Reminder of limited delegation of authority to execute contracts

Colleagues,

As part of ongoing efforts to improve efficiency in contracting across the university, it is important to understand who is legally authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the university.

Consistent with KBOR policy and state law, the Chancellor holds sole authority to execute (or sign) contracts on behalf of the university. However, to facilitate timely and informed business decisions, the Chancellor may formally delegate such signature authority to other university officials. The delegation process empowers those designated individuals to make thoughtful contracting decisions within the scope of their employment, without requiring direct oversight or signature from the Chancellor. It promotes efficiency, accountability, and alignment with the university’s strategic goals.  

However, it is equally important that campus constituents recognize the limitations of this delegated authority. Unauthorized execution of contracts on behalf of the university can result in delays in the procurement of goods and services, increased costs for your school or department, breach of contract allegations, and even personal liability.

To ensure compliance and clarity:

  • Know who is authorized to execute contracts within your school or department.
  • Educate your teams on the boundaries of contracting authority.
  • Avoid redundancy and overlapping services by coordinating with appropriate offices, such as Procurement (Lawrence), Purchasing (KUMC), the Office of Research (Lawrence), and Research Administration (KUMC).

For details, please visit the Office of the General Counsel’s webpage on this topic.

Authority to execute contracts on behalf of university-affiliated corporations, such as Kansas Athletics, Inc., KU Center for Research, Inc., and the University of Kansas Research Institute, Inc., is governed by the corporations’ respective governing documents and board resolutions.

Thank you for your continued commitment to responsible and efficient stewardship of university resources.

DISCLAIMER: The Office of the General Counsel of the University of Kansas publishes these web pages for general information only. The pages are not intended to provide specific legal advice for any specific situation. Legal advice can be provided only in the course of an attorney-client relationship with reference to all the facts of a specific situation. This information, therefore, must not be relied on as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from a licensed attorney. While we try to provide links to timely and authoritative information, the content of linked sites is subject to local disclaimers, and the Office of the General Counsel makes no guarantees, express or implied, concerning its accuracy. We recommend that users obtain confirmation from official sources of all information found on World Wide Web sites.