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The University at Buffalo (UB, university) names university properties, facilities, and academic and non-academic programs to recognize individuals or organizations whose accomplishments or philanthropic support advance the mission of the university; raise non-philanthropic revenue to further the capacity of the university to meet its teaching, research, and public service objectives; and enhance the university in other important ways.

The university will enter into a commitment to name a physical space or academic entity or program only after carefully considering the potential impact the naming will have on the university and campus community. The university will also evaluate the distinction a proposed name would lend to the university.

Since naming opportunities can arise in many types of scenarios, this policy categorizes and details naming opportunities into three categories:

• Philanthropic naming
• Honorific or administrative naming
• Naming associated with sponsorship

The following principles guide the naming process:

• Because a naming forges a permanent link in the public mind between the university and the designated name, the university will exercise discretion and perform appropriate due diligence, based upon all the facts and circumstances associated with a proposed naming opportunity. The naming must be appropriate and desirable, whether the proposed name is the name of an individual donor, corporate name, term name, or other descriptive words.
• Unless a specific term is applied at the time of agreement, naming generally represents a perpetual arrangement that will withstand the test of time. Therefore, each proposal for naming will be considered on its merits and not solely because of a predetermined goal or stated minimum. Attention must be given to both the long and short-term appropriateness of the naming as well as a donor’s preferences for the recognition (if applicable).
• The naming of any physical facility, space, or academic program will be determined by weighing the needs of the university and the appropriate campus entity and must not unduly conflict with or diminish any existing naming.
• All naming will take into account the purpose to be served. For philanthropic naming, the intent is that adequate funds will be available to achieve the gifting objective.
• Before using any name, the university will obtain all approvals that are legally required, required by SUNY policies and procedures, and which are ethically appropriate related to the use of the name (e.g., before naming anything after a living or deceased person, the university must obtain that person’s or family’s consent, respectively).
• All proposed names will be held in strict confidence during the review and approval process. There will be no general communication, public discussion, or commitment made regarding the proposed naming before approvals are granted.
• While university policy generally does not allow buildings, campus grounds, or other physical facilities to be named for individuals currently employed (excluding emeritus) by the university or the State of New York, an exception may be made when a donor—other than the individual being honored—makes a gift in accordance with university guidelines. In such cases, naming in recognition of the individual’s contributions may be considered appropriate and consistent with the intent of this policy.
• The naming of university assets in recognition of a donor or honoree implies a promise to that donor or honoree that the specific space, site, facility, endowed fund, and other forms of tangible recognition will be maintained for the life of the facility, or for the duration of the stated term. If a change is unavoidable, then an alternative means of recognizing the donor or honoree will be sought. Approval of this alternative naming will follow the approval processes defined in this policy.

Each naming opportunity will be reviewed for compliance with university and State University of New York (SUNY) policy and applicable law, including laws related to prohibited gifts and ethical principles, especially where there is a direct or indirect business or other continuing relationship between the donor and the university or SUNY, its officers, or employees.

Due to the various types of philanthropic naming, review and approval procedures have been divided into three categories: properties and facilities, academic and non-academic programs, and endowment and annual funds.

The vice president for university advancement will coordinate the naming approval process. Each proposal for naming must be made in writing and reviewed and approved in accordance with this policy.

