Directives

PURPOSE

To establish a formal approach for naming College features

SCOPE

All features owned or leased and operated by the College

DEFINITIONS 

POLICY

1. The mandate of the Algonquin College Foundation is to build and nurture relationships in the community to inspire philanthropic donations and partnership contributions. Significant donations to the College offer an opportunity to name a College feature in recognition of the donation.
2. The College wants to recognize outstanding persons by naming a college feature in their honour, but such recognition needs to be balanced with the College’s need to attract external funding.
3. GUIDING PRINCIPLES
   3.1     The naming of College features  shall be based on the following principles:
   a.  Enhance and maintain the College’s image and reputation in the community;
   b.  Strengthen internal and external relationships and partnerships;
   c.  Provide consistent, equitable and appropriate naming opportunities to College supporters;
   d.  Support the fundraising activities of the Algonquin Foundation;
   e.  Align the naming commitments of College features with the flexibility required for space resource allocation; and
    f.  Support the College way finding approach.
4. TYPES OF NAMING

   4.1  Functional Identification Naming
   A college feature is named primarily as a means to help the College Community understand its functions and find its location.  For this reason, the identification of the college feature shall be evident in its name.   For example: The Rosser Boardroom, or College Avenue.

   4.2  Meritorious Recognition Naming
   Meritorious Recognition Naming is the naming of a college feature to acknowledge the leadership of a member of the College community or of the community at large who has made an outstanding contribution to the College or to society.  The honouree may be selected posthumously.

   Meritorious recognition will typically be focused on naming intangible assets such as awards, scholarships, and bursaries.  Naming college features for meritorious contributions will require proper assessment of the value to the College and will need to be balanced against the opportunities to raise funds and build relationships.

   4.3  Philanthropic Recognition Naming
   Recognition Naming recognizes the significant financial contribution made by donors.  These contributions can include:
   -  Gifts of cash, stock, transferred insurance policies, signed bequests designating Algonquin College Foundation as recipient;
   -  Gifts-in-kind contributions; and
   -  Endowments.

   4.4.  Dedication Recognition Opportunities
   Dedication Recognition Opportunities exist to recognize smaller gifts in combination with exceptional volunteer activity.

   4.5.   Sponsorship Naming
   Sponsorship Naming offers contributors an opportunity to have their names and /or logos displayed on College features in exchange for funds or gifts-in-kind contributions. The Algonquin College Foundation will establish guidelines for sponsorship recognition.  The Canada Revenue Agency regulations on donations will apply.

5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

   5.1  Decision Making Bodies
   5.1.1  Board of Governors
   As the ultimate governing body for the College, the Board of Governors is accountable to:
   a.  Approve the naming of campuses;
   b.  Provide direction, when requested, on naming issues of a unique or complex nature or that may affect the integrity of the College;
   c.  Bring forward suggestions for meritorious recognition naming opportunities for evaluatio

   
   

   5.1.2  President’s Executive Committee
   As the highest administrative decision making body for the College, the President’s Executive Committee (PEC) is accountable to:
   a.  Review and, where appropriate, approve the naming of all College features;
   b.  Review and approve recognition naming strategies related to fundraising initiatives;
   c.  Review and approve the design guidelines for signage related to naming.

   5.1.3  The Board of Governors and the President’s Executive Committee retain their discretion to make exceptions to this policy, as appropriate to the circumstances.

   5.2  Operational Bodies
   
   5.2.1  Physical Resources Department

   The Director, Physical Resources, is accountable to:
   a.   Evaluate functional identification naming; assess naming request recommendations against guiding principles, consult with affected bodies, and recommend potential names to PEC, as appropriate;
   b.  Maintain a master inventory of College features with naming recognition opportunities;
   c.  Oversee the development and implementation of design guidelines for signage related to named College features in keeping with College graphic design standards;
   d.  Oversee the implementation and maintenance of signage for named College features, which include developing cost estimates for budget planning and identify the funding source for naming recognition implementation.

   5.2.2  Advancement
   The Executive Director, Advancement, is accountable to:
   a.  Evaluate meritorious recognition naming, assess naming request recommendations against guiding principles, consult with affected bodies, and recommend potential names to PEC, as appropriate;
   b.  Oversee the College graphic design standards.

   
   

   5.2.3  Algonquin College Foundation
   The Executive Director, Algonquin College Foundation, is accountable to:
   a.  Evaluate philanthropic recognition naming, dedication recognition naming and sponsorship naming, assess naming request recommendations against guiding principles, consult with affected bodies, and recommend potential names to PEC, as appropriate;
   b.  Develop naming strategies for fundraising initiatives, including capital campaigns and/or sponsorships, consult with affected bodies, and present recognition naming strategies to PEC for approval, as appropriate.

