WHEREAS, pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. §59–125–1, et. seq., the Board of Trustees of Winthrop University is created and established as a body corporate for the purpose of effectuating the educational mission of Winthrop University; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees is authorized in its bylaws to consider the naming of buildings, colleges and spaces, both internal and external and with and without financial gifts or funding associated, prior to verbal and/or documented commitments by the administration; and
WHEREAS, in August 2024, the Winthrop University Foundation entered into a 10-year lease agreement with the developers of The Thread project in order to acquire a 5,000 square foot space to benefit Winthrop’s interior design program; and
WHEREAS, this is an unparallelled opportunity as the space in The Thread is directly above the world’s largest textile archive, the Baxter Mill Archive, which will allow students to interface with design professionals on a daily basis; and
WHEREAS, a driving force behind this project from its initial conception to date has been the vision and talents of notable Winthrop alumnus J. Robert “Bob” Bazemore ’85, a former adjunct faculty member in interior design at Winthrop as well as the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD), who has been a leading figure in the interior design industry for nearly four decades; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Bazemore has made significant contributions of his personal finances as well as his time to the project, worked closely in concert with current Winthrop interior design faculty members and others, and has designed the space, secured vital material and goods contributions for the space; and
WHEREAS, Winthrop University policy requires that the institution's Gift Naming Council, chaired by the Vice President for University Advancement, provides the initial review and recommendations for all such naming opportunities being considered; and
WHEREAS, the Gift Naming Council met to consider a naming opportunity related to the J. Robert Bazemore Design Center at The Thread and made a positive recommendation to the President on June 10; and
WHEREAS, the Winthrop University President concurred with the recommendation of the Gift
Naming Council to bring the matter to the Board of Trustees, as securing the space
in The
Thread further enhances his vision for Winthrop to be invested in the Rock Hill community
both
on and off campus; and
WHEREAS, the design and construction process for the space is now coming to a close, with
an
anticipated grand opening just prior to the upcoming fall semester.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Winthrop University Board of Trustees concurs with the
recommendation of the President to name the space in The Thread for the duration of
the
lease: Winthrop University’s J. Robert Bazemore Design Center.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Acting Secretary to the Board of Trustees shall
certify that the Winthrop University Board of Trustees approved this resolution on
the 26th Day
of June in a regular meeting. Such resolution shall be maintained and publicly posted
by the
Acting Secretary of the Board in a time and manner as required by law.