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UW Policy Directory

Naming Policy

Table of Contents

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1.  Introduction

The University of Washington honors individuals, families, and organizations and acknowledges significant contributions by naming buildings, spaces, programs, positions, and funds in recognition of those contributions to the people of Washington. The Board of Regents considers naming actions to be an aspect of the University’s educational mission, a means of enriching awareness of the institution’s evolving history by physically commemorating past and present contributors.

2.  Principles

In considering proposals to name a building, space, or position, the Board of Regents and the administration shall exercise judgment with regard to the individual or entity the proposal is intended to honor. The Board and the administration shall be guided by the following principles, which the Board reserves the right to apply, interpret, or suspend as it deems appropriate:

  1. Naming actions shall be conducive to an inclusive history of the University through recognition of the significant contributions, whether academic, philanthropic, or professional, of diverse people and organizations to the University and its mission. There shall therefore be two paths to naming actions, an honorific track and a donor-recognition track, as described below. The honorific track recognizes significant academic, professional, and service achievements of members of the University community and those who inspire it. The donor-recognition track recognizes significant philanthropic contributions to buildings, spaces, programs, positions, and funds as defined below.
  2. Naming actions shall not detract from the institution’s mission, integrity, or reputation, nor shall any such actions create a conflict of interest, the appearance of a conflict of interest, or confer special privileges. So as to avoid the appearance of conflict, the Board discourages naming actions concerning honorands actively engaged with the University, with the exception of naming for donor recognition. In the case of both honorific and donor-recognition naming, the integrity, behavior, history, and reputation of the honor should be consistent with the academic mission and academic values of the University.
  3. The Board of Regents reserves the authority to approve the naming of buildings, significant exterior spaces, colleges and schools or divisions thereof, and programs, departments, or research units. The Board of Regents delegates to the President the authority to approve the naming of interior spaces and funds, including those that name faculty and staff positions. Naming gift levels shall be brought to the attention of the Board or President for preliminary approval, as appropriate, prior to initiating discussions with potential donors or honorands.
  4. Naming actions, outside of those conferred and supported via a permanent endowment, shall have an initial duration of seventy-five years, or the life of the building or space, whichever is shorter. Names shall stand until changed by action of the Board or administration. Gift and naming agreements shall specify the term of years.
  5. The University reserves the right to revoke and terminate any naming on reasonable grounds not limited to the revelation of corporate or individual acts detracting from the University’s mission, integrity, or reputation.
  6. Corporate, foundation, and other organizational contributions are welcomed provided due diligence has been taken to avoid any appearance of commercial influence or conflict of interest and the naming accords with the institution’s mission, integrity, reputation, and academic character. The Board will consider the naming of internal spaces for organizations with a prominent relationship to the University or region, subject to a duration of ten years with exceptions for Intercollegiate Athletics and UW Medicine outlined below. In no cases are corporate wordmarks or logos to be permanently displayed on building exteriors or outdoor spaces on University property, except in limited circumstances where it is specifically provided for in a University sponsorship agreement or as provided below for Intercollegiate Athletics and UW Medicine.

3.  Donor-Recognition Naming

Donor-recognition naming commemorates the University’s deep and public gratitude for significant contributions. The generosity of past, present, and future donors is indispensable to the continued flourishing of the University and the fulfillment of its teaching, research, and clinical missions.

The Board of Regents shall consider naming actions that recognize donors on the recommendation of the President. The Tacoma and Bothell campuses shall submit naming proposals to the President on the recommendation of their respective chancellors. UW Medicine shall submit naming proposals to the President on the recommendation of the CEO, UW Medicine. All proposals for naming in recognition of a donor shall be made by the appropriate unit lead, through the appropriate chain of authority, including the University Advancement Office.

Proposals for naming in recognition of a gift should obtain appropriate approvals before negotiating with a prospective donor for a naming gift and before offering possible recognition of an individual, family, corporation, or organization.

Naming actions of this type may recognize the donor or the donor’s family, and the Board also shall consider naming actions whereby the donor proposes the name of a third party, subject to the pertinent restrictions for each category provided elsewhere in this policy.

Discussions with donors shall further be conducted with the mutual understanding that naming is conditional on the Board’s or the President’s approval of the name that will be applied.