6. ADMINISTRATION OF RECOGNITION NAMING

   6.1  Length of Term for Naming Commitment

   6.1.1  Grandfathering
   Existing College features that have been named prior to the approval of this policy shall be reviewed and assessed on an individual basis.

   6.1.2  Philanthropic and Meritorious Recognition
   The length of the naming shall be for the length of the physical existence of the particular facility or feature identified in the agreement between the College and the party concerned. When the campus feature is relocated and the new space will serve the same original purpose, the name may also be relocated at the College’s discretion.  An agreement or memorandum of understanding shall only apply as long as the named College feature remains in the ownership or under the control of Algonquin College.

   6.1.3  Sponsorship Recognition
   The length of term for sponsorship naming commitments shall be fully articulated in the agreement or memorandum of understanding between the College and the parties concerned, and shall begin once the signage is in place and not from the time that the naming is approved.

   6.2  Terms for Cancellation of Naming or  Change Related to Place of Naming
   Conditions which may result in the cancellation of the naming commitment or associated with possible future changes to the College features are outlined below:

   6.2.1  Revocation of Naming Commitment
   The Board of Governors or PEC has the right to terminate the naming of a College feature for the following reasons:
   a.  If a naming commitment is connected to a donor or contributor whose activities reflect negatively on Algonquin College’s public image or are in material conflict with Algonquin College’s mission and/or policies.
   b.  When a donor or contributor fails to fulfil his/her pledge commitment as specified in the written agreement or memorandum of understanding and when an alternative pledge period has not been agreed upon.
   c.  In the event an Act of God (i.e. flood, fire, earthquake) or other event destroys the physical feature or renders it unusable.
   d.  Where the College no longer has ownership or control of the features   (for example, part of the campus is sold to a third party).
   e.  The feature is decommissioned due to age or obsolescence.

   6.2.2  Donor Initiated Changes
   The College respects the right of a donor or contributor to request that the College removes a name and in such cases, the request will be reviewed with the President’s Executive Committee.  If the request to cease the naming is in relation to the naming of a building, then the request will be brought forward to the Board of Governors.

   The donor or contributor will assume 100% of the cost of any change he/she requests to the signage.  Algonquin College and its Foundation reserve the right to review, revise, or decline the proposed change.

   6.2.3  Demolition or Change of Use of Naming Place
   If a College feature is relocated within the same building or to a different building, provided that the new facility or room will serve the same original purpose, no approval is required under this policy to re-locate the name. In such circumstances, the name may be relocated at the College’s discretion.

   If a structure is demolished, or when its occupancy or usage changes, then the naming commitment related to this structure shall also cease. Where possible, Advancement or the Algonquin College Foundation will inform the appropriate contact person of the usage change or the decision to demolish the facility.

   6.3  Agreements

   6.3.1  Where a written agreement is signed between the donor or contributor and the College, the terms of revocation, the length of time of naming, and the location of the feature named and its description will be included.

   6.3.2  In the absence of a written agreement, a copy of this policy will be given to the donor, contributor, or the parties concerned.

   6.4  Design Guidelines and Funding of Naming Signage

   6.4.1    Design Guidelines for Naming Signage
   The design of the naming and recognition signage shall be consistent and shall reflect the branding and aesthetic of the College. To maintain this consistency:
   a.  Physical Resources oversees the development and implementation of design guidelines for signage in keeping with the College graphic design standards;
   b.  Advancement oversees the College graphic design standards;
   c.  Advancement and/or the Algonquin Foundation determine the appropriate wording for recognition naming signage.

   6.4.2  Funding for Naming Signage
   The following principles shall be used to identify funding sources for the design and implementation of various naming signage requirements:
   a.  For new major capital projects, funding shall be included in the project’s capital budget including allowances for recognition signage and display wall.
   b.  For renovation and adaptation projects, funding shall be included in the project’s capital budget including allowances for recognition signage.
   c.  For campus enhancement initiatives, requests for funding shall be prioritized during the budget process. Campus enhancement initiatives include  improvements to the existing campus fabric such as: way finding signage, College donor recognition solutions, and street signage.
   d.  For unanticipated recognition, PEC shall approve the necessary funding  during final approval of the naming request.

   
   

PROCEDURE 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
None

RELATED POLICIES
None

RELATED MATERIALS

Procedures for Meritorious Naming Recognition, Advancement Division
Procedures for Donor Recognition, Algonquin College Foundation
Canada Revenue Agency Guidelines on Donation