Naming/Renaming Review Process
The responsibility for oversight of the naming and renaming process resides with William & Mary’s Design Review Board (DRB). Following the Board of Visitors (BOV) approved Design Imperatives & Principles, the naming and renaming review process is designed to be broad-based, inclusive and fact-based. As a result, there are a number of steps requiring professional review.
Upon receipt of a completed application, the following actions will occur:
- Application reviewed by staff from:
- Historic Campus
- The Lemon Project
- University Archives
The submitter(s) may be contacted to provide more information during this review process.
- An Institutional Impact Statement will be created by a committee comprised of, but not limited to, staff from:
- Budget & Finance
- University Advancement
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Subject Area Experts (as applicable)
- Application provided to the President's Executive Leadership Team (ELT) for additional background review and comment.
- Completed application is submitted to the DRB for decision to recommend/not recommend to the president. For applications advanced to the president, following review, the president will make a recommendation to the BOV for final decision.
Certain instances may require additional research or financial considerations, which may include further work by staff before reaching the Design Review Board. Communications about a submission will be through a single point of contact who will communicate regularly with the submitter(s) as to the status of the application.
Please note that if an application is approved, the resulting change will be implemented in as timely a manner as possible, given budgetary or other constraints. A successful nomination for future naming will be added to a pool of approved names for use as naming/renaming opportunities arise on campus. Thank you for your interest in the naming/renaming process.
The DRB will continue to review this process and may update the form if needed to facilitate the review process.
Read the Naming & Renaming Working Group's final report (pdf) and President Rowe's memo on next steps for naming and renaming (pdf).
