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Contractual Obligations

Office of the General Counsel

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to delineate the authority for the negotiation and signature of contractual obligations on behalf of the University as delegated by the President to certain officers of the University. No officers or employees are authorized to negotiate or enter into contracts either written or verbal, unless such authority has been approved by the President as set forth in this policy.

Policies

  1. Certain contractual obligations including loan agreements, contracts for $250,000 or more involving purchase of land, buildings, major capital equipment, construction or renovation of buildings, and real property acquisitions must have prior approval by the Board of Trustees.
  2. The Vice President and General Counsel, or his/her designee, is authorized to sign contracts as indicated below for each cabinet member. Any signature of the Vice President for Finance or the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs on behalf of and in the absence of the President shall be authorized only after consultation of the Vice President and General Counsel or his/her designee.
  3. Each area Vice President may designate an Assistant or Associate Vice President to sign contracts on his/her behalf in his/her absence. At the beginning of each fiscal year, the Office of the General Counsel shall distribute an authorization form to each Vice President to designate authorized signatories in his/her absence. Authorization shall be deemed effective for that fiscal year and may be revoked at any time in writing by area Vice President.
  4. All contracts must be reviewed by the Office of the General Counsel with the exception of the following:
    1. Purchase orders issued by the Purchasing Director, Bookstore Manager and Quick Orders issued by departments in accordance with the University’s Purchasing Policy.
    2. Applications and permits for construction projects.

Delineation of Authority

Officers of the University shall have the authority to sign certain contractual obligations after they have been negotiated and approved by the Office of the General Counsel as described below:

  1. President
    • grant agreements if President signature is required
    • loan documents and banking arrangements
    • insurance contracts (life, health, property, casualty)
    • construction contracts
    • all other contracts
  2. Vice President for Finance
    • same authority as the President
    • Bookstore agreements
    • Financial, investment, tax consultant agreements
    • Tuition, credit card and payment processing agreements
    1. Director of Purchasing
      • purchase orders
      • copy machine order agreements
      • copy machine service contracts
      • maintenance agreements
      • rentals and lease (autos, trucks, equipment and buildings)
    2. Bookstore Manager
      • purchase orders relating to Bookstore inventory
        (Designated employees of the Bookstore may also sign, with the Manager’s approval)
  3. Vice President for Enrollment Management
    • enrollment management consultants
    • outside services for direct mail and telemarketing and application vendors
    • student immigration documents
    • contract learning for corporations and institutions
    1. Associate Vice President for Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions
      • scholarship awards
      • college fair, exhibition and registration forms
    2. Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management
      • financial aid award letters to students
  4. Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
    • same authority as President
    • FAMCO Agreements (faculty appointments, tenure candidacy & denial, sabbaticals, etc.
    • contracts for use of facilities at off-campus sites
    • faculty contracts with outside vendors
    • grant agreements
    • purchase, lease & rental agreements w/instructional media technology vendors
    • maintenance/service agreements for instructional media technology equipment and materials
    • consulting arrangement pertaining to instructional media/technology and academic position searches
    • immigration documents
  5. Vice President for Student Life and Leadership Engagement
    • commencement photography
    • contracts with performers appearing on campus
    • facility rental agreements
    • off-campus housing lease agreements
    • vending contracts (food; snack; laundry)
    • contracts related to health services and psychological services (including vaccination clinics, acquisition of vaccines, consulting physician agreements)
    • Center for the Arts’ contracts and agreements
    1. Senior Director of Conference Services and Special Events
      • facility rental agreements for off-campus groups
      • summer camp and conference contracts
      • pool rental contracts
      • rental agreements for University residences
  6. Vice President for Administrative Services
    • labor contracts
    • employment agency contracts
    • vocational school contracts
    • mechanical systems and service contract
    • waste removal (also signed by Director of Purchasing)
    • consulting arrangements pertaining to Human Resource area (such as actuarial, insurance, benefits, etc.)
    • consulting arrangements pertaining to DEP/OSHA Compliance
    • applications for permits and inspections relating to construction projects
    • contracts with architects, engineers and other consultants pertaining to campus planning projects
    • construction contracts less than $25,000
    • contracts and leases for use of facilities at off campus sites
    1. Director of Human Resources
      • Federal Work Study agreements
    2. Director of Compliance/Risk Management
      • insurance applications
      • payment authorizations for approved insurance premiums and consultant agreements
      • work orders/agreements in connection with claims of $1,000 or less against University insurance policies
  7. Vice President for Information Management
    • purchase, lease & rental agreements with computer hardware & software vendors
    • Maintenance/service agreements for computer hardware & software
    • purchase, lease & rental agreements w/ telecommunications vendors
    • maintenance/service agreements for telecommunications equipment and software
    • consulting arrangement pertaining to telecommunications
  8. Vice President for External Affairs
    • printing and advertising contracts
    • public relations firm for advertising
    • outside services for direct mail and telemarketing
    • contracts for use of facilities at off-campus sites dealing with External Affairs
    • contracts with performers dealing with External Affairs
    • consulting contracts dealing with External Affairs
    • vendor contracts dealing with External Affairs
    • donation, sponsorship and gift agreements
    • grant submissions
    • grant proposals
    • grant certifications
    1. Associate Vice President for External Affairs –in absence of Vice President for External Affairs
      • printing and advertising contracts as it relates to fundraising
      • public relations firm for advertising
      • outside services for direct mail and telemarketing
      • contracts for use of facilities at off-campus sites dealing with External Affairs
      • contracts with performers on campus dealing with External Affairs
      • consulting contracts dealing with External Affairs as it relates to fundraising
      • vendor contracts dealing with External Affairs as it relates to fundraising
      • donation, sponsorship and gift agreements
      • grant submissions
      • grant proposals
      • grant certifications
    2. Associate Vice President for University Marketing and Communications – in absence of Vice President for External Affairs
      • printing and advertising contracts as it relates to marketing and communications
      • consulting contracts dealing with External Affairs as it relates to marketing and communications
      • vendor contracts dealing with External Affairs as it relates to marketing and communications
    3. Director of the Office of Grants and Contracts
      • grant submissions
      • grant proposals
      • grant related certifications
  9. Vice President and Director of Athletics
    • promotional sponsorships
    • hotel contracts
    • athletic scholarship and financial aid offers
    • sports scheduling agreements
    • rental agreements for vans/equipment
    • lease agreements (autos)
    • contract for printing of media guides
    • financial guarantees for team appearances
    • contracts for use of facilities at off-campus sites dealing with Athletics
    • tv/radio/webstreaming contracts
    • vendor contracts dealing with Athletics
    1. Associate Athletics Directors
      • hotel contracts
      • sports scheduling agreements
      • rental agreements for vans/equipment
      • lease agreements (autos)
      • contract for printing of media guides
      • promotional sponsorships