4.  Honorific Naming

Honorific naming is intended to commemorate significant academic and professional contributions to the University’s mission and to encourage its landscape, programs, and positions to call to mind an inclusive, nuanced, and balanced institutional history. Except in extraordinary circumstances, as determined by the Board in consultation with the President, any proposals for honorific naming must:

  • Document the significant academic and professional contributions of the individual or organization to the University’s mission;
  • Contribute to an inclusive, nuanced, and balanced reflection of institutional history;
  • Include where appropriate documented approval of the honorand, or as appropriate, of living family member(s);
  • Include broad and documented consensus of a defined stakeholder group appropriate to the level of naming as determined in advance by the President or the President’s designee; and
  • Include a documented assessment from University Advancement pertaining to the current and future potential of donor recognition naming for building, space, or program.

The Board of Regents shall consider honorific naming on the recommendation of the President. The Tacoma and Bothell campuses shall submit naming proposals to the President on the recommendation of their respective chancellors. UW Medicine shall submit naming proposals to the President on the recommendation of the CEO, UW Medicine. All proposals for honorific naming shall be made by the appropriate unit lead, through the appropriate chain of authority.

Proposals for honorific naming shall be immediately brought to the attention of the Board Office and the President’s Office, for procedural guidance and on the understanding that naming is conditional on the Board’s or the Presiden’s approval.

5.  Naming Opportunities

A. Naming Buildings and Spaces

Buildings or spaces may be named on behalf of a person, or a family, associated with the University who has rendered distinguished service to the University, those who inspire it, or for a donor whose gifts represent a substantial contribution to the project cost. In the case of gift-related naming, for buildings and external spaces, the level of a substantial contribution will be established on a preliminary basis for each proposed building or space through the collaboration of the University Advancement Office and UW Facilities prior to inclusion of the project on the five-year capital plan. Once that level is established, and prior to solicitation, the Chair of the Board, Vice Chair of the Board, and University President must grant permission to solicit a gift at a level meriting a naming opportunity. For buildings and external spaces, the Board will approve the level of a substantial gift when it approves the project budget. For internal spaces, the President will establish the level of a substantial gift on the advice of the University Advancement Office prior to solicitation.

B. Naming Programs

Programs, including colleges or schools and divisions thereof may be named for a person or a family associated with the University. Programs would ordinarily be named for substantial gifts at a leadership level appropriate to the unit’s size and stature and in the form of an unrestricted endowment generating a distribution that provides significant support to the program’s annual operating budget.

C. Naming Vessels, Vehicles, and Equipment

The Board delegates the President to approve all other naming, including those of vessels, vehicles, or other equipment.

D. Named Endowments

Namings are often associated with an endowed fund, which creates a permanent legacy of support for a specific program or purpose. Endowed positions and funds may be named for a person, family, or organization associated with the University in accordance with endowment naming levels established by the President or Regents. Endowment levels shall be established at levels that ensure an appropriate level of support to the holder or beneficiaries and to the schools, colleges, or programs the endowment benefits.

The endowment agreement between the University and the donor outlines the use and administration of that particular gift. Endowment gifts shall be invested in the Consolidated Endowment Fund (CEF) administered by the University. The investment, management, and expenditure of funds shall be in accordance with University policies and procedures.

1. Endowment Types

a. Schools, Colleges, and Programs

Endowing a school, college, or program offers donors a powerful opportunity to substantially advance a particular unit of the University. Because naming represents an important event in the history of the institution, it requires an extraordinary gift. The endowment should generate a distribution that provides significant support to the annual operating budget of the entity named.

b. Faculty and Staff Positions

The University welcomes support for the creation of endowed chairs, professorships, and deanships which provide significant benefits in recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty members and leaders. These endowed gifts greatly enrich support for the teaching and research activities of distinguished faculty and bring public recognition of their status. Endowment agreements provide the vehicle for identifying the criteria by which endowed faculty position holders are selected. Selection criteria should be appropriate to the discipline in question. Donors do not directly participate in the selection process but will be notified of the selection.

Both chairs and professorships may be used to supplement the base salaries of faculty members. They also may provide professional support for the activities of faculty members appointed to the endowed position, including but not restricted to research assistance, travel, and staff support. Chairs and professorships shall also provide support to the school where the holder resides in order to support the overall excellence of that faculty member’s department and/or school.

Deanships and chancellorships may be used to recruit and retain exemplary school, college, and campus leadership with a portion of funding available to supplement the base salary. Funding primarily will provide the holder with significant discretionary support to meet the greatest needs and priorities of the school, college, or campus.

