UNC Charlotte Academic Procedure: College Name Change

I. Executive Summary

This procedure provides the criteria and procedures necessary for renaming an existing academic college at UNC Charlotte.

To request the consideration of a change of the name of a college, the Dean of the college initiates the following process:

Dean of college sends request of name change including rationale and any pertinent information to the Provost.
The Provost consults with the Chancellor about the request.
The Provost writes the Faculty President requesting a consultation with the Faculty Executive Committee and Faculty Council.
Faculty Executive Committee and Faculty Council vote on proposed name change.
If the proposed name change passes the Faculty Council, the Provost writes the Chancellor indicating that the consultation is complete.
1. If the name change request involves naming in recognition of an individual or organization, the procedures outlined in University Policy 602.9, Naming Opportunities apply.
2. A request that involves naming for any elected public official or any official of the State, the UNC System, or of the University while they are currently serving in their official capacity requires an exception granted by the Board of Trustees. In such a case, the Chancellor must place a request on the Board of Trustees agenda for consideration and approval in accordance with University Policy 602.9, Naming Opportunities.
In all other cases, the Provost either recommends the name change to the Chancellor or denies the request.Upon receipt of approval by the Chancellor, the Provost will notify the Dean of the outcome.College initiates updates to campus systems, including:

Verify changes to the upcoming Catalog edition;
Applying updates to relevant websites;
Updating Banner:
i. Sending an email to the Office of Institutional Research and Decision Support to initiate Banner request;
ii. Sending an email to Budget Office initiating HR/FINANCE module changes;
iii. Contacting the Office of the Registrar to verify appropriate changes have been made.

The college communicator will coordinate with University Communications and Academic Affairs to prepare an announcement to be made to campus, which will include the effective date of the name change.

Academic Department – A unit within the college representing a discipline. For example, the Department of English is in the college of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences (CHESS).
Chancellor – The chief executive officer of UNC Charlotte.
College – An academic unit of the University. Each of the eight discipline-based colleges at UNC Charlotte represents an organization of related departments.
Dean – The highest authority within an academic division of study. An academic Dean heads each college.
Provost – Reporting to the Chancellor, the Provost is the chief academic officer who oversees all Academic Affairs activities, including research and faculty. The Deans of each college report to the Provost.

Authority: Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Responsible Office: Office of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Additional Contact(s): n/a

Revised: January 14, 2025 [Removed requirement for UNC System Office approval in alignment with UNC Board of Governors policy]
Revised: September 8, 2021 [Clarified process for communicating changes and inclusion of Director of Communications role]

Where is this procedure referenced?
The procedure is published on the Academic Policies & Procedures webpage of the Provost website.
Do changes in the names of academic schools or colleges need to be approved by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors or the UNC System Office?
No, it is no longer necessary to ask for approval from the Board of Governors or UNC System Office for collegiate name changes. This change was made in 2006. It is only necessary to seek approval from the Board of Governors for the creation of a new academic school/college.