Others, including charming eccentricities, eg Toad Hall. In the last ten years there have been formal policies established and at one stage there was a Naming Committee. The Buildings and Grounds Committee also had an early active role to make recommendations to the Council. Over time, the Committee felt somewhat removed from many of the issues and considerations involved in naming and customarily sought the advice of the Senior Officers of the University. In the light of the consideration of the new role of the Council to focus on strategic and policy issues, it is now proposed that the Vice-Chancellor have the full authority to act in all cases, although he may wish to seek advice from the Council on occasions.
Special care needs to be exercised when it is proposed that a facility be named after a person.
This involves consideration of the role played by the person, particularly in the development of the University and that person's academic or other standing. This task is made more difficult by the fact that the reservoir of names of people deserving of being so honoured is considerably greater than the number of buildings and facilities available for naming. In recent years this practice has been discouraged mainly on the grounds that such proposals should be considered on the basis of the person's full contribution to the work of the University. Nevertheless, the policy does provide for notable and rare exceptions. As a general rule, buildings, facilities and spaces should not be named after persons still in active association with the University, or who might again become associated in the future.