Procedure: Naming recognition

Purpose

To outline the procedures for submission, review and approval of University naming recognition proposals, as well as the implementation, transfer and disestablishment of names from named assets.

Definitions

Philanthropic naming recognises the contributions of a donor (individual or organisation) who has made a gift to the University at a level commensurate with the value of the asset.

Honorific naming recognises individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to ANU; have an international reputation bringing credit to ANU; have made an exceptional contribution to a particular discipline; have brought credit to ANU through their activities and reputation; or are of national distinction or significance.

Functional naming reflects either the purpose of a building or its location on an ANU campus.

Physical assets include buildings, roads, open spaces, and internal spaces, such as rooms, lecture theatres and labs.

Non-physical assets include academic entities, professorships, sub-professorial academic positions, scholarships, bursaries, prizes and awards.

Visibility refers to an asset’s significance to the University and its visibility to students, staff and the public.

Global assets are those of University-wide significance or visibility.

Local assets are those with visibility or significance at the College, Research School or Division level.

Donor refers to an individual or organisation that has made a significant gift or gifts to the University.

Honouree refers to an individual recognised through honorific naming.

Procedure

Naming Committee

1. The Naming Committee provides advice to the ANU Council on the naming of University assets, whether physical or non-physical.
2. The Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the ANU Council with respect to:

1. the naming of assets of the University in recognition of individuals and groups who have made an exceptional contribution to the University’s past achievements and its future activities;
2. proposals to establish, disestablish, amend or transfer the naming of University assets;
3. matters of policy pertaining to the governance of the naming of assets; and
4. other matters raised by the ANU Council or the Vice-Chancellor which have a significant direct or indirect effect on the naming of assets.

3. The members of the Committee are:

• Vice-Chancellor, as Chair;
• Chief Operating Officer;
• Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and/or Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and/or Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement);
• Deputy Director (Operations), Alumni Relations & Philanthropy;
• Director, Facilities & Services;
• One College Dean appointed by the Vice-Chancellor; and
• One postgraduate or undergraduate student of the University.

4. The Committee meets four times a year and will consider naming proposals submitted up to three weeks ahead of each meeting.

Submitting a proposal

5. Naming proposals are completed on the approved form and submitted by email to the Committee Secretary at eo.advancement@anu.edu.au.
6. Nominations for naming may be proposed by the Vice-Chancellor, members of the ANU Council, members of the University Executive, an ANU College Dean, or Director of a Research School (or academic organisational unit of equivalence).
7. Before submission to the Naming Committee, all naming proposals require:

1. due diligence review of the proposed name by the Prospect Research & Briefing team, ANU Advancement; and
2. consultation with and endorsement of the Vice-President (Advancement).

8. Proposals for honorific recognition require consent for use of the name from the honouree or their legal representative.
9. Once the completed naming proposal has been submitted to the Naming Committee, the endorsement and approval process is determined by:

1. the nature of the proposed recognition, whether philanthropic or honorific;
2. the type of asset to be named, whether physical or non-physical;
3. the visibility of the asset, whether global or local.

Endorsement and approval of naming proposals

10. Proposals to name assets in recognition of a donor or honouree require the endorsement and approval of the following parties:

11. A donor eligible for recognition through philanthropic naming may choose to name the asset after an honouree. In this case, while endorsement and approval of the name will be subject to the same protocols as for honorific naming, the proposal will be flagged as philanthropic.
12. As of 2 August 2017, academic entities are ineligible for exclusively honorific naming, except by direction of the ANU Council. This condition does not affect assets named honorifically prior to this date.

Functional naming of assets

13. Submission and approval of a naming proposal is not required for functional naming of assets.
14. The Director, Facilities & Services Division is responsible for functional naming of all unnamed physical assets.
15. Functional naming of local non-physical assets is the responsibility of the relevant College Dean (or nominee) or Service Division Director.

Implementation of an approved name

16. Following approval of a naming proposal, the Secretary of the Naming Committee sends notification of implementation to the responsible parties, as per the table below:

17. Implementation of naming is the responsibility of the recipient College or Service Division, with oversight from the Chief Operating Officer for globally visible assets.
18. For naming of all physical assets, Facilities & Services Division is responsible for implementation of updated signage, wayfinding and University maps.
19. Formal announcement of naming for local assets is arranged by the recipient College or Service Division. Announcement of naming for globally visible assets is arranged in consultation with the Division of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs and the Office of the Vice-Chancellor.
20. The costs associated with implementation of the naming (such as production and installation of a plaque, signage, stationery, and event costs of hosting a space naming ceremony) are borne by the recipient areas as follows:

1. Costs for globally visible naming implementation are met from the University’s central budget, as approved by the Chief Operating Officer.
2. Costs for locally visible naming implementation are met by the recipient College or Service Division.
3. Where the naming recognises a corporate gift, costs to re-implement the naming following a rebrand or change of name are borne by the donor.

21. A record of all approved and implemented naming proposals is kept in the ANU Named Asset Register, maintained and updated by the Secretary of the Naming Committee.

Term of naming

22. No commitment to a naming extends beyond:

1. the term defined in the approved naming proposal, for fixed-term namings; or
2. the useful life of the asset, for namings in perpetuity.

23. All approved and implemented namings are reviewed at the conclusion of their term, or after 20 years from the approval date, whichever is sooner.

Disestablishment of a name

24. An approved and implemented name may be disestablished for any one of the following reasons:

1. the term of the naming has expired; or
2. the existing named asset is to be demolished or is subject to substantial change (in which case the name may be eligible for transfer, as outlined below); or
3. the existing name does not adequately reflect the value or visibility of the asset.

25. Cases to disestablish an asset name are submitted to the Naming Committee via memo, outlining the rationale for disestablishment and the communication strategy to the affected parties.

Transfer of a name

26. A disestablished or expired name may be eligible for transfer to a new asset.
27. Proposals to transfer an approved name are submitted to the Naming Committee via memo. If it is determined that a new naming proposal is required, it is subject to the submission, approval and implementation procedures outlined above.

Revocation of a name

28. The University reserves the right to revoke the naming of an asset at any time if:

1. association with the name may be, for any reason, damaging to its reputation; or
2. the donor or honouree comes into disrepute; or
3. the donor is in breach of the terms of the Gift Deed.

29. Revocation of a name is the responsibility of the approving authority (Vice-Chancellor), as outlined above, following endorsement by the Naming Committee.
30. Should a name be revoked, the University informs the donor, honouree or representative, outlining the decision.

Disputes

31. The decision of the approving authority (Vice-Chancellor) is final.