Philanthropic & Honorific Naming Procedures
– May 28, 2024
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PHILANTHROPIC
AND
HONORIFIC
NAMING
PROCEDURES
Policy Type:
Management
Initially
Approved:
April 2001
Policy Sponsor:
Vice-President,
University
Advancement
Last
Revised:
May 28, 2024
Primary Contact:
Vice-President,
University
Advancement
Review
Scheduled:
May 28, 2029
Approver:
Executive Leadership Committee
A. PROCEDURES
1.
TIMING
Proposals, recommendations and decisions regarding honorific naming shall be undertaken as
required.
2.
NAMING OF TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE ASSETS
An inventory of Tangible and Intangible Assets available for Philanthropic or Honorific Naming is
maintained by the Office of the Vice-President, University Advancement, and includes:
2.1.
Academic Entities and Resources
a.
Faculties, schools, offices, departments, and institutes;
b.
Endowed chair and executive-in-residence positions/endowments;
c.
Lecture series, conferences, special events, workshops;
d.
Student awards, scholarships, bursaries, prizes, trophies, athletic awards;
e.
Academic resources, such as Library collections;
f.
Academic awards
g.
Non-academic awards (e.g., Aboriginal Elders Program);
h.
Additional academic entities and resources may be developed over time.
2.2 Facilities
a. Physical structures and all portions thereof (e.g., buildings, wings, classrooms, labs,
theatres, meeting rooms, board rooms, studios, clinics, gymnasia, courts, study
areas, performance spaces, etc.), including teaching, recreational, service,
administrative and other facilities;
b. Residences;
c. Grounds, roadways, green spaced, playing fields, courtyards and other external
facilities;
d. Works of art, musical instruments and artifacts/archival material;
e. Additional facilities and resources that may be developed over time.
The preceding lists are intended to be illustrative, rather than prescriptive or definitive.
Philanthropic & Honorific Naming Procedures
– May 28, 2024
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3.
PROCESS: PHILANTHROPIC NAMING
The following details the process to be undertaken for philanthropic naming. Naming in recognition of
sponsorship is undertaken in accordance with the Partnerships and Sponsorships Policy.
STEP
ACTION
Proposal
● The Mount Royal Foundation shall develop and submit a proposal
for a new naming of the Tangible Asset or Intangible Asset.
● In developing its proposal, The Foundation shall consult:
o the benefactor
– to ensure appropriateness of recognition
and support for the proposed naming;
o the organizational unit in which the academic entity and/or
facility is located
– to ensure suitability within the unit’s
role and plans;
o the Executive Leadership Team
– to ensure the naming is
consistent with institutional strategies, vision, mission and
values.
Decision
Authority
● Approval authority for Philanthropic Naming of Tangible and
Intangible Assets for donations or gifts in kind are:
Approver
Value
VP University Advancement
Up to $250,000
President
$250,001 to $1 million
Board of Governors
Greater than $1 million
Implementation
● As per the Fundraising and Gift Acceptance Policy,
implementation of naming (e.g. signage, special event, public
announcement, etc.) shall be the responsibility of the Vice-
President, University Advancement with the support of the Mount
Royal Foundation, and the Department of Facilities Management,
and in collaboration with the appropriate organizational unit.
● Implementation shall not be undertaken prior to final approval
from the appropriate decision-making authority as outlined above.
4.
PROCESS: HONORIFIC NAMING
The following details the process to be undertaken for honorific naming.
STEP
ACTION
Proposal
● Proposals may be presented for new Honorific Namings of
Tangible Assets and Intangible Assets.
● Proposal development shall:
Philanthropic & Honorific Naming Procedures
– May 28, 2024
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o solicit input from the Mount Royal University community;
o consult the individual and/or organization after which the
entity or facility shall be named, to ensure support for the
proposed naming (in the case of individuals who are not
living, the Office of the Vice President, University
Advancement shall endeavor to consult surviving
immediate family);
o consult the organizational unity in which the academic
entity and/or facility is located
– to ensure suitability within
the unit’s role and plans;
o review the proposal with the Executive Leadership Team
to ensure the naming is consistent with institutional
strategies, vision, mission and values.
