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Policy

To establish local policy and procedures for requests to name a building or facility or rooms, floors, or other sections of buildings or grounds after a person. The Board of Regents has approved a specific resolution (#7166) that deals with this subject, and it is important that individuals or groups who want to forward a name for consideration be aware of campus and Board of Regents policies and procedures.

Authority

The UW-River Falls Chancellor issues this policy in accordance with the Administrative Policy process.
The VCAF is responsible for the administration of this policy. Consult should be sought by Facilities Management and Student Services. Request an exception to this policy by writing to administrative-policy@uwrf.edu.

Sanctions and Appeals Process

Failure to adhere to the provisions of this policy may result in appropriate disciplinary action as provided under existing procedures applicable to students, faculty, and staff, and/or civil or criminal prosecution.

Procedure

Individuals and groups can forward a request to the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance requesting that a building, facility, room, floor, or other sections of buildings be named after a person. The request should include a brief biography of the person and a statement as to why this recommendation is being made.

If the request involves the naming of an entire building and the request involves a living individual who has been formally associated with the University of Wisconsin System or has held public office, a waiting period of at least five years from the previous association with the University System or any public office in the State should be observed. Exceptions may be considered where a gift stipulates the naming.

If the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance deems that the proposed name merits consideration, he/she shall forward the request to an appropriate shared governance board. As a rule, the Faculty Senate shall consider the naming for all GPR facilities, and the Student Senate for Program Revenue facilities. There may be times in which confidentiality of the person’s name is important, and discussion shall be posted under “closed” or “executive” session.

When naming involves Program Revenue facilities that are less than the entire building, the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance may choose to forward the recommendation to the Facilities and Fee Committee or any of its sub-committees rather than the Student Senate. It shall be the goal of the Vice Chancellor to obtain input from the students who best represent the proposed building and/or facility being named.

Following the action of the appropriate shared governance committee, the request for naming shall be forwarded to the Chancellor. The Chancellor is authorized to name facilities when naming involves less than an entire building, such as rooms, wings or exterior amenities.

Facility naming requests for an entire building or building addition will be forwarded to the Board of Regents by the Chancellor to seek their approval.

Resolution 7166
03/08/96

That, upon the recommendation of the President of the University of Wisconsin System, Resolution 5415 (February 2, 1990), creating UW System policy for naming or dedicating university facilities, be rescinded and the following new policy adopted:

It is the preference of the Board to commemorate the contributions of individuals to academic excellence through the naming or dedication of scholarships, programs, professorships, and other similar actions. However, the Board recognizes that from time to time there may be a desire to name or dedicate some facilities or portions of university’s buildings or grounds after a person. On those occasions, every such request that involves an entire building must be presented to the Board for formal approval. These requests are to be brought to the Physical Planning and Development Committee and the full Board of Regents for discussion in closed session at least one month prior to requesting formal Regent action.

If the request involves a living individual who has been formally associated with the University of Wisconsin System, or has held a paid public office, a waiting period is required unless a situation is presented where a gift stipulates the naming. Normally, at least five years must have elapsed from the time a person who has been formally associated with the University of Wisconsin System, or has held a paid public office, has terminated that association, or left the paid public office.

The Chancellor of each institution is authorized to name facilities when the naming involves less than an entire building, such as rooms, wings, or exterior amenities. This authorization is subject to the same limitations regarding waiting periods as those pertaining to entire buildings.

University Responsibilities

Appropriate Shared Governance Committee
Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance
Chancellor
Board of Regents

Department/Unit Responsibilities

None

Related Documents 

• Statutes - 35.93: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/Stat0035.pdf 
• Past Practices

Background

Resolution No. 7166 dated March 8, 1996, replaces Resolutions 5415 and 674 relating to naming portions of university facilities and Resolutions 2112 and 5205 relating to naming or dedicating university facilities. http://www.wisconsin.edu/bor/policies/rpd/rpd19-14.htm

Contact

Please direct questions about this policy to administrative-policy@uwrf.edu.