1.7 Naming Facilities
I. Purpose
Assign responsibility and establish procedures for approval of naming opportunities for Bucks County Community College (College) Facilities.
II. Scope
Naming for all College campuses, buildings, rooms, areas and specialized external spaces on all campuses are subject to this policy, as well as the naming of endowed professorial chairs, provided that this policy shall not apply to gifts of less than $50,000, and gifts designated to fund scholarships.
III. General
The College and Bucks County Community College Foundation (Foundation) seek to recognize Donors who have supported the College and/or the Foundation through substantial financial contributions or contributions of distinguished service by naming Facilities in their honor. This policy governs the responsibilities and procedures for such naming opportunities. No commitment for a naming opportunity shall be made prior to its approval in accordance with this policy.
Definitions
Facilities – covered by this policy include:
- Campuses and buildings or parts of buildings, such as wings, where the identification focuses on the external feature.
- Parts of buildings, such as laboratories or classrooms, where the identification deals with an internal feature.
- Endowed professorial chairs.
- Educational departments.
- Other facilities recommended for naming in the future.
Donor – An individual, corporation, foundation or other entity who has made:
- A substantial financial contribution to the College or Foundation.
- A significant contribution of distinguished service to the College.
Naming Agreement – The formal written agreement between the Donor and the Foundation and/or College establishing the naming of the Facility.
Responsibilities
The Bucks County Community College Board of Trustees (Trustees) have the responsibility to approve or deny a request for naming pursuant to the terms of this policy in its sole discretion. Naming recognition shall be consistent and compatible with the mission of the College, and commensurate with the scale and nature of the Donor’s contribution in relation to the significance of the Facility being named hereunder.
The Trustees, in their sole discretion, may rescind a name recognition awarded hereunder in the event that circumstances cause the Trustees to reasonably believe that:
- Continued use of such name is no longer consistent and compatible with the mission of the College;
- There has been an adverse change in the reputation of the Donor so that the continued naming of the Facility is detrimental to the College; or.
- The Donor has breached its Naming Agreement with the College and/or Foundation.
Trustees recognize that naming opportunities are integral to the Foundation’s fund-raising process and an important part of Donor cultivation and recognition, and Trustees, President of the College (President) and Foundation shall coordinate their efforts in support of granting naming opportunities.
If a Donor approaches the President, a Trustee, a Foundation board member, a faculty member or any other person on behalf of the College regarding a naming opportunity, the Donor shall be referred to the Executive Director of the Foundation (Executive Director), who shall work with the Donor regarding the naming opportunity.
The Foundation shall maintain a list of Facilities available for naming with suggested donation levels to be used for fund raising purposes (“Naming List”). The Trustees shall periodically review and approve the Naming List, and may suggest revisions to donation levels and available spaces consistent and compatible with the mission of the College.
In exceptional cases, the Trustees may seek to recognize a Donor who has supported the College through distinguished service by naming a Facility in the Donor’s honor, provided that such recognition will not normally be considered until after that Donor’s substantive relationship with the College has concluded.
A revocable planned gift from a living Donor will not normally be considered for a naming opportunity. An irrevocable gift from a living Donor may be given consideration under this policy on a case-by-case basis.
IV. Procedures
Trustees recognize that each naming opportunity is unique, and that the financial terms of each donation will be determined on a case-by-case basis. In order to coordinate the naming opportunity among the Trustees, the College and the Foundation, the following procedures shall be followed for naming opportunities pursuant to this policy:
- Upon receiving an expression of interest in a naming opportunity, the Foundation’s Executive Director will notify the President, the Chair of the Trustees and the President of the Foundation.
- All prospective naming opportunities shall be held in confidence during the review, vetting and approval process, to be disclosed only to those individuals who are part of that process.
- The Executive Director will review the naming process with the prospective Donor and share available options from the Naming List. The prospective Donor shall select a desired naming opportunity and proposed payment intentions.
- The Executive Director shall review the Donor’s donation history, if any, and conduct a basic background check pursuant to Foundation procedures.
- The Executive Director will advise the Foundation’s Executive Committee, the President and the Trustees of the naming opportunity before any commitment is made to the Donor.
- Upon approval of the proposed naming opportunity by the Foundation, the Executive Director shall notify the President and the Trustees, and present the naming opportunity to the Trustees for approval.
- Trustees shall formally approve or decline the proposed naming opportunity at its next scheduled meeting and promptly notify the Foundation of its decision.
- After Trustee approval, the Foundation shall sign a Naming Agreement with Donor in accordance with its gift acceptance policy.
- Upon execution of the Naming Agreement and receipt of agreed upon consideration, Foundation shall execute the terms of the Naming Agreement, including donor recognition and signage.
V. Approval
Board of Trustees – October 9, 2014; March 11, 2021
VI. Responsibility
President