Legislative History:

At its meeting of April 6, 1998, the Academic Senate approved the following policy recommendation presented by Pam Stacks for the Executive Committee.

Replaces: F82-7

Action by the University President:
"Approved as University Policy." Signed Robert Caret, 4-29-98

Whereas,

The existing policy regulating the naming of campus facilities has been antiquated by two developments; first, the issuance of a Trustees Action in January 1995 that adds new criteria for the naming of campus facilities, and second, by the growing trend to name minor facilities as part of advancement efforts; and

San Jose State should have a campus policy to provide for an orderly, fair, expeditious, and collegial review of proposals to name campus facilities and properties, within the framework established by the January 1995 Trustee Action; now therefore, be it

That the attached document, "Policies and Procedures for Naming of Facilities and Properties at San Jose State University" be University Policy, effective immediately upon Presidential signature.

[Note that italicized text is directly quoted from the January 1995 Trustee Action. Other text is original to this policy.]

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 facilities and properties, within the framework established by the January 1995 Trustee Action.

1.2 The naming of campus facilities and properties presents opportunities for the advancement of the interests of 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.

2.1 Major Facilities. The Board of Trustees of the CSU has retained the authority to name major facilities. Major facilities are defined as all buildings; major portions of buildings; university or college streets or roads; stadium and baseball fields and other areas of major assembly or activity; plazas, malls and other large areas of campus circulation; and all other highly visible facilities and properties.

While the Board possesses final authority to name major facilities, no proposal to name such a facility will be sent forward from this campus without obtaining preliminary campus approval as indicated in this policy.

2.2 Minor Facilities. The Board has delegated to the Chancellor, who has delegated to the University President, the authority to name minor facilities. Minor facilities are defined as individual rooms, limited areas and individual items or features within buildings, individual landscape items or features, limited outdoor areas, and other minor properties.

While the President possesses final authority to name minor facilities, no facility shall be so named without obtaining preliminary campus approval as indicated in this policy.

3.1 Trustees' Criteria. The Trustees Action specifies that the name of a major facility must meet one of the following 5 criteria; at San Jose State the name of minor facilities must also meet one of the following criteria:

3.1.1 It should designate the function of a facility or property.
 

3.1.2 It should reflect natural or geographic features.
3.1.3 It should reflect a traditional theme of a university.
3.1.4 It should honor an individual or an organization

3.1.4.1 When a donor gift is involved:

3.1.4.1.1 It is desirable for the CSU to name facilities and properties in honor of significant contributors of funds to the university.

3.1.4.1.2 The Board will take into consideration the significance and amount of the proposed gift as either or both relate to the realization or completion of a facility of property or the enhancement of a facility's or property's usefulness to the university.

3.1.4.1.3 Facilities and properties may be named for individuals or organizations responsible for a "substantial gift" benefitting The California State University. The term "substantial gift" in this context is deliberately not defined by arbitrary standards or by a specific dollar amount. Its interpretation is meant to be flexible so that each situation may be judged on its own merits and may take into account significant contributions of personal services as well as monetary or in-kind gifts. It is expected that each naming opportunity will recognize the donor according to the level of gift and size of facility.

3.1.4.1.4 A donor gift can provide the funding for that portion of the total cost which would not have been available from any other source (such as federal or state loans or appropriations, student fees, bond issues, etc.)

3.1.4.2 When no donor gift is involved

3.1.4.2.1 It should honor a person who has achieved unique distinction in higher education and other significant areas of public service, or who has served the CSU in an academic capacity and earned a national or international reputation as a scholar, or who has served the CSU in an administrative capacity and who, during administrative service, made extraordinary contributions to a CSU campus or the system which warrant special recognition.
3.1.4.2.2 When a proposal for naming in honor of an individual involves service to the university in an academic or administrative capacity, a proposal shall not be made until the individual has been retired or deceased at least two years.
3.1.4.2.3 No more than one facility or property in the system shall be named after any one individual.
3.1.4.2.4 No facility or property will be named after seated, elected or appointed officials.

