Policy on Naming Rights

As approved at Council meeting 91/3, 18 April 1991, UTS Policy on Naming Rights governs the procedures applicable in the naming of architectural structures, outdoor facilities, collections, academic programs and Chairs, and the installation of commemorative plaques on University premises.

The purpose of naming structures and facilities is:

1. to honour an individual or an organisation for distinguished service or outstanding contributions to the University, or
2. to publicly acknowledge the financial support given to the University by a sponsor.

Naming may be for a fixed period or indefinitely.

Structures and facilities available for naming:

• "Honour" names
• Sponsorship
• General.

1. Structures and facilities available for naming

1. Buildings and parts of buildings
   Entire buildings may be named. Parts of buildings that may be named are wings, floors, halls, galleries and rooms (including lecture rooms, tutorial rooms and laboratories). This would include the installation of commemorative plaques.
2. Outdoor facilities
   Gardens or park areas, walkways, ovals or playing fields may be named.
3. Collections
   Collections, including libraries or parts of libraries, may be named.
4. Academic programs
   Lecture series and individual lectures (whether within an award course or otherwise) may be named.
5. Chairs

2. "Honour" names

The structures and facilities described above may be named after individuals with a record of distinguished service to the University in accordance with the following guidelines

1. All proposals for "honour" names should be submitted, in the first instance, to the Vice-Chancellor, who will refer the proposal to an appropriate committee, usually the Honorary Awards Committee, the Academic Board and/or the Finance and Capital Works Committee. The Committee will examine the proposals and recommend to Council those it deems to have merit.
2. In order to avoid a proliferation of buildings with names that have little meaning for students, the University should be very selective in recommending the bestowal of "honour" names, and should only consider honouring persons who have rendered such distinguished service to the University that it would cause their names to be recognised by a later generation.
3. If a proposal involves the naming of a structure or facility after a University staff member, it should not be considered until after that person's relationship with the University has ended.
4. Under no circumstances should a structure or facility be named after a person who has had no connection with the University, regardless of how distinguished that person might be.
5. It may be appropriate in exceptional circumstances to name a Chair after a former professor of the University.
6. A plaque may be placed on a building or room to honour a former staff member. The design, wording and proposed location of a plaque require the approval of Council.

3. Sponsorship

The structures and facilities described in 1 above, may be named according to the wishes of individuals, groups of individuals (eg Convocation), or corporations donating funds o the University, ie, its sponsors.

1. All negotiations for naming rights associated with sponsorship will be conducted, in the first instance, by the Vice-Chancellor or nominee, with Council making the final decisions.
2. The search for sponsors should be a centralised function under the direction of the Vice-Chancellor so as to avoid a fragmented and ad hoc approach.
3. The Director, Property Development should maintain a list of structures and facilities that are available for naming.
4. In addition to the tax incentive associated with the donation of unconditional gifts to the University, the prospective donor would have the incentive of being allowed to name a structure or facility from among those on the list maintained by the Director, Property Development.
5. The size of the donation would determine the nature of the structure or facility available for naming by a particular sponsor. If, for instance, a significant part of the capital cost of a building is met by a sponsor, the right to name the building may be granted to that sponsor.
6. A Chair may be named by a sponsor who has contributed all or a substantial proportion of the costs relating to its establishment, and has maintained it or substantially maintained it for at least five years.
7. Those charged with the responsibility of seeking sponsors and negotiating naming rights should bear in mind that the dignity of the University should not be sacrificed for financial considerations.
8. A plaque may be placed on a building or room to acknowledge the donation of funds by a sponsor. The design, wording and proposed location of the plaque require the approval of Council.

4. General

1. Unless Council determines otherwise, a person's or sponsor's name may be used only once in naming a University facility.
2. Council shall reserve the right to cancel a id.
3. The name used should normally be the surname, or in the case of a corporate sponsor, the shortest possible name of the sponsor (eg. the Merrill Lynch Chair and not the Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith Chair).
4. The naming of structures and facilities should be consistent with the University's "House Style".