Facilities Management Campus Planning oversees the process for naming new buildings / facilities and renaming existing buildings / facilities. This includes names for buildings, green spaces and other structures. 

If a facility (buildings, structures, streets, green spaces, etc.) is requested to be named after a person, contact University Advancement, who oversees that naming review and approval process.

For naming / renaming facilities not related to a person, street addresses, and/or building number requests: Start by completing the Facility Profile Request Form and then contact Facilities Management Environmental Graphic Designer (Jessica Kramer).  

View the New Facility Profile Workflow (PDF)

General facility naming/renaming guidelines:

• Preference that building names are chosen to last into the future and do not change often.
  • Building occupants are responsible for the cost to update any signage update due to a building name change.
• Placeholder names may be used until donors come along.
• Preference from previous building naming has been mixed on naming or not naming buildings for the function inside. If the function of the building could easily change, then naming needs careful consideration.
  • Example: Biology was specifically built with labs. The function won’t change regarding what it was built for. However, Clark’s function could change; therefore, it doesn’t make sense to name that building for Liberal Arts because of its possibility of changing.
• Use of “building” in the name is not recommended. Proposals for new building names or name changes will include the reason or intent for why they’re including “building” on the name.
• Use of “Center” or “Institute” on name – not recommended unless it is a unique center or institute with no overlap from other departments doing similar work. The “Center” needs to take most or all of the space within the building; it would need to be a large function.
• Use universally understood descriptor (e.g. lab).
• With large additions on buildings, the building name should stay the same, unless the donor is donating to change the building name.
• Keep the name short, so it doesn’t get a nickname.
• If building name is long, then careful consideration is needed for the abbreviation. Do not use humorous or cute abbreviations. Try to stay away from building names as abbreviations.
  • Foothills Campus is an exception for abbreviations.
• Choose names not similar to building names already in use.
  • Remote facilities sometimes are an exception.
• Do not use a building name as a substitute for wayfinding or branding