The Chancellor has the authority to lead the District in overseeing the naming procedure.

Considerations that shall be taken into account in the agreement with the donor include, but are not limited to:

  1. Life expectancy of building, equipment, rooms, etc. – The function of structures on any college campus is fluid, depending on many factors. If the named structure has reached its life expectancy, as defined in the terms of the gift-naming contract, the name will generally not be transferred. At the time of replacement, the original donor will have first right of refusal to provide a new gift to continue the naming opportunity. When the structure has been named for an endowed gift, the preference of the donor, the donor corporation, its successor or the donor family will be solicited.
  2. Signage – In approving the plan for naming a facility, the Department of Facilities and college President’s office and the Chancellor or designee, will follow campus-wide standards for signage and landscape design. The text shall be tasteful, discrete and consistent with other campus signage. These standards will apply to both interior and exterior areas of the District’s property.
  3. Name Withdrawal
    1. Any impropriety on the part of the donor will make the gift and name recognition subject to reconsideration. The Chancellor and/or the Board of Trustees reserve the right to withdraw the privilege of name association with Pierce College, should future particular acts and circumstances warrant;
    2. Possible name change of the corporate or single donor;
    3. Possible name change of marital donor, in the case of divorce or separation;
    4. Termination of named program because it no longer meets District needs.

The following criteria shall be considered in the selection of names:

  1. Significant financial contribution to the District, College and/or Foundation by an individual, business, and/or organization;
  2. Significant contribution of service to the growth or development of the District or College and the respective service area. Individuals and organizations selected on the basis of service contributions are those who are widely viewed as deserving the recognition. Such honor will typically be recommended no less than three years following the end of the individual’s service to the District or College, at the discretion of the Board;
  3. The Chancellor, upon advice and consent from the Board of Trustees and/or the Foundation Board of Directors, may require that a background check be performed on a donor (living or deceased) or designee based upon particular facts and circumstances. If a background check is determined to be necessary, the donor, donor’s executor or designee, shall be required to sign an authorization allowing the background check.

In consideration of names for buildings and facilities, it is assumed that distinguished community leaders, graduates, former students, faculty, staff or administrators shall be considered when appropriate, and that community or geographic names may be used when deemed appropriate.

Rights and Responsibilities

The Chancellor, Presidents, Vice President of Advancement/Executive Director of the Foundation, in consultation with the donor, Foundation board members, or other appropriate parties shall assist in the decision-making process related to naming, memorial or tribute gifts, including but not limited to the following:

  1. Public Announcements – The right to determine content, timing location, and frequency of any announcements associated with the gift;
  2. Physical markers – The right to approve the color/design and size of any physical marker that provides information about the designee or donor and/or the nature of the gift or honor;
  3. Care and maintenance – The right and responsibility to determine and carry out the exact nature of any ongoing care and maintenance of any memorial or tribute gifts, or their physical markers, and to ensure ongoing maintenance is carried out.

General Provisions

  1. No naming will be approved or continued that will call into serious question the public respect of the District. Naming recognition shall enhance the reputation and prestige of the District and the donor. The credentials, character and reputation of each individual, organization or corporation for whom the naming of a building is being considered shall be carefully scrutinized and evaluated. Nominations submitted for consideration must be accompanied by appropriate documentation;
  2. Where a physical space has been named, the District will continue to use the name so long as the physical space remains in use and serves its original function, unless otherwise stipulated at the time of gift acceptance. When the use of a building, room or facility is changed, such that it must be demolished, substantially renovated or rebuilt due to forces of nature, the District may retain the use of the name, or name another comparable room, facility or landscape feature;
  3. It is the responsibility of individuals representing the District to advise potential benefactors that their gift may be recognized by naming, subject to approvals and decisions being consistent with this policy;
  4. Commitments made prior to adoption of this policy shall be honored;
  5. Ideally, gifts should be paid in full prior to the official naming opportunity taking effect. The District may establish a legally binding pledge and shall be paid within five years of the naming of the facility, unless other written arrangements are made. A portion of the gift may be in the form of an irrevocable trust or contractual bequest;
  6. The Board of Trustees reserves the right to remove names from facilities or landscape areas when the gift remains unpaid beyond the five-year limit or the agreed upon date. Should this occur, the Board of Trustees may seek a naming opportunity that would be proportionate to the value of the gift received.

In requesting the naming of a structure, the following information is to be submitted according to the following format:

  1. Institution name;
  2. A detailed request, citing the facility or landscape area in question, the proposed name, the existing name, if any, etc.;
  3. Justification, including relevant information as to the nature and duration of the individuals’ affiliation with the District. If naming is a stipulation of the gift, the request must explain the proposed arrangement. If the gift represents partial or total funding of the construction or remodeling for renovation, the following information must be included:
    1. A timetable for project implementation;
    2. Relationship of the project to the institution’s long-range plans;
    3. Source and status of capital budget funds needed in addition to the gift; and
    4. Operating budget implications and source of funds.

The Chancellor and Board of Trustees will determine if a memorial is created. The request must fit within the established naming tributes criteria. The criteria for recognizing any individual after death includes:

  1. A member of the campus community who has served a minimum of 10 years, and;
  2. Who has demonstrated dedicated and meritorious service, and;
  3. Who has some level of staff and college community support for receiving the honor, and;
  4. Who has made significant impact on how the college has developed, and;
  5. For whom the nature of their contribution matches the scope of the proposed honor;
  6. The request for a memorial should be made at least one year following the death of the individual.

March 30, 2009