One school of thought about naming buildings or academic programs after living individuals is that the institution doing the naming can get embarrassed if the honoree messes up.

I have subscribed to the notion that you need to take great care to ensure such a thing doesn’t happen if you honor someone who’s alive in such a manner.

However, Amarillo College’s decision to put two past college presidents’ names on AC facilities is far more than just the right call. It is an outstanding one.

AC President Paul Matney’s name will be honored by putting his name on the Mass Media Program at AC. Joyner, who served as president twice before Matney took office, will see his name attached to the auditorium at the college’s downtown campus. A third Amarillo College official, the late Louise Daniel, will be honored with her name being attached to the College Union Building’s third-floor meeting room at AC’s Washington Street campus. Daniel, who died in 2003, served on the AC Board of Regents and taught in Amarillo’s public school system for more than three decades.

I cannot think of three more deserving individuals to be honored in such a fashion.

As for the notion of honoring two living past presidents by putting their name on these facilities, well, we all can rest assured that neither man is going to do a single thing to sully the institution they served so honorably.

Putting living individuals’ names on buildings, rooms or academic programs sometimes comes with a bit of a risk. Not so with these fellows.