• The Building and Landscape Naming Committee, in coordination with University Advancement, Campus Planning, and various other UB partners, will determine minimum naming valuations for physical properties and facilities, ensuring that values are aligned with the physical plant needs of the University.
• If naming of a space within a facility appears unusually prominent, sensitive, or subject to heightened public interest, additional approval requirements may be imposed at the discretion of the Building and Landscape Naming Committee or the president.
• The Building and Landscape Naming Committee will vet all naming opportunities, including those that deviate from established naming minimums or that have not previously been considered by the Building and Landscape Naming Committee. Any such prominent landscape, highly visible interior space or building will also be reviewed by the Capital Planning Committee. Per , all philanthropic gifts and commitments over $1 million need pre-approval on the naming from SUNY prior to formal acceptance.
• Once a signed gift commitment is received by the university and before a final naming decision can be made, all formal naming requests must be presented for final approvals as noted below. Formal requests for naming will articulate the justification for the naming as well as any special circumstances.
  • All namings must be approved by the Building and Landscape Naming Committee in accordance with the Institutional Unit and Program Naming Standards.
  • Namings that involve gifts less than $100,000 require no further approval if the minimum thresholds outlined in the Guidelines for Naming Opportunities are met.
  • Namings that involve gifts of $100,000-$999,999 must be approved by the president and UB Council.
  • Namings that involve gifts of $1 million or more must be approved by the president, UB Council, SUNY Chancellor, and the SUNY Board of Trustees

• The vice president for university advancement will consult with the provost and president to determine that naming opportunities both adhere to the Guidelines for Naming Opportunities and are appropriate and align with the academic and administrative needs of the university.
• Prior to the formal acceptance of any gift or written philanthropic commitment of $1 million or more, pre-approval on naming from SUNY must be obtained.
• Once a signed gift commitment is received by the university and before a final naming decision can be made, all formal naming requests must be presented for final approvals as noted below. Formal requests for naming must articulate the justification for the naming as well as any special circumstances.
  • Namings that involve gifts less than $1 million require no further approval if the minimum thresholds outlined in the Guidelines for Naming Opportunities are met.
  • Namings that involve gifts of $1 million or more must be approved by the provost, president, UB Council, SUNY Chancellor, and SUNY Board of Trustees

• The vice president for university advancement will consult with the provost and president to determine that naming opportunities both adhere to the Guidelines for Naming Opportunities and are appropriate and align with the academic and administrative needs of the university.
• Prior to the formal acceptance of any gift and/or written philanthropic commitment of $1 million or more, pre-approval on naming from SUNY must be obtained.
• Once a signed gift commitment is received by the university and before a final naming decision can be made, all formal naming requests must be presented for final approvals as noted below. Formal requests for naming will articulate the justification for the naming as well as any special circumstances.
  • Namings that involve gifts less than $1 million require no further approval if the minimum thresholds outlined in the Guidelines for Naming Opportunities are met.
  • Namings that involve gifts of $1 million or more must be approved by the president, UB Council, SUNY Chancellor, and the SUNY Board of Trustees

Generally, any combination of gift, pledge, and irrevocable deferred gift arrangement may be acceptable for naming commitments. All naming commitments must be rendered in writing. All pledges other than deferred gifts (e.g., bequests) must be paid in full within seven years of the initial commitment.

For long deferred gifts (e.g., bequests, life income gifts) it is appropriate to consider potential increased costs that may develop during the deferral period; therefore, the required gift amount may be set higher because of the delay in acquiring access to the naming funds. Consult with University Advancement regarding appropriate gift minimums. Naming associated with long deferred gift commitments is effective at the time the funds are received.

For life income gifts, naming is granted based only upon the charitable value of the gift at the time the contribution is received.

Under certain circumstances, matching gifts from employers may be considered as part of a naming arrangement.

Numerous factors must be considered when developing plans for donor recognition, including the value of each particular gift or commitment, scope of giving levels within a particular project or program, location of signage, and design and aesthetics of the space. The Guidelines for Donor Recognition and Signage provide guidance for consistent and equitable donor recognition.

After consideration is made of the cost benefit of philanthropic naming, university properties, facilities, and academic and non-academic programs may be named:

• In honor of or to commemorate an individual or organization to recognize service, dedication, or meritorious contributions to the university.
  • Under certain circumstances, such as a death, a building or landscape may be named to honor an individual who has had extraordinary, university-wide influence, or has made exceptional contributions to the nation or world. In those instances, it is recommended that naming be held for a period no shorter than two years.
• Administratively, to describe the use or purpose of a facility, organization, or exterior space
  • Administrative names must be dignified, appropriate for permanent use, suitable for the facility or organization and, where possible, have some relevance to the facility or organization.

