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Donor Recognition and Naming
Section 6.Z – Donor Recognition & Naming
Definitions
- For purposes of naming Vance-Granville Community College facilities, “facilities” are defined as campuses, buildings, areas or rooms within buildings, other structures, or outdoor areas.
- For purposes of naming Vance-Granville Community College positions, “positions” are defined as faculty or staff titles. Positions may include endowed chairs.
- For purposes of naming Vance-Granville Community College programs “programs” are defined as credit or non-credit curricula, administrative units, or the cultural or civic activities of the College.
- For purposes of naming Vance-Granville Community College facilities, positions, or programs, “permanent” is defined as for the life or existence of the named facilities (generally 40 years), positions, or programs, absent any exceptional circumstances. If the program or position is eliminated within 5 years of establishment, donor will be given the option to transfer naming rights to another program or position.
Policy
The Board of Trustees has the final responsibility for the permanent naming and renaming of any facility, position, or program at Vance-Granville Community College for a person or entity.
Naming of Facilities, Positions, and Programs
- The final responsibility for naming any facility, position, or program at Vance-Granville Community College for a person or entity rests with the Board of Trustees and must follow established administrative procedures.
- There are two categories of naming opportunities: gift-related and honorific. A gift- related naming may occur when a donor makes a major charitable financial contribution to the college. An honorific naming may be made to memorialize someone who has made an extraordinary contribution to the College. The College considers an honorific naming to be among the highest levels of recognition the College can bestow. In that context, it will only be in rare circumstances that College property or assets will be named honorifically.
- Gift-related Naming: In conjunction with the Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees, The Vance-Granville Community College Foundation will design Donor Recognition Guidelines for use in gift-related naming opportunities in recognition of financial gifts to the College or the College Foundation. However, the Board of Trustees shall consider all relevant circumstances, and it reserves the right to determine naming rights on a case-by-case basis regardless of these guidelines. Donor Recognition Guidelines, with records and dates of revisions, shall be maintained as an appendix to this Policy 824.00.
- Honorific Naming: An acceptable purpose for naming facilities, positions, or programs for person or entities is to honor living or deceased persons who meet one or more of the following criteria:
- A former Board of Trustees or College Foundation Board member who has made an outstanding contribution.
- A former employee who has made an outstanding contribution.
- A citizen or entity who has made an outstanding contribution.
- Absent exceptional circumstances, if the request is to honor a deceased individual, the request must not be submitted for at least one year following death.
- Absent exceptional circumstances, if the request is to honor a living person, that individual may not be an employee or trustee or in any type of College service or be an elected or appointed public official at the time of consideration. If the request is to honor a former employee or trustee, the request must not be submitted for one year following College service.
- The naming of any facility, position, or program of Vance-Granville Community College for a person or entity must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Board of Trustees.
- The President, upon advice of the College Cabinet, is empowered to assign descriptive names to facilities, positions, and programs which delineate function or other utilitarian purposes.
(approved May 20, 2024)
Procedures
- The College and College Foundation will develop Donor Recognition Guidelines for the implementation of this policy. These guidelines will be reviewed and recommended annually by the Foundation Board of Directors for review and approval of the College Board of Trustees.
- Individuals or groups inside or outside the College, including the College Foundation, may initiate a request to name a facility, position, or program of the College.
- All requests will include the following:
- A rationale for requesting the naming of the facility, position, or program. Such rationale must include evidence for a broad base of support for the naming of the facility, position, or program.
- If appropriate a biography or entity background of the person or entity for whom the facility, position, or program is to be named.
- Proposals for the naming of any facility, position, or program must be directed to the Office of the President.
- The President will share this information with the Chair of the Board of Trustees. If the Chair determines that there is sufficient interest to consider this person or organization, the Chair shall appoint an ad hoc Naming and Recognition Committee of not less than three Board members. The President will be a non-voting ex-officio member of this committee. The Chair may designate any other member of the College staff, the College Foundation, or the community to serve on this committee in a non-voting ex-officio capacity.
- The permanent naming of any facility, position, or program for a person or entity must be formally approved by the College’s Board of Trustees and meet the policy conditions established by the Board.
- At the onset of any capital campaign initiated by the College, the College Foundation will forward to the Board of Trustees, for approval, a plan that outlines existing naming opportunities with pre-qualified minimum gift amounts in order to expedite approval for naming opportunities for gifts under $1,000,000, with such pre-qualifications in effect for no more than three (3) years.
- A written agreement shall be negotiated and signed by a donor and the college specifying the terms under which the naming will occur and any limitations or other caveats as advised by the college’s legal counsel.
Renaming of Facilities, Positions, and Programs
- The Board of Trustees may rename a facility based on any of the following conditions and circumstances:
- If a currently named facility is demolished, the replacement facility presents a new naming opportunity. If a building is destroyed by an act of God, naming rights will remain per Part I Definitions, part D.
- If a currently named facility is substantially modified, expanded, renovated, and/or re- purposed, the facility may be renamed.
- If a donor for whom facility is named fails to fulfill a financial commitment to the College or College Foundation, the Board may remove his/her name, and the facility may be renamed.
- If a donor’s reputation changes substantially so that the continued use of the name may compromise the public trust, bring dishonor to VGCC, or be contrary to the best interests of the College, the Board of Trustees reserves the right to revoke the name, and the facility may be renamed. VGCC would have no financial responsibility for returning any received contributions.
- In the case of a facility being demolished or being substantially modified, absent a natural disaster, the College will offer the original naming donor an opportunity to retain naming rights by making a gift at the requisite level. If a facility is renamed, the College Trustees may choose to recognize the previous facility name with a plaque and/or by naming a space in the renamed facility, or by recognizing the original donor in some other way as deemed appropriate by the Trustees.
Donor Recognition Guidelines
As mandated by College Policy 6.Z, these guidelines provide recommended minimum dollar amounts of gifts to qualify for consideration of naming opportunities. All final decisions on naming opportunities, unless otherwise provided for, are at the sole discretion of the Board of Trustees, as outlined in the related policy.
*Suggested Values of Key Naming Opportunities
Buildings
Building Type | Minimum Donation |
---|---|
Major Buildings (existing) - >25,001 sq. ft | $1.0 million |
Small Buildings (existing) - <=25,000 sq. ft. | $250,000-$500,000 |
New Buildings | 25% of cost or a minimum of $2.0 million |
Specific Large Rooms
Room Type | Minimum Donation |
---|---|
Auditoriums/Theatres | $500,000 |
Lobbies/Pre-function Areas | $50,000 |
Learning Resource Centers/Libraries | $75,000 |
Dining/Café Areas | $50,000 |
Student Services Areas | $30,000 |
Other
Opportunity Type | Minimum Donation |
---|---|
General Classrooms | $50,000 |
Equipped Labs | 50% of cost |
Programs of Study | $500,000 |
Schools of Study | $1.0 million |
Gardens/Courtyards/Plazas | $40,000 |
Conference Rooms | $50,000 |
Student Lounges | $50,000 |