
Delegation of Authority to Execute University Contracts
Section I
In accordance with the Contracts Administration Policy adopted by W&L on August 14, 2008, as amended ("Policy"), this document sets forth the formal, written delegation of contract signature authority from the noted administrators to the employees in the designated positions for the types of contracts identified below. These delegations apply to those not specifically addressed in the Policy, and are limited to contracts for which funds are available in the current year's operating or capital projects budgets, or other approved sources, and are subject to the conditions of the Policy regarding advance review by the Office of General Counsel and other relevant departments. Any additional delegations of authority must comply with the Policy. Any persons holding interim or acting titles have the same contracting authority as is provided to the permanent position. Additionally, each of the subdelegees named below may further delegate in writing for single contracts or all contracts with a particular vendor or related to a particular event or area of departmental operations.
The delegated contracting authority will remain in effect until revoked in writing, with a copy sent to the affected offices, the Office of General Counsel and the Controller. These delegations may be modified at any time by the delegators providing written notice to the Office of General Counsel.
- From the President to:
- The listed positions below, the authority to execute contracts related to matters affecting their respective areas.
- Provost
- Secretary of the University
- Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel
- Treasurer and Vice President for Finance
- Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid
- Vice President for University Advancement
- Vice President for Student Affairs
- Vice President for Communications and Strategic Initiatives
- Director of Institutional History and Museums
- The listed positions below, the authority to execute contracts related to matters affecting their respective areas.
- From the Provost to:
- The listed positions below, the authority to execute contracts in the amount of $10,000 and under for necessary expenditures and operations in their respective areas. Contracts in excess of $10,000 need prior review and approval of the Provost and are to be signed by the Provost.
- Dean of the College
- Dean of the School of Law
- Dean of the Williams School
- University Librarian
- Assistant Dean of Legal Information Services (Law School Librarian)
- The listed position below, the authority to execute contracts in the amount of $7,500 and under for necessary expenditures and operations related to that office. Contracts in excess of $7,500 need prior review and approval of the Provost and are to be signed by the Provost.
- Director of International Education
- The listed positions below, the authority to execute contracts under $5,000 for necessary expenditures and operations in their respective areas. Contracts in excess of $5,000 need prior review and approval of the Provost and are to be signed by the Provost.
- Director of Athletics
- Associate Provost (who may also execute contracts approved by the Provost in his/her absence and those relating to office operations)
- Assistant Provost for Institutional Effectiveness
- University Registrar
- The Director of Community-Based Learning, the authority to sign nonmonetary memoranda of understanding (MOUs), Service Learning Agreements (SLAs), and other similar documents that serve to formalize relationships between Washington and Lee University and external organizations for the purposes of enhancing and expanding W&L's community-based learning activities.
- The Director of the Mudd Center for Ethics, the authority to execute contracts under $10,000 for necessary expenditures and operations related to Mudd Center programs and events. Contracts in excess of $10,000 need prior review and approval by the Provost and are to be signed by the Provost.
- The Head, Department of Music, the authority to execute contracts in the amount of $1,000 and under for necessary expenditures and operations related to that department.
- The listed positions below, the authority to execute contracts in the amount of $10,000 and under for necessary expenditures and operations in their respective areas. Contracts in excess of $10,000 need prior review and approval of the Provost and are to be signed by the Provost.
- From the Treasurer and Vice President for Finance and Administration to:
- The Associate Treasurer and Controller the authority to execute contracts related to routine purchasing of goods and services for those matters related to the Business Office.
- The Executive Director of Facilities Management and Capital Planning the authority to execute contracts related to the operations of that office, including routine purchasing of goods and services and construction/design.
- The Executive Director of Human Resources the authority to execute contracts related to the operations of that office, including routine purchasing of goods and services and all benefits contracts.
- The Chief Technology Officer, the authority to execute contracts in the amount of $10,000 and under for necessary expenditures and operations of that office.
- From the Vice President for University Advancement to:
- Executive Director of Alumni and Career Services the authority to execute contracts under $10,000 for necessary expenditures, programs, and operations related to the Alumni and Career Services Offices.
Section II
The authority to execute any contracts for goods, services, construction projects, leases and deeds, or any other matters that obligate Washington and Lee University for expenditure of funds beyond W&L's currently approved budget, remains only with the President, the Provost and the Treasurer and Vice President for Finance and Administration in accordance with W&L's Contract Administration Policy.
Revision History
- Adopted and Effective this 20th day of February, 2009 by: President Kenneth P. Ruscio, Provost June Aprille, Treasurer and Vice President for Finance and Administration Steven G. McAllister
- Amended this 29th day of September, 2011, by: President Kenneth P. Ruscio, Interim Provost Robert Strong, Treasurer and Vice President for Finance and Administration Steven G. McAllister (removed names and designate now by position only; specified that the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations may sign contracts and grants concerning faculty research projects that have been formally reviewed by that office and moved delegation from President to VP for Advancement to Treasurer and VP for Administration; clarified that acting/interim position holders have the authority assigned to the permanent position holders; and specified that further written delegations of contracting authority may be made by subdelegees identified herein; amended threshold for review by the Provost to $5,000.)
- Amended this 25th day of July, 2012, by: Interim Provost Robert Strong, and Treasurer and Vice President for Finance and Administration Steven G. McAllister (removed Undergraduate Career Services from Provost's delegation and reassigned the renamed Career Development under the authority of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, in accordance with the reorganization of that office.)
- Amended this 14th day of October, 2013, by: President Kenneth P. Ruscio (reassigned the Dean of Admissions under the authority of the President, in accordance with updated reporting for that office, and changed the Executive Assistant to the President to Senior Assistant to the President, in accordance with the change to that position).
- Amended this 25th day of February, 2016, to change the title of the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid to the Vice President for Admissions and Financial Aid.
- Amended this 5th day of May, 2016, to increase the dollar limit for the Academic Deans to execute contracts in the amount of $10,000 and under.
- Amended this 17th day of February, 2017, to modify the delegations of authority from the President and make other conforming changes.
- Amended this 27th day of March, 2018, to increase the dollar limit for the Director of International Education to execute contracts in the amount of $7,500 and under.
- Amended this 15th day of May, 2019, to modify the delegation of authority from the Provost to give the Director of Community-Based Learning the authority to sign memoranda of understanding (MOUs), Service Learning Agreements (SLAs), and other similar documents that serve to formalize relationships between Washington and Lee University and external organizations for the purposes of enhancing and expanding W&L's community-based learning activities.
- Amended this 1st day of July, 2020, to modify the delegation of authority to the Chief Technology Officer from the Provost to the Treasurer and Vice President for Finance and Administration and to provide that authority to the Chief Technology Officer to sign contracts in the amount of $10,000 and under.
- Amended this 10th day of November, 2021, by President William C. Dudley to update the Presidential delegations to the current position titles within the President's Cabinet.
- Amended this 1st day of April, 2022, to update the Provost delegations to provide authority to the Director of the Mudd Center for Ethics to sign contracts in the amount of $5,000 and under.