Naming Rights: Should District 113 Allow Facilities to Be Named After Big-Time Donors? (POLL)

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Should donors who pony up big bucks to help big a new school theater or stadium be allowed to slap their names on those facilities?

That's the question Township High School District 113 officials are pondering as the school board considers adopting a policy allowing mega-donors to attach their names to facilities they significantly funded at Highland Park and Deerfield high schools, the Highland Park News reports.

The proposed policy breaks down like this, according to the report:

• Naming rights could be given to a donor who provided at least half of the cost of constructing or significantly remodeling a building or other facility.
• Facilities could be named after individuals, families, corporations or other groups.
• The rights would last 25 years, and they could renewed at that time.
• The board can remove a donor's name if the individual was involved in any bad behavior or damaged the district's image.
• Classrooms, lockers and hallways could not be named after donors.

Currently, the district doesn't allow theaters, athletic facilities, music venues and other school areas to be named after individuals. The policy was adopted in 2007, and facilities already named after people were grandfathered in, according to the report.

Naming rights for public school facilities has been gaining traction across the country as these institutions look for alternative revenue streams to fund capital projects and other programs. In Illinois, it's a particularly attractive proposition given the state's dismal financial picture, causing schools to see their state funding delayed or cut off completely.

Last year, Riverside Brookfield High School approved a plan to sell the naming rights to its stadium in order to help pay for renovations to that facility, as well as the school's roof. Jerry Kennelly, whose great uncle was former Chicago Mayor Martin Kenelly, purchased the rights as part of a 20-year, $140,000 arrangement. The stadium will be named after Kennelly's great-uncle, who was in office from 1947-55.

This isn't the first time the board has tackled this issue. In March, it shot down a similar policy after school groups raised concerns over receiving donations that would require board approval if they were more than $10,000. The new draft of the policy has raised that amount to $20,000, the New reports.

The policy is expected to come up for approval during the board's Sept. 12 meeting.

YOUR TURN: What do you think about District 113 adopting a policy of granting naming rights for big-time donors? Is this a good idea to generate more revenue? Or does it create a bad precedent that could lead to rampant corporate branding? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments. Plus, take Patch's poll on the issue.

More via the Highland Park News

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