Board committee approves campus namings and additional endowments as UA campaign nears $1.8 billion

The Honorary Degrees and Recognition Committee on April 4 recommended approval of multiple naming resolutions and endowment actions across the University of Alabama System following presentations from university presidents and advancement officers.

President Bell presented several UA items including namings within the Capstone College of Nursing and Mary Hill Austin Hall and the revision of 26 endowments tied to the university’s fundraising campaign; Bell noted the rising tide capital campaign had reached $1.7 billion toward a $1.8 billion goal and was at about 95% of the target as of the meeting.

UAB presented a resolution accepting gifts and pledges to establish 18 endowments supporting education, health and research missions. UAH highlighted gifts including a Killpoint gift to establish a Killpoint Professorship in Family Wealth in the College of Business and the naming of the Dr. Louis B. Warner AI Machine Learning Lab following a $143,000+ gift.

Committee members asked no substantive questions; motions and seconds were recorded and the committee voted to recommend approval to the full board.

Why it matters: the approvals memorialize donor commitments and create or revise endowed funds that underwrite faculty positions, research and program support across the system. Presenters framed the actions as part of an advancing fundraising campaign that supports student scholarships, research capacity and facility naming opportunities.

Details: President Bell reported the campus capital campaign milestone ($1.7 billion raised) and highlighted the donor and naming items contained in committee materials. UAB and UAH presenters provided summaries of gifts and the endowments to be established; committee materials provided the full donor lists and gift amounts where required.

The committee recommended the naming and endowment items to the board for final action. No dissent was recorded in the committee discussion.