Pursuant to applicable provisions of the North Carolina General Statutes and the Board of Governors’ policies, the chancellor at each 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 this authority herself or through written delegations to other administrative officers.

Appalachian does not recognize contracts as binding that are signed by University employees that do not possess duly delegated signature authority. Employees who sign contracts without requisite authority may be personally liable for the contract, as well as being subject to employee disciplinary action.

In order for a delegation of authority to be valid, delegations must be in writing and include the following:

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

The Office of General Counsel shall receive and retain a copy of all such delegations and maintain the Delegation of Signature Authority for the University. If you have questions about who is authorized to sign a contract on behalf of the University, 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 have to 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. While contracts may be in verbal form and still be valid, Appalachian State University requires that all contracts be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of each party.

Contracts should be routed to the appropriate administrative office for review and processing as follows:

• For any purchases of goods, please contact the Office of Materials Management.
• For any contract involving a grant, research, or sponsored project please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs.
• For entertainment contracts or to use the Personal/Professional Services Template please login and make a request through the University’s Total Contract Manager software.
• Any other contracts, including software agreements, should follow the process set forth in Appalachian State University Policy 102.1, University Contracts and Delegation of Signature Authority.

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.