A campus of The California State University

Office of the Academic Senate • One Washington Square • San Jose, California 95192-0024 • 408-924-2440 • Fax 408-924-2410

S00-4

At its meeting of April 17, 2000, the Academic Senate passed the following Policy Recommendation presented by Bethany Shifflett for the Executive Committee.

POLICY RECOMMENDATION
NAMING OF COLLEGES, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER ACADEMIC ENTITIES

AT SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY

ACTION BY THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT:

Policies and Procedures for Naming of Colleges, Schools, and Other Academic Entities

At San Jose State University

1.0 Purpose

1.1 The purpose of this policy is to provide for an orderly, fair, expeditious, and collegial review of proposals to name campus colleges, schools, and other academic entities, within the framework established by the July 1999 Trustee Action. A separate policy exists (S00-3) regarding proposals to name facilities and properties.

1.2 The naming of campus colleges, schools, and other academic entities presents fund raising opportunities for campus programs at San Jose State University. It is important, however, that a campus process assure that names are bestowed only when they serve the University's long-term interests, and only when they reflect the values of higher education and San Jose State University in particular. Since naming opportunities are generally finite in number and permanent in duration they must be considered with special care and deliberation.

2.0 Authority

2.1 The Board of Trustees of the CSU has retained the authority to name all CSU colleges, schools, centers, and institutes.

While the Board possesses final authority to name colleges, schools, and other academic entities, no proposal to name such an entity will be sent forward from this campus without obtaining preliminary campus approval as indicated in this policy.

3.0 Criteria for Selection of Names

3.1 The name shall honor an individual or an organization.

3.1.1 It is desirable to name colleges, schools, and other academic entities in honor of significant contributors of funds to the university.

3.1.2 It is important to take into consideration the significance and amount of the proposed current gift and future potential giving with regard to academic prestige and recognition of the proposed college, school, program, center, or institute.

3.2 In special circumstances, the Board of Trustees may waive any or all of the above criteria.

3.3 Campus criteria. All proposals for naming any college, school, or other academic entity must, in addition to the Trustees' criteria, meet the following campus criteria:

3.3.1 The naming committee will take into consideration the likelihood of the name being broadly accepted by the campus.

3.3.2. When naming for a person or organization, that person or organization should be associated with ethical behavior that has served the public interest. Namings should be particularly scrutinized to ensure that the individual or organization has not engaged in activities including but not limited to illegal discrimination, fraud, exploitative labor practices, environmental violations, and anti-trust violations.

3.3.3 When naming for a person or organization, names with a high degree of association with San Jose State University, such as campus leaders, graduates, employers of graduates, and local companies, should generally be preferred to those with lower degrees of affiliation with SJSU.

3.3.4 This policy should be used over time to lead to the naming of colleges, schools, and other academic entities of San Jose State University in a balanced manner, honoring diverse individuals and organizations providing substantial gifts to the University.

3.3.5 Permanency of names.

3.3.5.1 As a general rule, when a gift from an individual or family is involved, a college, school, or other academic entity receives a designation that lasts the lifetime of the entity. Discontinuation of a college, school, or other academic entity however, ends its official name, although the old name would then be available for naming a different academic entity.

3.3.5.2 In those rare circumstances when a name is to be removed from a college, school, or other academic entity, approval must be sought through exactly the same procedures as are required for naming a facility.

3.3.5.3 As a general rule, when a gift from a corporation is involved, the naming will be temporary and last a period of time to be negotiated between the university and the donor. The naming may be extended by the President after consultation with the Executive Committee.

3.3.6 In special circumstances, the President, in consultation with the Executive Committee, may waive any or all of the above criteria.

4.0 Procedures

4.1 Proposals. Proposals for naming any college, school, or other academic entity may be initiated by any university office, university organization, or the Senate Executive Committee.

4.1.1 The proposal shall be formulated in accordance with the criteria set forth in this policy and shall include a detailed justification for the proposed name.

4.1.2 The VP for Advancement should screen proposals and verify that there is no conflict with other names on campus.

4.1.3 All proposals shall be submitted to the Vice President for University Advancement.

4.2 Screening. The Vice President for University Advancement will decide whether any given proposal meets the minimal criteria outlined in this policy. If proposals do not meet minimal criteria, the proposal advances no further.

4.3 Naming Committees. The VP for Advancement will convene a special administrative "Naming Committee" to evaluate the proposal. This administrative committee will be Chaired by the VP for University Advancement and/or Executive Assistant to the President and shall include the Chair of the Campus Planning Board, Director of Planning Design and Construction, two faculty members (preferably members of the Senate) who are affiliated with the academic entity in question, and when the Executive Committee deems it appropriate, given the nature of the naming, a student or students recommended by the Executive Committee. The Naming Committee will determine whether the proposal should advance. If so, it will forward its recommendation to the Senate Executive Committee

4.4 Executive Committee. The Vice President for Advancement and/or Executive Assistant to the President will be invited to present the recommendation from the Naming Committee to the Senate Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will recommend whether the proposal should be adopted. If the recommendation is negative, then the proposal advances no further.

4.5 Senate and Presidential Action. A positive recommendation from the Executive Committee will result in the committee proposing a Senate Policy Recommendation to the full Senate recommending the naming. If the full Senate approves, and the President approves, then the President should seek Trustee's approval. Once Trustees' approval is obtained, the President should then sign the Policy Recommendation that makes campus action official.

4.6 Explanation of rejection. At any level when a proposal is declined, a prompt memo of explanation will be issued by the declining person (body) and returned to originator of the proposal and any approving bodies.

5.0 Confidentiality

5.1 Confidentiality is to be maintained throughout the process of evaluating any proposal for naming academic entities, including explanations of rejection as well as decisions of approval.

5.2 All committee meetings will be held in executive session. All memos will be marked "confidential."

5.3 When the Senate deliberates on a proposal, the Senate will enter into Executive session. The Vice President for Advancement will be invited to attend this session. The minutes of the Executive Committee and the Senate will reflect the nature of deliberations but not the specific academic entity or names under consideration.

5.4 Only when the President publicly and officially announces the naming of a college, school, or other academic entity will confidentiality be lifted.