Purpose/Rationale:
- To establish policy and criteria regarding the naming of campus facilities with or without a significant gift;
- To recognize significant contribution to the college by naming facilities in honor of individuals or organizations;
- To establish policy and criteria regarding memorials on campus with or without a significant gift.
Policy:
1. The Board of Trustees has ultimate authority and responsibility for the naming of college facilities.
2. The Vice President for Advancement/Executive Director of the Evergreen State College Foundation has authority to approve memorials on campus established as the result of monetary gifts. Upon recommendation from the Naming and Memorials Committee (Committee) the President may approve memorials not resulting from monetary gifts.
3. The Naming and Memorials Committee will:
- Review and make recommendations regarding requests for memorials in the absence of a monetary gift and all naming requests;
- Recommend to the Vice President for Advancement any needed changes to this policy.
The Naming and Memorials Committee shall be comprised of the following:
- The Vice President for Advancement (or designee) — Chair;
- The Chief Administrative Officer or equivalent position representing facilities services (or designee);
- A representative from the Office of the President and Executive Vice President (named by the President);
- A Faculty representative appointed by the Agenda Committee;
- The Staff representative to the Board of Trustees;
- A Student representative;
- A representative from the area recommended for naming or, in the case of a memorial, a representative from the group requesting the Naming and Memorials Committee to consider the memorial.
The Chair may add other members to the committee when appropriate.
4. A gift agreement shall be required, negotiated and executed through The Evergreen State College Foundation for any memorial or naming established through a monetary gift.
5. Naming a facility with a monetary gift. The criteria are:
- The donor is establishing a fund for construction or remodel costs, or establishing a permanent endowment to support students, programming or equipment specific to an existing facility;
- The donor or the person/organization for whom a facility is to be named must have demonstrated values that reflect the history, mission and values of the institution;
The Naming and Memorials Committee shall make recommendations to the President of the College who will determine whether to forward the final recommendation to the Board of Trustees. Facilities named with a monetary gift shall be named for the duration specified in the gift agreement.
6. Naming a program with a monetary gift. The criteria are:
- The donor is establishing a fund for program expenses, or establishing a permanent endowment to support students, programming or equipment specific to an existing program;
- The donor or the person/organization for whom a program is to be named must have demonstrated values that reflect the history, mission and values of the institution.
The Naming and Memorials Committee shall make recommendations to the President of the College who will determine whether to forward the final recommendation to the Board of Trustees. Programs named with a monetary gift shall retain the name for a period specified in the gift agreement.
7. Establishing a memorial with a monetary gift. The criteria are:
- A monetary gift as established below in section 12;
- Either the donor or the person for whom a memorial is established must have a significant connection to the college and have demonstrated values that reflect the history, mission and values of the institution
The Vice President for Advancement/Executive Director of The Evergreen State College Foundation has final approval of the memorial.
8. Establishing memorials and naming without monetary gifts. The criteria are:
- The donor or the person for whom a memorial is established or facility named must have a significant connection to the college and have demonstrated values that reflect the history, mission and values of the institution;
- The recommendation should reflect honor upon both the donor and the college.
The Naming and Memorials Committee shall review proposals that honor extraordinary contributions to the institution. Broad campus community support is required for consideration. The Committee shall assist in vetting proposals to the community.
The President makes the final determination on the recommendation for memorials in the absence of a gift. For any naming of a facility in the absence of a gift the President will determine whether to forward the recommendation to the Board of Trustees
9. The President may recommend naming of facilities and programs for the life of the facility or program, or may recommend a specific period which will be identified in the gift agreement.
- The college reserves the right to determine the form such recognition may take in the event that the facility no longer exists or under other changes of circumstance.
10. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to rescind the naming of a facility or program should the naming bring embarrassment or disrepute to the college or be incompatible with the college’s mission and values.
11. The Vice President for Advancement, shall establish gift thresholds for the naming of facilities.
A) Buildings, Wings and Rooms: Factors considered in establishing the required level of funding for specific rooms will include:
- The overall cost of the project;
- The size of each space;
- Its prominence within the building and on the campus;
- The prestige associated with the function of the space.
B) Pledges: Pledge periods for facilities naming gifts must not exceed five years. Pledges must be irrevocable and include an estate note making the donor’s estate responsible for payment of the pledge in the event of the donor’s death before fulfilling the pledge.
C) Use of Planned Gifts: Bequest intentions and life income plans will generally not be acceptable for naming gifts because the college requires the immediate use of the funds for construction, maintenance, operation, and renewal. Possible exceptions include charitable lead trusts that can be used if they meet the established minimums set out for naming gifts and the payout period does not exceed five years.
12. Memorials on campus will be limited to:
- A bench with a plaque designed by the Facilities Office at a location to be decided by the Facilities Office for a cost of $35,000;
- A plaque designed by the Facilities Office on a wall designed specifically for this purpose by the Facilities Office for a cost of $25,000;
- A tree located in the Legacy Garden for a cost of $5,000.
Location and type of memorial shall be the same for non-monetary memorials.
13. Gifts of art will not be accepted as memorials. Individuals who wish to give art to the College or Foundation should direct their inquiries to the Campus Arts Advisory Committee.
Definitions:
Campus facility: A building or room, wing, atrium, or courtyard within a building; a driveway, road, or path on campus
Donor: A person, organization, corporation, or foundation that makes a gift to the college.
Estate gift: A gift made from a decedent’s estate, typically a planned gift (an “expectancy”) in which the donor makes his/her intents known in writing while still alive.
Honorary: A gift made in honor of an organization or living individual.
Memorial: A gift made in honor of a deceased person.
Monetary gift: cash or assets that can be converted to cash.
Named gift: A gift in sufficient size to warrant a naming opportunity, based upon naming opportunity criteria.
Pledge: A written, signed, and dated promise to fulfill a commitment at some future time; specifically, a financial promise payable according to terms set by the donor. Such pledges may be legally enforceable, subject to state law.Total cost: The amount used in determining facility naming criteria; “project cost” is construction and “soft costs” such as fees, permits, furnishings, etc.
Source: The Association of Fundraising Professionals Dictionary (2003)