Signature Authority

SIGNATURE AUTHORITY

The UW System is a legal entity whose character and operational authority emanates from Chapter 36 of the Wisconsin Statutes. As a result, in many legal respects, the UW System is like a corporation in that it can act only through its duly authorized officers and agents. The authorization to sign documents that legally obligate the university is detailed in a Board of Regents' resolution that is periodically updated.

Familiarity with the regents' policy is extremely important because the signing of legal documents by an unauthorized individual can have adverse legal consequences for the university and, depending on the circumstances, for the individual who has signed a legal document without the authority to do so. Copies of this policy are available from the Office of Legal Affairs in Chapman Hall 380.

In the regents' policy, the authority to sign proposals, agreements, contracts, certifications, purchases, applications (such as visa documents for foreign nationals), leases, interinstitutional agreements, clinical affiliation agreements—to name a few of the many legal documents covered—is restricted. Being an employee of the university does not automatically mean that one has the authority to sign, on behalf of the university, documents that have a legal consequence. Indeed, the regents' policy operates to limit signature authority to a specifically named group of persons on this campus.

What if a university employee who lacks signature authority signs a legal document? First, the document may not be legally binding. This can jeopardize, for example, the validity of a grant proposal or a visa or labor certification application. Second, if the document fails to be legally binding and a lawsuit is initiated due to some harm or loss suffered, the unauthorized employee who signed may face the prospect of paying for his/her legal defense and any judgment rendered against him/her. It is possible that the attorney general's office will refuse to authorize either legal representation or payment of any judgment. The basis for this refusal would be the fact that the person was acting outside the scope of his/her authority.

In summary, there is a very specific policy at the university that identifies who may sign documents that have legal consequences. If you are unsure about your authority, do not sign anything with a party external to UWM until you have consulted one of the attorneys in the Office of Legal Affairs (ext. 4278). Failure to do so may result in personal financial jeopardy.

The following links can be used to reference the list of individuals who have signature authority on behalf of the Board of Regents:

Regent Policy Documents Section 13-3: Authorization to Sign Documents

The above link is to the website for the official Regent Policy 93-1: Authorization to Sign Documents.

Authorized Signers of Documents for UWM (pursuant to Regent Policy Documents Section 13-3)

The above link is to the location of the most current list of persons who have been approved to sign the various documents listed. This site will be updated each time revisions are approved.