1.7 Naming Facilities and Academic Units
I. Purpose
Assign responsibility and establish procedures for approval of naming opportunities for Bucks County Community College (College) Facilities and Academic Units.
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 academic units and endowed professorial chairs.
III. General
The College seeks to recognize Donors who have supported the College through substantial financial contributions or contributions of distinguished service by naming Facilities or Academic Units 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.
- Academic Units.
- 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 or Academic Unit
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 any 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 is detrimental to the College; or.
- The Donor has breached the Naming Agreement with the College and/or Foundation.
Trustees recognize that naming opportunities are integral to fund-raising and an important part of Donor cultivation and recognition. The Trustees, President of the College (President), and the Foundation Board members shall coordinate their efforts in raising funds for 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 Vice President for Advancement, who shall work with the Donor regarding the naming opportunity.
The Vice President for Advancement shall maintain a list of Facilities available for naming with suggested donation levels to be used for fund raising purposes (“Naming List”). The President and 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 or Academic Unit 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 as one hundred percent (100%) of a gift for a naming opportunity.
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. The following procedures shall be followed for naming opportunities pursuant to this policy:
- Upon receiving an expression of interest in a naming opportunity, the Vice President for Advancement will notify the President, who will notify the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
- 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 President and the Vice President for Advancement will review the naming process with the prospective Donor, work with the donor to determine the appropriate naming opportunity, and negotiate the amount and terms of the donation.
- The Vice President for Advancement shall review the Donor’s donation history, if any, and conduct a basic background check.
- The President will advise the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the terms of the naming opportunity before any final commitment is made to the Donor.
- Upon approval of the proposed naming opportunity by the President and the Chair of the Board of Trustees, it will be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval.
- The Board of Trustees shall formally approve or decline the proposed naming opportunity at its next scheduled meeting. The President will notify the Vice President for Advancement of the Board’s decision.
- After Board of Trustees approval, a Naming Agreement will be signed in accordance with the gift acceptance policy.
- Upon execution of the Naming Agreement and receipt of agreed upon donation, the Vice President for Advancement shall work with the President to schedule appropriate donor recognition.
V. Approval
Board of Trustees – October 9, 2014; March 11, 2021; May 14, 2026
VI. Responsibility
President