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

3.2 Campus criteria. All proposals for naming a major or minor facility must, in addition to the Trustees' criteria, meet the following campus criteria:

3.2.1 The name should be one that will be supported by a campus consensus.

3.2.2 When naming for a person or organization, that person or organization must be associated with ethical and legal practices and behavior that have served the public interest.

3.2.3 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.

3.2.4 This policy should be used over time to lead to the naming of facilities of San Jose State University in a balanced manner, reflecting the functions of the property, reflecting natural/geographic features of the area, reflecting the traditional themes of the University, honoring diverse individuals and organizations for service to SJSU and the CSU, and recognizing gifts to the University.

3.2.5 Permanency of names.

3.2.5.1 As a general rule, once named, a facility receives a designation that lasts its lifetime. Except as below, no "temporary" names are to be allowed, nor names for limited durations. Demolition of a facility, however, ends its official name, although the old name would then be available for naming a different facility.
3.2.5.2 In those rare circumstances when a name is to be removed from an existing facility, approval must be sought through exactly the same procedures as are required for naming a facility.
3.2.5.3 Facilities that are primarily associated with Intercollegiate Athletics may receive temporary names under certain circumstances. A temporary name may be designated only for a substantial financial contribution to the University that helps make the ICA program self-supporting. Written evidence should accompany such a request documenting that the designation of a temporary name is in the long-term financial interests of SJSU, and that the award of a temporary name will not lessen the potential reward from a permanent name. In addition, a temporary name must comply with all the regular criteria of a permanent name, and must follow the same process for approval.

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

4.1 Proposals. Proposals for naming a major or minor facility 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 Major proposals should verify that there is no conflict with other names on campus or in the CSU, minor proposals should verify that there is no conflict with names on campus. Verification should be checked through the Chancellor's office for a statewide search of names, or through the Director of Planning Design and Construction for campus names.
4.1.3 All proposals shall be submitted to the Vice President for University Advancement.

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

4.3 Naming Committee. 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 shall include the Chair of the Campus Planning Board, Director of Planning Design and Construction, and two faculty members (preferably members of the Senate) who are affiliated with the facility in question. 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 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 Major proposals: Senate and Presidential Action. In the case of Major proposals, 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 Minor proposals: Presidential Action. In the case of Minor proposals, a positive recommendation from the Executive Committee will result in the committee recommending that the President authorize the naming.

4.7 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.
 

5.1 Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the process of evaluating any proposals for naming campus facilities and properties, 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 major proposal, the Senate will enter into Executive session. The minutes of the Executive Committee and the Senate will reflect the nature of deliberations but not the specific facilities or names under consideration. 5.4 Only when the President publicly and officially announces the naming of a facility or property will confidentiality be lifted.

6.1 For minor proposals only, and only when donor gifts are involved, the campus may pre-authorize naming opportunities of campus facilities. Pre-authorization is used to set aside minor facilities that can be named according to consistent campus-wide guidelines.

6.2 The Vice President for Advancement, in consultation with the Senate Budget Advisory Committee, shall prepare and distribute guidelines for the naming of minor facilities that are to be used when a donor gift is involved. These guidelines shall take account of the size of the donor gift, the size and importance of the minor facility, and shall be adjustable over time to account for inflation etc. These guidelines will not exclude or apply to the naming of a minor facility for other criteria (unrelated to a donor gift.)

6.3 Colleges and other entities may submit proposals for pre-authorization of naming opportunities. Such a proposal will take the form of reserving minor facilities associated with the College or entity, which can be named in honor of donors that meet the criteria developed in Section 3 of this policy.

6.4 Pre-authorization should be sought and will be considered through the same process as an actual minor facility naming. When pre-authorization is granted, the campus agrees in principle to naming the pre-authorized facilities for donors provided the specific names comport with the criteria listed in section 3 of this policy, and provided it occurs within a designated time period.

6.5 Final approval of a specific name for each facility must still be obtained though the regular process. It is suggested that all proposed names that are associated with the facilities included in a pre-authorized proposal be submitted as a package with a brief justification of each name.