Policy Number
Reason for Policy
The UO Board of Trustees amended the Policy on Retention and Delegation of Authority at its March 16-17, 2026, board meeting to clarify what naming approval authority the board specifically retains and what is delegated to the university president (or president’s designee). This policy is intended to conform the existing two naming policies (II.03.06 and IV.07.01) to the changes adopted by the board in March. No substantive changes, outside the changes necessary to match the new Retention and Delegation of Authority Policy, were made to the existing two naming policies.
Entities Affected
All members of the UO community, including students, faculty, staff.
Responsible Office
For questions about this policy, please contact University Advancement 541-346-3016 or advops@uoregon.edu.
Enactment & Revision History
July 16, 2026 – New policy enacted following review by the PAC, public comment, and approval by the university president. Policy replaces repealed policies II.03.06 Naming of Academic Units, and IV.07.01 Naming of Facilities.
Policy
Naming of Facilities and Significant Spaces
The naming, or renaming, of a building, structure or external space is considered a major event in the history of the institution, requiring due consideration, appropriate due diligence, and consultation.
Under authority granted by Oregon Revised Statutes, Chapter 352, and Section1.6.1 of UO Policy I.01.01 – Retention and Delegation of Authority – the Board of Trustees is the sole authority allowed to name any university campus (e.g., Portland); university structure, including but not limited to a building, stadium, arena, or field; street; and quad in recognition of a gift, an individual or group of individuals (e.g., a family) or an entity external to the university. The President of the University, or the President’s designee, by this policy, is authorized to name all other facilities and internal and outside spaces in recognition of a gift, an individual or group of individuals (e.g., a family), or an entity external to the university.
- Naming In Recognition of a Gift:
- Buildings and structures may be named or renamed for a donor when a gift provides funding for not less than 50 percent of the portion of the cost which would not have been available from other sources (e.g., state or federal appropriations, student fees, bonds, etc.). Some exceptions may be granted.
- Naming For an Individual Not In Recognition of a Gift:
- Naming opportunities are generally reserved for donors. However, an individual's name may be affixed to a building, part of a building, an interior space, or a landscape element in posthumous recognition of unusually meritorious service to the University or to society at large.
- Normally, a period of at least one year shall will elapse between the individual's death and the proposal for naming.
- Exceptions to the requirement of posthumous recognition may be granted only upon approval by the Board of Trustees.
Naming of an Academic Unit
The naming, or renaming, of an academic unit is considered a major event in the history of the institution, requiring due consideration, appropriate due diligence, and consultation.
Under authority granted by Oregon Revised Statutes, Chapter 352, and Section1.6.1 of UO Policy I.01.01 – Retention and Delegation of Authority – The Board of Trustees is the sole authority allowed to name any school, college, department, or research institute in recognition of a gift, an individual or group of individuals (e.g., a family) or an entity external to the university.
The President of the University, or his/her designee, is authorized to name academic units not articulated in the above paragraph in recognition of a gift, an individual or group of individuals (e.g., a family) or an entity external to the university.
Naming an academic unit is generally reserved for a donor or donors who have made significant financial contributions to that unit. However, academic units may also be posthumously named for an individual, group or organization in recognition of exceptional nonfinancial contributions to the University of Oregon or to society at large. In such instances, there should be a correlation between the contribution and the field in which naming is considered. Exceptions to the posthumous requirement may be granted by the Board of Trustees or the President, respectively, given the type of academic unit.