North Georgia College & State University Naming Guidelines
Place Naming Guidelines
Introduction
The act of naming a North Georgia College & State University facility is the conferral of not only a high honor but also a conspicuous honor. It publicly exhibits the judgment and standards of North Georgia College & State University as well as the Board of Regents and signifies lasting approval of the actions of the honoree.
North Georgia College & State University 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 North Georgia College & State University.
The President may establish an Advisory Committee to make naming recommendations to the President. The President of North Georgia College & State University is the final arbiter of all decisions related to place naming at the North Georgia College & State University prior to submittal to the Board of Regents for approval in accordance with Board policy and procedures.
Process for place naming
When the desire for a naming is apparent and/or it appears that a contribution (gift) to benefit North Georgia College & State University will result in a naming request for a donor or other individual, corporation, foundation, or organization, the North Georgia College & State University’s Office of Institutional 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.
After review by the Office of Institutional Advancement, the information will be forwarded to the President with a recommendation for his consideration. If required, the President will submit the naming recommendation to the Board of Regents for approval in accordance with Board policy and procedures.
In order to assure system and institution wide coordination of naming ceremonies, such events typically are planned through the Office of the President of North Georgia College & State University in coordination with the associated University System offices.
Signage
All signage to be affixed on or adjacent to any, building, facility or interior space shall be approved by the President of North Georgia College & State University (in consultation with the donor). All signage shall be consistent with North Georgia College & State University’s master plan and design criteria. No signage shall be approved, and/or erected that is in contravention of Board of Regents policy.
Contribution Guidelines
North Georgia College & State University may consider recognizing a donor upon a gift or contribution by naming a facility at the University utilizing the following guidelines:
BUILDING: Any person or entity desirous of having a building at North Georgia College & State University named shall be able to pursue this end in consideration of a financial contribution so long as the gift amount is at least 50% of the cost to construct or of the estimated value for existing buildings. The gift must be secured at least six months prior to the announcement of the naming and may only occur in accordance with the approval of the Board of Regents.
STREET: Any person or entity desirous of having a street at North Georgia College & State University named shall be able to pursue this end in consideration of a financial contribution of at least $100,000. The gift must be secured at least six months prior to the announcement of the naming and may only occur in accordance with the approval of the Board of Regents.
INTERIOR: Any person or entity desirous of having an interior space such as rooms, hallways, etc., at North Georgia College & State University named shall be able to pursue this end in consideration of a financial contribution stated in the list of Named Gift Opportunities. The gift must be secured at least six months prior to the announcement of the naming and may only occur with the approval of the president.
At the discretion of the President, there may be reasonable exceptions to the above.
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 preferred to be irrevocable and defined in writing.
Any gift, for a facility naming shall be paid over a period of no longer than five years and outlined in writing in a commitment signed by the donor. The gift may be used to establish a program endowment selected by the donor.
Deferred gifts such as bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts, and life insurance policies may be appropriate for current naming opportunities. Options should be discussed with donors and appropriate assurances secured by the institution.
It is the policy of North Georgia College & State University to forward the formal naming request to the Board of Regents only after at least—75% of the gift has been received.
Removal of Names
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 North Georgia College & State University. When the naming authority lies with the Board of Regents, so does the authority and responsibility to remove a name when appropriate.
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:
The honoree does not follow through on a financial commitment;
The honoree fails to maintain the high standards of the North Georgia College & State University or the Board of Regents; or
The honoree, person or entity, engages in conduct that constitutes an act of moral turpitude or for other appropriate reasons.
Upon the demolition of a building, North Georgia College & State University makes no assurances that the naming will remain beyond the useful life of the building.
Upon a substantial modification of a facility, North Georgia College & State University will make no assurance that the naming will remain without an additional contribution appropriate to the enhanced facility.
North Georgia College & State University 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 North Georgia College & State University will endeavor to ensure that the removal of a name is consistent with the interests of North Georgia College & State University and the University System of Georgia.
Procedures for the Removal of Names
When it becomes apparent that there may be a reason to consider the removal of a name from a facility at North Georgia College & State University, the Vice President for Institutional Advancement shall be supplied with the original naming history and all salient circumstances surrounding the removal recommendation.
The Vice President for Institutional Advancement and the Advisory Committee will review the naming history and all salient circumstances, then forward such information along with a recommendation to the President who shall make a determination as to whether a name shall be removed. If the naming was within the President’s delegated authority, his/her ruling is final. If the naming is outside the President’s delegated authority and the President recommends the name removal, then the President will submit the proposal for removal of the name of said facility to the University System chief facilities officer basically in the same process called for in naming.
Reporting Requirements
All USG institution shall submit an annual report, in a standard format, on all namings conferred within the president’s delegated authority. The report is due at the end of each calendar year.
Periodic Review of Naming Guidelines
The President of North Georgia College & State University and the campus 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 and procedures of the Board of Regents.