A university community member or unit may propose an honorific or administrative naming using the Naming Request Form; the proposed naming must be endorsed by the appropriate dean/vice president and approved by the appropriate body/individual (as noted below) prior to being presented to the president for final approval. If approved, all costs associated with the signage and naming will be covered by the nominator or nominating unit; all signage must conform with university standards.

• All namings must be reviewed by the vice president for university advancement to consider the cost-benefit of the honorific naming from a philanthropic opportunity perspective.
• All namings for properties and facilities must be reviewed by the Building and Landscape Naming Committee in accordance with the Institutional Unit and Program Naming Standards.
• All namings for academic and non-academic programs and endowments must be reviewed by the provost.
• An administrative name may be replaced by an honorific or philanthropic name in accordance with this policy.
• The president will make the final decision regarding honorific or administrative namings.

Under certain circumstances the university may initiate a renaming or honorific naming of a university asset to align with UB’s values, our culture of excellence and integrity, and as an expression of our identity as an inclusive, welcoming, and scholarly community. In these instances, the president may seek input from the campus community and assemble a committee to review the naming proposal (in addition to consulting with individuals/body noted above as appropriate for each naming opportunity) prior to making a final decision. Costs associated with any resulting naming/renaming would be covered by the university and not by the impacted school/unit.

A sponsorship proposal for naming a university property, facility, or program will be considered on its own merit. The university will conduct due diligence to avoid any appearance of undue commercial influence or conflict of interest. The sponsorship must:

• Be consistent with the mission and reputation the university
• Enhance academic excellence, promote experiential learning, support student achievement or contribute significantly to the mission of the university
• Provide benefits to the university appropriate to the scope and function of the facility or program

While it is often the case that sponsorship-associated naming opportunities have established contractual term limitations, sponsorship naming opportunities still require the following approvals: 

• Schools and units would confer with University Advancement’s Corporate and Foundation Relations Department for initial review or opportunity and adherence to advertising and sponsorships policies.
• All namings for properties and facilities must be reviewed by the Building and Landscape Naming Committee in accordance with the Institutional Unit and Program Naming Standards.
• All namings for physical assets which are financed under existing non-taxable bonds must be reviewed by the Office of General Counsel to ensure that that there is no impermissible private business use.
• All namings for academic and non-academic programs and endowments must be reviewed by the provost.
• All recommendations must be reviewed by the vice president for university advancement and approved by the president.
• In the event of a contractual renewal, the same approval flow shall take place prior to signature of new contracts. 

All naming agreements will allow for modification of the naming if a future action or event will cause irreparable injury or damage to the university’s image, reputation, or ability to pursue its mission or if the donor does not fulfill their gift commitment at the completion of the agreed-upon payment period. The following process would occur for scenarios involving unnaming:

• Unnaming discussions should be referred to the vice president for university advancement as soon as the potential need for a change is identified.
• Those positions or bodies who approved the initial naming must first recommend and approve any unnaming decision (i.e., Building and Landscape Naming Committee, provost, SUNY)
• All recommendations must be reviewed by the vice president for university advancement and approved by the president.

When a name is removed, the opportunity to rename in honor or in recognition of a donor commitment will be held for a minimum of two years. In the interim, an administrative name may be established in accordance with this policy.

Since its founding, the university has named academic and non-academic programs, properties, and facilities in honor of persons or entities that have made important contributions to enable the teaching, research, and service missions of the university. This policy and its accompanying guidance (Guidelines for Naming Opportunities, Institutional Unit and Program Naming Standards, Guidelines for Donor Recognition and Signage, and Calculating Space Values), direct how all naming proposals must be reviewed and approved while keeping the university mission, policies, and financial needs paramount.

