Place Naming

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Policy Number: 7.68
Effective Date: February 20, 2023
Revision History: None
Policy Contact: Executive Director of Advancement Services

I. Purpose and Policy Statement

The act of naming a Georgia Gwinnett College (“GGC”) facility is the conferral of not only a high honor but also a conspicuous honor. It publicly exhibits the judgment and standards of Georgia Gwinnett College as well as the Board of Regents and signifies lasting approval of the actions of the honoree.

Georgia Gwinnett College considers the naming of University System real estate and facilities in honor of an individual, corporation, foundation, or organization to be one of the highest distinctions it can bestow. In light of the importance and magnitude of this honor, the following guidelines and process shall apply to all place naming on all property owned or leased by the Board of Regents under the auspices of Georgia Gwinnett College.

The President may establish an ad hoc or standing Advisory Committee to make naming recommendations to the President. The President of Georgia Gwinnett College is the final arbiter of all decisions related to place naming at Georgia Gwinnett College prior to submittal to the Board of Regents for approval in accordance with BOR Policy Manual 7.4.1 Naming of Places, Colleges, or Schools. Georgia Gwinnett College maintains a Naming Committee comprised of the president, the chief academic officer, the chief advancement officer, a member of the GGC Foundation Board of Trustees, and the executive director of advancement services. 

II. Scope

The policy applies to all GGC employees as well as current and prospective donors to GGC or the GGC Foundation. 

III. Roles and Responsibilities

1. When the desire for a naming is apparent and/or it appears that a contribution or gift to benefit Georgia Gwinnett College will result in a naming request for a donor or other individual, Georgia Gwinnett College Advancement must be notified and provided with a profile of the donor or individual being honored, the area of interest along with any proposed stipulations, and information about how the contribution (gift) will be paid.
2. After review by Advancement, the information will be forwarded to the President for their consideration. If required, the President will submit the naming recommendation to the Board of Regents for approval in accordance with Board policy and procedures. The President of Georgia Gwinnett College is the final arbiter of decisions at the local level and submittal to the Board of Regents for approval must be under the signature of the President.
3. In order to assure system and institution wide coordination of naming ceremonies, such events typically are planned through the Advancement office in coordination with the associated University System office(s).
4. All signage to be affixed on or adjacent to any, building, facility or interior space shall be approved by the President of Georgia Gwinnett College in consultation with the donor. All signage shall be consistent with Georgia Gwinnett College’s master plan and design criteria. No signage shall be approved, and/or erected that is in contravention of Board of Regents policy.
5. For detailed guidance regarding naming signage and process at Georgia Gwinnett College, please refer to the GGC Donor Recognition Standards & Guidelines, available upon request from Advancement.

IV. Contribution Guidelines

1. When the naming of a facility at Georgia Gwinnett College is based on a monetary contribution, the following guidelines apply:
   1. Building. Any person or entity desirous of having a building at Georgia Gwinnett College named shall be able to pursue this end in consideration of a financial contribution so long as the gift amount is a significant portion (usually 10 - 25%) of the cost to construct the building or of the estimated value for existing buildings. The gift must be secured at least 6 months prior to the announcement of the naming, and may only occur in accordance with the approval of the Board of Regents.
   2. Interior. Any person or entity desirous of having an interior space such as rooms, hallways, etc., at Georgia Gwinnett College named shall be able to pursue this end in consideration of a financial contribution at the level designated in the College’s naming opportunity database, jointly maintained by Advancement and Operations. The gift must be secured at least 3 months prior to the announcement of the naming and may only occur with the approval of the President.
   3. At the discretion of the President, there may be reasonable exceptions to the above.
2. Sample GGC Naming Opportunities:

V. Gift Documentation

1. The gift, or a signed pledge for the gift, must have been received by the institution before the naming is completed. Deferred or estate gifts are generally not considered for current naming opportunities. Exceptions must be approved by the Naming Committee and be irrevocable and defined in writing. Options should be discussed with donors and appropriate assurances secured by the institution.
2. Any gift for a place naming shall be paid over a period of no longer than 5 years and outlined in writing in a commitment signed by the donor. The gift may be unrestricted or establish a program endowment or in other ways selected by the donor and is not intended to be restricted to construction and/or facilities related costs.
3. It is the policy of Georgia Gwinnett College that naming opportunities are not publicly announced, nor are formal naming requests submitted to the Board of Regents, until at least 50% of the gift has been received by the Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation

VI. Removal of Names

1. From time to time, situations may occur which would warrant the removal of a name from a building or other place on the campuses of Georgia Gwinnett College. When the naming authority lies with the Board of Regents, so does the authority and responsibility to remove a name when appropriate.
2. Circumstances may dictate that the parameters under which a place name was bestowed at the institution have changed to the extent that consideration must be given to removing the name. These circumstances may include, but are not limited to the following circumstances:
   1. The honoree does not follow through on a financial commitment;
   2. The honoree fails to maintain the high standards of Georgia Gwinnett College or the Board of Regents;
   3. The honoree, person or entity, engages in conduct that constitutes an act of moral turpitude; or,
   4. Other appropriate reasons.
3. Georgia Gwinnett College judges each naming removal situation individually based on the facts. No decision will be made without taking into account all of the facts that are relevant to the decision. The President of Georgia Gwinnett College will endeavor to ensure that the removal of a name is consistent with the interests of Georgia Gwinnett College and the University System of Georgia.
4. Georgia Gwinnett College makes no assurances that a naming will remain beyond the useful life of the facility or space.
5. The removal of a name from a room or other interior space(s) of a facility may be approved by the President (upon the recommendation of the above-described Advisory Committee).
6. The President of Georgia Gwinnett College (and the Advisory Committee) shall review this guideline on a regular and recurring schedule in order to assure that it continues to be in compliance with the policies of the Board of Regents.

VII. Related Regulations, Statutes, Policies, and Procedures

Board of Regents Policy Manual 7.4 Private Donations to the USG and Its Institutions
GGC Naming Standards and Guidelines, Advancement Procedures
GGC Foundation Policy 2.1 Gift Acceptance