Before an academic building on the FGCU campus can be named, it must receive a donation by an approved donor. The process of naming Academic Building 9, also known as The Water School, has not yet started.
The FGCU Foundation Executive Director Katherine Green said there is no donor in the process of getting a name dedication for The Water School at this time.
When it comes to naming a building, facility, road, bridge, park, recreational complex, other similar facility or educational site at the university, a donor must adhere to FGCU Policy 1.011, Naming of University Buildings and Facilities. This policy was enacted by former president Wilson G. Bradshaw on May 15, 2017.
This process starts with the current university president working with the FGCU Foundation Executive Director to decide if a donor should be considered for the naming of a university building or facility. If the president and director agree on a donor who makes a significant donation to the university to be honored through name dedication, the next step in this decision is for the donor to be approved by the Board of Trustees.
“The process of working with a donor on a gift of this size can take anywhere from a few months to a few years,” Green said.
Once it is read by the Board of Trustees, Green said it would take two to three months to get approved.
Green said that if the building gets named after a donor, it will be “‘Dedicated Name’ – the Water School.”
The significant donation will go to the building and departments of the location honored through the naming.
“The building was paid for by the state, so the donor funds would go primarily to benefit The Water School programs,” Green said. “The specific uses would be agreed to by the Director and Provost and the donor.”
Academic Building 9 is called The Water School because it is the main facility for water study which affects ecosystem health and well-being, restoration and remediation, climate change and natural resources.
“Naming buildings and programs on campus to honor significant donations in support of our programs is reflected in “Lutgert Hall,” Whitaker Hall,” “Seidler Hall,” and the “Marieb College of Health and Human Services” among others. The Water School is always looking for ways to expand and enhance what we do for our students and our community. This would be another way of securing additional support,” said Greg Tolley, Provost & Executive VP for Academic Affairs Executive Director.
