Policies and Procedures

F0106p Procedure for Naming a College Facility for Purposes of Recognition


  1. When new construction, substantial renovation or major program development is planned at the College, the College administration will consider whether the project is an opportunity to obtain private support, which may be recognized through a naming opportunity.
  2. If naming opportunities are possible, the Western Technical College Foundation staff will be asked to work with the Master Plan Committee, the physical plant staff or instructional staff to identify details of such opportunities, working within Board policy. Approval by the District Board will be obtained prior to approaching donors to discuss a gift that may be recognized through a named facility.
  3. In the case of a building to be named as a result of a substantial gift for construction or renovation of the facility,
    1. the gift shall be in an amount which will either
      1. fund the total cost of the project to be named or
      2. should exceed 60 percent of the fundraising cost of construction or renovation if it is to be named exclusively for the donor (as a guideline only) or
      3. If portions of the building (wings, rooms, etc.) are to be named in recognition of other individuals, yet the building will still bear a single name, the donor for which the building is named will have provided a gift exceeding 40 percent of the fundraising cost of construction or renovation (as a guideline only).
    2. The gift shall provide funding for that portion of the total cost which would not have been available from any other source (such as federal or state loans or appropriations, student fees, or bond issues).
  4. In a case where an existing building may be named in recognition of a substantial gift, as a guideline only, a multiplier will be used to determine, if possible, the present day value of construction costs. The gift should exceed 40 percent of the present day value of construction if it is to be named exclusively for the donor. If portions of the building (wings, rooms, etc.) are to be named in recognition of other individuals, yet the building will still bear a single name, the donor for which the building is named will have provided a gift exceeding 25 percent of the present day value of construction.
  5. It will not be the practice of the College to attach names for the purpose of recognition to buildings which it leases rather than owns except under special circumstances (e.g. Residence Hall) and only with prior District Board approval.
  6. In the case of College facilities to which names have been attached prior to the approval of these guidelines, those facilities will now be assumed to be governed by these guidelines. Specifically, the College's commitment to the names will last for the life of the facility or until revoked by Board action. It will be assumed that portions of the Coleman and Kumm Centers may later be named in keeping with these guidelines. The name on a facility to be demolished will not necessarily be transferred to a new facility; if a named facility is demolished and replaced, a request must be submitted in order to recommend a name for the replacement facility.
  7. Exceptions to these guidelines may be considered by submitting a specific proposal with rationale through the College President to the District Board.
  8. No commitment regarding naming shall be made to a donor or non-donor honoree prior to approval of the related proposal: however in order to enhance negotiations with a prospective donor, conditional approval may be obtained from the College President.
  9. Acceptable gifts shall be in the form of cash, marketable securities, real estate, in-kind property or certain deferred gift arrangements.
  10. The College District Board reserves the right to refuse a naming request or to reverse a naming decision should the individual or organization after which the facility or unit is named be shown to have rejected values that preserve human dignity and/or the educational ideals of the College.

​Approved March 17, 2009