Naming Policy

This policy applies to the University as an institution through all its faculties, service divisions, institutes, centres, schools and departments whether academic or administrative and, where appropriate, to donors and sponsors.

To regulate and provide a framework and direction for the recognition of persons or bodies where facilities, or parts of facilities, academic positions, fellowships, collections, programmes, grants or any other things owned or operated by the University are named partly or wholly for such a person or body.

This policy also has the purpose of evidencing and confirming the delegation as may be necessary in respect of any naming to the University Naming Committee as constituted in this policy under S285 of the Education and Training Act 2020.

The University has rights and powers enabling it to recognise persons or bodies who or which have rendered it extraordinary or meritorious support or service.

Naming is a process in which the University recognises persons or bodies who or which have rendered it extraordinary or meritorious support or service by naming facilities, or parts of facilities, academic positions, fellowships, collections, programmes, grants or any other things owned or operated by the University partly or wholly for such a person or body.

The action of naming is expressly recognised in this policy by the Council as being a function that may be exercised conveniently and without disadvantage to, and in fact is an enhancement of, its characteristic functions pursuant to the Education and Training Act 2020.

1. Council confirms the delegations set out in this policy reserving at all times the right to amend, qualify and determine such delegations.

2.  The University Naming Committee will report on the exercise of its
delegated functions to the Council as set out in the Naming Procedures.

3. Naming will be the responsibility of the University Naming Committee, which is a Committee of Council.

4. All naming may be granted or sanctioned and subject to such conditions as may be required, only by the University Naming Committee which is delegated that function by Council.

5. The University Naming Committee will have the following membership:

• The Chancellor ex officio
• The Pro-Chancellor ex officio
• The Vice-Chancellor ex officio
• The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) ex officio
• Director of Alumni Relations and Development ex officio
• The Māori member of Council appointed by Council
• One other member of Council appointed by Council. 

The chairperson of the University Naming Committee is the Chancellor and
the deputy chairperson is the Pro-Chancellor.

6. The University Naming Committee may only grant or approve naming in
recognition of extraordinary or meritorious support or service to the
University.

7. The University Naming Committee will not grant or approve a naming that
is:

• Inconsistent with the maintenance of the highest ethical standards and the need to permit public scrutiny
• Likely to adversely affect the University’s autonomy and academic freedom
• Inconsistent with the University’s strategic plan and academic and research priorities
• Subject to obligations which would be inconsistent with University statutes, policies and regulations
• Likely to incur significant undisclosed or unplanned costs and liabilities for the University
• Made in consideration of a GST supply by the University whether in form or substance unless all GST and taxation issues have been properly disposed of

8. The University Naming Committee may, if it considers it expedient to do
so, establish criteria for naming for extraordinary or meritorious service and
report such criteria to Council for the approval of Council.

9. The University Naming Committee will, in each naming, address the term of
a naming and may stipulate limitations on existing or future namings as to
parts of facilities or things named.

10. The University Naming Committee will be responsible for developing and
publishing its own procedures and processes including the issuing of any
guidelines subject to the same being consistent with this policy and any
direction or alteration of this policy by the Council.

11. Sponsorship naming is not included in the delegations to, and
responsibilities of, the University Naming Committee. The naming of
sponsorships is delegated by Council to the Vice-Chancellor pursuant to the
Philanthropic Gift Acceptance Policy.

The following definitions apply to this document:

Council is the University's governing body.

Facility(ies) means and includes a physical location or building, a teaching or
research site or location, a teaching or research entity of any kind, airspace,
ground space, and rights and things of any nature or description owned,
operated or administered by the University.

Naming is a process in which the University recognises persons or bodies
who or which have rendered it extraordinary or meritorious support or
service by naming facilities, or parts of facilities, academic positions,
fellowships, collections, programmes, grants or any other things owned or
operated by the University partly or wholly for such a person or body.

Sponsorship means the payment of money or anything having a monetary
value or the provision of services, rights or any type of property including
goods and real estate, to the University where the payer or provider receives a
consideration for such payment or provision in the form of advertising, logo
use, publicity, naming or such similar rights but is not intended to mean or
include normal day to day commercial transactions in which the University, in
the ordinary course of business, purchases or otherwise acquires goods and
services from another party.

University means the University of Auckland and includes all subsidiaries.

Include the following:

• Naming Procedures
• Crown Entities Act 2014
• Education and Training Act 2020
• Goods and Services Tax Act 1985
• Philanthropic Gift Acceptance Policy
  
  

Content manager: Director Governance, Risk and CLO
Owned by: Chief Operating Officer and Registrar
Approved by: Council
Date approved: 14 June 2021
Reviewed date: 10 December 2026
Next Review date: 10 December 2031