;
            4. executive director of Development;
            5. director of college Planning and Design; and
            6. leadership of any potentially affected college program.
        4. The vice president of Institutional Advancement may request a background check for a potential benefactor or person after whom a facility may be named.
        5. After considering all relevant information, the vice president will forward the recommendation to the president.
        6. If the president approves, the vice president of Finance and Administration will facilitate the actions necessary to establish the new name.
      2. Named Gift
        1. The president and the vice president of Institutional Advancement or their designees are the only persons authorized to negotiate named gifts.
        2. The vice president of Institutional Advancement or designee will coordinate the proposed named gift action. This includes:
          1. providing notice of a proposed naming action and discussing it with the president and any appropriate vice president; and
          2. ensuring that appropriate departments conduct a proposal review. These include the:
            1. vice president for Finance and Administration;
            2. associate vice president of Facilities Services;
            3. assistant vice president for Institutional Marketing and Communications;
            4. controller;
            5. executive director of Development;
            6. director of college Planning and Design; and
            7. leadership of any potentially impacted college program.
        3. The vice president of Institutional Advancement, in consultation with the associate vice president of public safety, may request a criminal background check for a potential benefactor or person after whom a facility may be named.
        4. Once this coordinated review is completed, the vice president for Institutional Advancement will consult with the president. If approved, the vice president for Institutional Advancement will:
          1. prepare a written gift agreement;
          2. have the gift agreement reviewed by the offices of General Counsel and Risk Management; and
          3. present the agreement to the benefactor.
        5. If the benefactor agrees with the gift agreement, the president or representative and benefactor will sign the agreement.
        6. If the gift is $1 million or greater, or the name is for a college facility, school, division, program, or building, the president will submit the proposal to the board of trustees for approval.
        7. If the board of trustees approves, the president and benefactor will sign the agreement.
      3. Functional Name
        1. Anyone may recommend a functional name for a facility. Proposals for functional names and name changes must be submitted to the vice president for Finance and Administration.
        2. Such recommendation shall be in writing and include:
          1. the proposed functional name or name change; and
          2. supporting reasons for the proposed name or name change.
        3. The vice president will consult with the associate vice president of Facilities Services and assistant vice president for Institutional Marketing and Communications.
        4. After considering all relevant information, the vice president may forward the recommendation to the president.
        5. Upon the recommendation of the appropriate vice president, the president may assign or reassign a functional name to any facility.
        6. If the president approves, the vice president for Finance and Administration will facilitate the actions necessary to establish the new name.
    5. Duration of Naming Action
      1. The board of trustees has the authority to negotiate the term of a naming gift agreement subject to the following:
        1. The naming after a corporation, family, individual, or organization is limited to 25 years. If a corporation or organization goes out of business, the naming action may be terminated earlier.
        2. The agreement must not exceed five years for college athletic facilities or programs.
      2. Unless otherwise stated in the gift agreement, the duration of the benefactor's name association with any facility, portion of the facility, or the termination of a program will remain for the life of the feature object or space.
      3. If a facility or any portion of a facility named for a benefactor is removed or replaced, the college has no obligation to continue using the name. The college may seek other ways to continue recognizing or honoring the benefactor or honoree.
    6. Time Proximity Limitations
      1. College facilities and programs will not typically be named for persons actively involved in or related to college operations. This includes members of the faculty and staff, board of trustees, advisory boards, legislators, and governmental officials. College facilities may be named for persons who have retired from active employment with the college after sufficient time has elapsed from the date of the individual's retirement.
      2. Under limited and appropriate circumstances, the board of trustees, upon the recommendation of the president, may dispense with the requirements outlined in section 4.F.1.
    7. Sign Display Requirement for all Naming Actions
      1. The college has sole discretion to determine the placement and presentation of any sign used to name a facility.
      2. If the facility a benefactor funded is an entire building, the benefactor’s name, possibly with the college’s name and logo, will appear on the exterior of the building.
      3. If a portion of a facility or a program is named for a benefactor, the college will place the benefactor’s name as close as practicable to the portion of the facility or primary area of the program for which it is named. It may be placed on the exterior of the building.
      4. Corporate logos are not permitted in or on any campus facility except:
        1. when it is located in or on college athletic facilities;
        2. when it is temporarily affixed to a facility and the logo is part of a design acknowledging the college and the business entity; or
        3. when approved by the vice president for Institutional Advancement.
    8. Revocation of Naming Action:

      The board of trustees may revoke the name of a college facility or program if the benefactor for whom it was named:

      1. does not fulfill a commitment upon which the naming was approved;
      2. is convicted of a felony; or
      3. engages or has engaged in conduct that does not align with the college’s mission, vision, and values, makes the continued association with the name or benefactor damaging to the college's reputation, or is contrary to the college’s best interests.

Date of last cabinet review: March 11, 2025

The originator of this policy and procedure is the vice president of Institutional Advancement. Questions regarding this policy may be directed to the originator by calling 801-957-4000.