Re: request for input: how is signature authority handled at your institution? Dianne Sheridan 16 Apr 2008 16:43 EST
Laura, At our institution (PUI almost 8000 students), the director of the grants office has submission authority and the grants accountant also has authority in her absence. While I do not sign contracts (Purchasing Director actually handles all contractual signatures) and my Provost must sign off before I submit, my office is the final step in the proposal process. This makes more sense to me than your other two options mainly because my office is much more involved in the proposal process than any other on campus. Hope this helps. Feel free to email me offlist. Dianne Sheridan Southern Utah University >>> Laura Letbetter <xxxxxx@KENNESAW.EDU> 4/16/2008 2:18 PM >>> Our university is currently undergoing an internal review of our processes for handling proposals, grants, and contracts. We are a predominantly undergraduate university, with 20,000+ students, 600+ full-time faculty, $4 to $5M in grants and contracts, 100+ submissions of varying size and complexity, and growing research programs. One of the issues under discussion is signature authority. As of now, there are only two AORs for all proposals, grants, and contracts: the VP for Business and Finance and one person who reports directly to him. The Office of Sponsored Programs (under Academic Affairs) prepares and submits all proposals and budgets, negotiates contracts, and is responsible for regulatory compliance, but does not have final signature authority. The dean of Sponsored Programs can't sign, and neither can the Provost. One point of view is that all signature authority should remain with Business and Finance. Another point of view is that OSP should have the authority to sign grants and contracts, as this is standard operating procedure at our peer and aspirant institutions. A third point of view is that OSP should at least have signature authority for proposals, but that Business & Finance should retain signature authority for final awards and contracts. We are interested in learning how other institutions delegate signature authority for proposals, grants, and contracts. We are also interested in being referred to any publications or surveys you may know of about this topic. Reply on or off list; I will be compiling a list of responses and will be glad to provide it to colleagues who are interested. Many thanks, Laura Letbetter Director, Proposal Development and Programmatic Research Office of Sponsored Programs Kennesaw State University 1000 Chastain Road Kennesaw, GA 30144 770-499-3365 phone 770-499-3620 fax xxxxxx@kennesaw.edu http://www.kennesaw.edu/osp ====================================================================== Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") ====================================================================== ====================================================================== Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") ======================================================================