● The proposal shall include:
o rationale/reason for naming;
o supplemental information on the individual/organization
being recognized;
o full budget scenario, including anticipated revenue (if
applicable) and expense;
o impact assessment;
o letter of support from the relevant organizational unit(s);
o additional letters of support, as available;
o timeline for implementation.
Decision
● For Honorific Naming, the comparable Philanthropic Naming
value of the Tangible or Intangible Asset to be named shall
determine the appropriate approval authority for the naming.
Approver
Value
VP University Advancement
Up to $250,000
President
$250,001 to $1 million
Board of Governors
Greater than $1 million
Implementation
● As per the University Fundraising and Gift Acceptance Policy,
implementation of naming (e.g., signage, special event, public
announcement, etc.) shall be the responsibility of The Mount
Royal Foundation, the Office of the Vice-President, University
Advancement, the Department of Facilities Management and, as
appropriate, in collaboration with the organizational unit.
Implementation shall not be undertaken until final approval from
the Board of Governors.
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5.
PROCESS: CHANGES TO NAMING
Upon material change to the form and/or function of the academic entity or facility, the Office of
the Vice-President, University Advancement will review naming with intent to:
● maintain naming if it remains consistent with the revised academic entity or facility;
● name a comparable academic entity or facility if the revised entity or facility is no longer
appropriate; or
● discontinue use of the name;
● in the event of a material change to the name of the company, individual or organization
attached to an academic entity or facility, The Mount Royal Foundation, in consultation with
the Office of the Vice-President, University Advancement, will determine the appropriate
course of action as outlined in the Fundraising and Gift Acceptance Policy, and the
Partnerships and Sponsorships Policy.
Per Section 4.9 of the Fundraising and Gift Acceptance Policy, if a philanthropic or honorific
naming is deemed to have become detrimental to the University’s academic and/or public
reputation, the perceived value of its credentials, or is not consistent with the University’s stated
vision, mission, and values, or implies endorsement of a partisan or ideological position, the
naming will be discontinued.
STEP
ACTION
Proposal
● The Office of the Vice-President, University Advancement shall
develop and submit proposals regarding any change of naming.
● In developing its proposal, Office of the Vice-President, University
Advancement shall:
o solicit input from the Mount Royal University
organizational unit affected by the change;
o with respect to philanthropic naming, consult with The
Mount Royal Foundation, which will, in turn, consult with
the benefactor about possible courses of action;
o contact the individual and/or organization after which the
entity or facility is named to discuss possible courses of
action (in the case of individuals who are not living, the
Office of the Vice-President, University Advancement
shall endeavor to consult surviving immediate family);
o review with the Executive Leadership Team to ensure the
naming change is consistent with the institutional
strategies, vision, mission and values.
● The proposal for a naming change shall include:
o rationale/reason for the naming change or
discontinuation;
o full budget impacts
o risk assessment;
o timeline for implementation.
Decision
● Decision authorities to change or discontinue Philanthropic
Naming and Honorific Naming are the same as outlined in Section
2 and 3 above.
Philanthropic & Honorific Naming Procedures
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Implementation
● Implementation of changes to Philanthropic Naming and Honorific
Naming shall be the same as outlined in Section 2 and 3 above.
B. RELATED POLICIES
● Academic Emeritus-Emerita Designation Policy
● Endowed Chairs, Executives-in-Residence and Visiting Lectureships Policy
● Endowment Management Policy
● University Fundraising and Gift Acceptance Policy
● Institutes at Mount Royal University Policy
C. RELATED LEGISLATION
D. RELATED DOCUMENTS
● Philanthropic and Honorific Naming Policy
E. REVISION HISTORY
Date
(mm/dd/yyyy)
Description of
Change
Sections
Person who
Entered Revision
(Position Title)
Person who
Authorized
Revision
(Position Title)
04/07/2008
NEW
05/17/2016
Establishment of
$500,000 threshold
for philanthropic
naming requiring
Board approval
2. Process:
Philanthropic
Naming
Director, University
Secretariat
VP, University
Advancement
12/04/2023
VP, University
Advancement
28/05/2024
Comprehensive
revisions
All
VP, University
Advancement
Executive
Leadership Team