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

ANU Council refers to the governing authority of the University as established in the Australian National University Act 1991 (Cth).

ANU Foundation Board refers to the key oversight body for the ANU Foundation as established in the Australian National University (ANU Foundation) Statute 2023.

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

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

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

Honouree refers to an individual recognised through honorific naming.

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.

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

Non-physical assets include, but are not limited to, academic entities, academic programs, Chairs, professorships, sub-professorial academic positions, lectures, exhibitions, scholarships, bursaries, prizes and awards.

Philanthropic naming recognises the contributions of a donor (individual or organisation) who has made a significant gift, or gifts over time, that have made a major impact on the institution.

Physical assets include, but are not limited to, buildings, roads, open spaces, and internal spaces, such as rooms, lecture theatres and labs.

Visibility refers to an asset’s significance to the University and its level of or availability for use by students, staff and the public.

Procedure

Proposals for philanthropic naming

1. The Vice-President (Advancement) is responsible for all proposals to recognise the significant philanthropic contributions of a donor or donors.
2. Proposals for philanthropic naming are completed on the approved form and sent to the ANU Foundation Board at eo.advancement@anu.edu.au. Proposals for philanthropic naming:

1. support gifts that conform to the ANU Gifts and Fundraising Policy and Gift Acceptance Procedure;
2. meet or exceed minimum thresholds set by the University;
3. are captured in an approved Gift Deed, or other document approved for this purpose by the Vice-President (Advancement); and
4. are developed and progressed through the applicable endorsement and approval process led by ANU Advancement, in consultation with the academic or organisational unit of ANU that will benefit from the gift (the recipient unit).

3. Proposals for the philanthropic naming of non-physical assets:

1. are progressed, endorsed and approved as an integrated part of the processes outlined in the Gift Acceptance Procedure; and
2. may be progressed for consideration by the ANU Foundation Board at the discretion of the Vice-Chancellor or Vice-President (Advancement), where the gift is sensitive or precedent setting, as defined in the Gift Acceptance Procedure.

4. Proposals for philanthropic naming of physical assets:

1. are considered with regard to pre-approved naming valuations of the asset; and
2. require endorsement by the ANU Foundation Board and Campus Planning Committee, and approval by ANU Council.

5. The endorsement of the Vice-President (Advancement) and pre-approval of the ANU Foundation Board is required for all valuations of assets for naming purposes, whether the assets are physical or non-physical.

Proposals for honorific naming

6. Proposals for honorific naming are completed on the approved form and submitted by email to the Honorary Committee at secretary.hc@anu.edu.au.
7. Nominations for naming may be proposed by the Vice-Chancellor, members of the ANU Council or Senior Leadership Group, or the Director of a School, Research School, or Portfolio Service Division.
8. To be considered eligible, an honorific naming proposal requires:

1. due diligence review of the proposed name by ANU Advancement; and
2. consultation with and endorsement by the Vice-Chancellor.

9. Proposals for honorific recognition require consent for use of the name from the honouree or their legal representative. All requests for consent must note that naming is subject to Council approval.
10. Proposals for honorific naming for both physical and non-physical assets require endorsement by the Honorary Committee and approval by ANU Council.
11. A donor eligible for recognition through philanthropic naming may choose to name the asset after an honouree. In this case, the Vice-Chancellor may determine that endorsement and approval of the name are subject to the same protocols as for honorific naming.
12. As of 2 August 2017, academic entities are ineligible for exclusively honorific naming, except by direction of ANU Council. This condition does not affect assets named honorifically prior to this date.

Naming of assets under the terms of a sponsorship

13. The responsibilities of ANU staff and students when entering into any sponsorship agreements are documented in the ANU sponsorship guidelines.
14. Sponsorships are eligible for fixed-term naming only.

Functional naming of assets

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

Implementation of an approved name

17. Following approval of a naming proposal, the Secretary of the ANU Foundation Board or Honorary Committee (as applicable) sends notification of implementation to the responsible parties. Implementation of naming is the responsibility of the recipient College or Portfolio Division, with oversight from the Chief Operating Officer for global 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 Portfolio Division. Announcement of naming for global assets is arranged in consultation with ANU Communications & Engagement, ANU Advancement 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 unit as follows:

1. Implementation costs for the naming of global assets are met from the University’s central budget, as approved by the Chief Operating Officer.
2. Implementation costs for the naming of local assets are met by the recipient College or Portfolio Division.
3. Where the naming recognises a corporate gift or a sponsorship, 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 philanthropic naming proposals is maintained by ANU Advancement. A record of the honorific naming of all physical assets is maintained by the Heritage Office within the Facilities and Services Division.

Term of naming

22. No commitment to a naming extends beyond:

1. the term defined in the approved naming proposal; or
2. the useful life of the asset.

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 ANU Foundation Board for Philanthropic naming and to the Honorary Committee for honorific naming.
26. Cases should be submitted via memo, outlining the rationale for disestablishment and the communication strategy to the affected parties (including the honouree’s legal representatives or next of kin, as appropriate).

Transfer of a name

27. A disestablished or expired name may be eligible for transfer to a new asset.
28. Proposals to transfer an approved name are submitted via memo to the ANU Foundation Board for Philanthropic naming and to the Honorary Committee for honorific naming. 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

29. 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, honouree or sponsor comes into disrepute; or
3. the donor is in breach of the terms of the Gift Deed, or other gift document approved by the Vice-President (Advancement); or
4. the sponsor is in breach of the terms of the sponsorship agreement.

30. Revocation of a name is the responsibility of ANU Council, following endorsement by the ANU Foundation Board for Philanthropic naming and to the Honorary Committee for honorific naming.
31. Should a name be revoked, the University informs the donor, honouree or representative, outlining the decision.

Disputes

32. The decision of the University in any naming-related matter is final.