Title: Authorized Signature Policy (PROPOSED NEW POLICY) June 2021

Policy Statement/Procedure Description

The purpose of this policy is to identify signature authority and signature authority delegation as pertains to any and all, but not limited to the following:

• External contracts with vendors, speakers, venues
• Agreements for purchases/transfers of property, rental goods, services and equipment
• Lease agreements for property, rental good, equipment
• Employment contracts
• Financial agreements and financial documents requiring institutional approval (non-contractual) - Financial agreements and financial documents requiring institutional approval (non-contractual)
• Athletic contracts and sports-related agreements
• Grants and sponsored projects, including awards and subawards
• Commendations and citations for excellence; awards and recognitions
• Diplomas and certificates of completion
• Nondisclosure, confidentiality, and legal documents
• Articulation agreements, MOUs and MOAs
• Student, faculty and student/ faculty exchange agreements
• Intellectual property, creative work, patent, trademark and invention agreements

The Kentucky University President serves as the primary signatory on any and all of the above activities that would legally and contractually bind the University or otherwise obligate it to internal or external parties. The President may delegate his/her signature authority on a pro temp basis and/or for a specific activity through the process described below in writing and/or exempt an institutional officer at the executive level, if so desired, from this policy through written authority and Board approval.

Signatures on all official University are to be “wet” with electronic signatures reserved for matters of unavoidable exigency. A wet signature on binding documents is preferred to a stamp or electronic signature for the legal authority a wet signature carries. In the absence of specified policies or instruction, a wet signature may be established at the request of any of the parties associated with a transaction, contract or other form of agreement. Signing in blue ink is legally required in some instances, though there is some discretion in this as well as the types of documents for which wet signatures are required.

It is understood that wet signatures will be expected on the documents outlined in this proposed policy unless otherwise indicated by the written directive of the signature authority. Copies of wet signatures, such as those available on premade document stamps, through digital signature software, and those that are reproduced on multiple documents, are not considered acceptable as legal signatures. Wet signatures have to be created on any multiple documents, originals and copies.