The chancellor at each University of North Carolina institution has the authority to sign contracts, leases, and other legal documents. Accordingly, Appalachian State University’s Chancellor retains this authority at all times and may exercise it personally or through written delegations to other administrative officers. Contracts will bind the University only if signed by an individual with delegated signature authority.

Employees who sign contracts without requisite authority may be personally liable for the contract and subject to disciplinary action.
Delegations of signature authority must be in writing and include the following:

• the name, title, or position of the individual to whom the delegation will apply and
• a description of the scope, terms, and limitations of the delegation.

The Office of General Counsel shall facilitate all such delegations and maintain a Delegation of Signature Authority Chart for the University.

If you have questions regarding signature authority, please contact the Office of General Counsel.

A contract is any document that imposes an obligation on the University or legally binds the University to another party. Contracts can be used to purchase goods or services, detail a relationship between two entities or persons, or include the responsibilities and obligations of one party to another. A contract can be called a variety of things, including, but not limited to, Agreement, Nondisclosure Agreement (NDA), Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Letter Agreement, Affiliation Agreement, Waiver, Grant Agreement, Lease, or License. Contracts do not always involve the payment of funds from one party to another. Terms and conditions that you must accept or “click through” prior to using an online product or service are also contracts and may bind the individual user or the university that the user represents. Appalachian State University requires that all contracts be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of each party.

The following administrative offices are responsible for reviewing and processing University agreements:

• Procurement Services: Purchases of goods or services. Procurement Services will also review and negotiate terms and conditions provided by vendors before sending the agreement to the appropriate party for signature.
• Sponsored Programs: Contracts involving a grant, research, or sponsored project.
• IT Security (“ITS”): Software agreements must be reviewed by App State ITS prior to review/negotiation. Information on Software Services can be found HERE.
• Conference and Event Services (“CES”): Contracts involving summer camps, conferences, or events on campus. CES also coordinates all activities involving minors on campus.
• Office of University Events: Facility Use Agreements, reserving space on campus through 25Live, planning events across campus, including Grandview Ballroom, Plemmons Student Union, and Holmes Convocation Center.

All University agreements for goods or services (including renewals and amendments) should be submitted through the University’s Total Contract Manager (“TCM”) software. More information on TCM and contract requests may be found HERE. TCM utilizes university template agreements for goods and professional services on campus. Should a vendor provide an agreement for a good or service, that agreement should be included in the TCM contract request.

If you have questions related to any contract, the contract process, or where to route a contract, please feel free to contact the Office of General Counsel.

University employees who wish to run for or hold any elective or appointive public office are subject to state law and regulations adopted by the Board of Governors or the Office of State Human Resources (OSHR). Due to potential conflicts of interest or time, all EPS employees (faculty and EPS non-faculty) becoming candidates for or holding public offices must make certain disclosures and receive various approvals on a prescribed schedule or risk an automatic loss of University employment. For SHRA employees, activities related to public officeholding are governed by policies adopted by OSHR pursuant to its authority under Chapter 126 of the North Carolina General Statutes. In each instance, it is the responsibility of the employee to understand and comply with applicable policies and procedures.

App State 2024 Fall Political Activity Memorandum

App State Policy 604.7– Political Activities and Public Office Holding

UNC System Policy 300.5.1, Political Activities of Employees

UNC System Policy 300.5.2, Candidacy for Elective Office; Officeholding (Elective and Appointive Public Office