This policy applies to all naming of university properties, facilities, and academic and non-academic programs including:

• Philanthropic namings associated with gifts
• Honorary or administrative namings
• Naming associated with sponsorships
• Unnamings and revocation of namings

Administrative Name

Naming that describes the use or purpose of an organization, facility, or exterior space (e.g., Botany Greenhouse, Department of English) or indicates a location (e.g., North Campus).

Bequest

A type of planned gift. The property or money that you promise in your will to give to another person or organization after you die.

Donor

Individual, foundation, corporation, or other entity that makes a charitable contribution to the university.

Endowed Fund

A philanthropy vehicle where a donor stipulates that the gift principal remains intact and invested for the purposes of producing a stream of income.

Gift

A charitable contribution made to the university without the expectation of receiving goods or services (quid pro quo) in return.

Honorific Name

Naming for unparalleled scholarly distinction or other exceptional non-monetary contributions to the university. Generally done only if the name being recognized will bring great honor to the university.

Irrevocable Deferred Gift

A type of planned gift where the donor gives up the right to change the commitment or beneficiary. A gift that an individual creates during their lifetime that will take affect at or after their passing.

Life Income Gift

A gift arrangement in which the donor makes an irrevocable transfer of property to a nonprofit or charity, and at the same time retains an income interest to their benefit.

Naming

Formal assignment of a specific name to a university property, facility, academic or non-academic program.

Philanthropic Naming

Formal assignment of a specific name to recognize a philanthropic gift from an individual, foundation, corporation, or other entity.

Planned Gift, or Deferred Gift

Any charitable gift that requires more thought and planning to execute than the average donation and is traditionally created during a donor’s lifetime to take affect at or after their passing.

Pledge or Commitment

A contract between a donor and a charity in which the donor promises to make a contribution in the future.

Sponsor

Party to a sponsorship agreement.

Sponsorship

Agreement with a trade or business involving the provision of funds or other support to the university with the expectation of returned economic benefit to the trade or business. Typically experienced with contractual term limits. 

• Determine that naming minimums for buildings, landscapes, and grounds are appropriate and align with the physical plant needs of the university.
• Review and approve functional names for buildings if a donor, honorific, administrative, or sponsorship naming has not been assigned.
• Review and approve proposed donor, honorific, administrative, or sponsorship namings to comply with the Institutional Unit and Program Naming Standards.
• Review and approve all unnaming scenarios that include physical namings.

• Adhere to university naming and unnaming processes and donor recognition guidelines.

• Receive and administer gifts and pledges made to the university.

• Review and approve namings that involve gifts of $1 million or more.
• Review and approve honorific, administrative, or sponsorship namings.
• Review and approve all unnaming scenarios.
• Review and approve exceptions to this policy. 

• Review and approve naming minimums for academic and non-academic programs as well as endowment and term funds.
• Review honorific and sponsorship naming requests for academic and non-academic programs as well as endowment funds.
• Review and approve all unnaming scenarios that include academic and non-academic programs. 

• Maintain a central repository of all named buildings, spaces, and physical assets. 

• Coordinate the university’s naming and unnaming approval processes.
• Apply consistent and equitable donor recognition across the university.
• Review all naming opportunities to comply with applicable law, SUNY policy, and university policy.
• Perform due diligence for all philanthropic, honorific, and sponsorship names so that the naming is appropriate and desirable.
• Secure pre-approval on naming from SUNY in accordance with then current SUNY policy.
• Evaluate gift minimums for long deferred gifts.
• Deposit all charitable contributions into an appropriate UB Foundation account.
• Maintain a master list of naming opportunities for academic and non-academic programs as well as endowed and term funds.
• Consider exceptions to this policy.
• Review this policy annually and update, as necessary. 

• Review and approve sponsorship naming requests for all physical assets which are financed under existing non-taxable bonds to ensure there is no impermissible private business use.