What's in a name, and why? Schools weigh guidelines

Libertyville High School has the Henry E. Underbrink Library Learning Center.

Vernon Hills High School has Rust-Oleum Field.

What neither school has, however, is a policy dictating how, when or why campus facilities should be named after companies or individuals.

Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 board members, who oversee both facilities, want to rectify that.

"We just want to make sure there are some criteria established," board member Pat Groody said.

The school board's facilities and finance committee discussed naming rights and the need for guidelines during a meeting last week. It made no formal decisions.

Athletic fields, auditoriums, libraries and other facilities at schools throughout Lake County are named after prominent faculty or alumni, and some are named after corporate donors.

For example, the Lake Zurich High School football field is named after former football coach Mel Eide. Additionally, a banner bearing the name of Foot First Podiatry flies at the same field in honor of a donation from a local business.

Elsewhere, a gymnasium at Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein was dubbed the Patrick A. Salvi Arena after an alumnus who has supported the school financially.

Some local school districts have guidelines for naming rights. The Lake Zurich Unit District 95 school board adopted a policy in 2005, saying corporate and commercial donors could get some name recognition or sponsorship, depending on the donation.

The District 95 policy applies to new buildings, expanded or remodeled facilities and specific areas such as rooms, theaters, classrooms, libraries and athletic fields.

District 128 officials haven't determined if their proposed policy only should apply to people or companies that seek naming rights in exchange for financial donations or if it also will apply to facilities to be named in honor of community leaders, graduates or other people.

"We're at the beginning stages," facilities committee member Jan Foreman said.

Foreman expects the committee will discuss the issue again before the full board makes a decision. A schedule hasn't been determined, she said.