Faculty fellowships, often intended to recognize early career faculty members, may provide supplementary funds to outstanding members of the faculty to assist them in continuing and furthering their contributions in teaching, research, and public service. The monies provided may be used for such support purposes as salary supplementation, graduate assistant stipends, research assistance, travel expenses, and other purposes approved by the dean or chancellor.

In addition, the University offers an opportunity to support faculty members via nonendowed vehicles for a minimum term of five years. The University also welcomes the creation of endowed positions for staff, including but not limited to coaches, librarians, curators, and museum directors. Endowment agreements provide the vehicle for identifying the criteria by which endowed position holders are selected. Donors do not directly participate in the selection process but will be notified of the selection.

These endowed positions may be used to supplement base salaries, as well as provide professional support for research, travel, and staff support and broader support to the program in which the holder sits.

c. Student Scholarships and Fellowships

Endowed scholarships and fellowships offer donors the opportunity to make possible a university education for deserving students. Endowment agreements provide the vehicle for identifying the broad criteria by which students are selected. Selection criteria should reflect information about students that is readily available from University records. Donors do not directly participate in the selection process but will be notified of the selection.

d. Other Endowed Funds

Endowed funds offer donors the opportunity to give the University and departments maximum flexibility in enhancing their respective programs and research. Purposes for these funds may include: unrestricted or broadly defined support, library collections, student travel, publications series, etc. Endowed funds are available for use by the designated unit. The appropriate administrative or academic leader shall be responsible for administering expenditures from the fund, consistent with the stated uses as defined in the endowment agreement.

6.  Intercollegiate Athletics

The Board of Regents acknowledges the special situation of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics (ICA) by permitting corporate naming of buildings and interior spaces as deemed appropriate, in accordance with the principles and procedures described in this policy for terms not to exceed ten years.

The Board recognizes that corporate logos and wordmarks may be used sparingly within the spaces of ICA and with reference to sponsored ICA programs and positions, to reflect naming actions approved in accordance with this policy and Executive Order No. 15, University of Washington Sponsorship Policy.

7.  UW Medicine

The Board of Regents acknowledges the special situation of the UW Medicine enterprise by permitting corporate naming of buildings, exterior and interior spaces, and programs in accordance with the principles and procedures described in this policy, for terms not to exceed ten years.

The Board recognizes that corporate logos and wordmarks may sparingly be used within the spaces of UW Medicine and with reference to UW Medicine programs, to reflect naming actions approved in accordance with this policy and Executive Order No. 15, University of Washington Sponsorship Policy.

8.  Renaming

In the case of changed circumstances or following the expiration of the term of the naming established in the Board’s or the President’s approval and the corresponding gift agreement, the University may consider the renaming of buildings, spaces, and programs or the removal of existing names.

Because naming defines the history of the University by crystallizing it in buildings, spaces, and programs, each renaming changes the University’s landscape to reflect the progress of scholarship and changing social norms. As such, the Board believes that such actions should balance the preservation of a deep institutional history and the recognition of new or underappreciated contributions. Except in extraordinary circumstances determined by the Board in consultation with the President, any proposal for the removal or change of a name must include all elements required for honorific naming with the following additions:

  • An outline of the history of the original naming;
  • A recommendation of appropriate memorialization of the original name or why this is unnecessary; and
  • Endorsement of University bodies such as the Faculty Senate or student associations.

Possible proposals for renaming or the removal of the name of a building, space, program, or position shall be brought immediately to the attention of the Board Office and the President’s Office for procedural guidance and upon the understanding that renaming is conditional upon the Board’s or the President’s approval.

AI, March 1981; September 14, 2000; BR, July 17, 2003; AI, April 26, 2006; BR, September 18, 2008; April 14, 2011; February 9, 2012; [formerly numbered Regent Policy No. 6] July 11, 2019; March 10, 2022.

For related information, see:

  • Board of Regents Governance, Standing Orders, Chapter 1, Sections 8 and 9, “Gift Evaluation and Acceptance” and “Disposition of Gifts”
  • Board of Regents Governance, Standing Orders, Chapter 3, “Gifts to the University”
  • Board of Regents Governance, Standing Orders, Chapter 4, “Advisory Committees and Boards of the Board of Regents”
  • Executive Order No. 37, “University of Washington Public Art Commission”
  • Executive Order No. 41, “Gifts to the University”
  • Administrative Order No. 5, “Delegated Authority for Gifts to the University”
  • Employment and Administrative Policies, Chapter 205, “Campus Art Policies”