Effective: February 19, 2020

Policy Review Date: YEAR

Policy Executive: Chief of Staff

Responsible Office/Unit: President’s Office

Policy Statement:

Applicability:

Content:

          Policy

(1) This policy defines Appointing Authority (AA), Delegation of Authority and Contracting Authority.

(2) References

A. RCW 28B.10.528

B. RCW 28B.35.120 (1), (2), (6), (7), (9), (11), and (12)

C. CWU 101-06 Relationship to Other Bodies

D. CWU 108-01 Appointing Authority

E. CWU 108-02 Contracting Authority

F. CWU 108-03 Delegation of Authority to the President

(3) Definition of Organization Terms

A. Executive Division: Executive Leadership Team (ELT) level organizational areas, includes; Academic and Student Life, Business and Financial Affairs, Operations, and the President’s area.

B. Division/College: A primary organizational entity within an executive division, reporting to an (ELT) member or senior management and normally headed by an Appointing Authority. A division/college may be subdivided into distinct sub-divisions or departments.

C. Sub-Division: An organizational entity within a division and normally headed by an Associate Dean, Director, or Manager. A sub-division is subdivided into distinct departments.

D. Department: A specialized area responsible for one or more support functions or programs and normally headed by a Department Chair, Director, Manager, or Supervisor. A department typically includes support staff and will usually have distinct personnel and budgetary identification.

(4) Definition of Responsibility

A. Appointing Authorities (AAs)

1. Those individuals designated by the President as "Appointing Authorities" use the President’s delegated authority to make administrative decisions relating to:
   a. Employment - such as employment, appointment, discipline, change assignment, or termination - regarding classified, administrative exempt, and faculty. Changes affecting employment and/or compensation may not be delegated below Appointing Authority level.
   b. Budget (Principal Budget Authority) - AAs have certain administrative and fiscal authority, as established in policy and procedures, for travel, purchasing, and other areas necessary for the efficient and effective organizational administration. These areas may be delegated to positions directly reporting to the Appointing Authority or others specifically designated within an Appointing Authorities area of responsibility.
   c. Contracts – AAs have the authority for contracting for current operations up to $50,000 when such contracting is in accordance with budgets approved by the Board of Trustees (BOT). This responsibility may be delegated as defined by policy.
   d. Goods and Services – Those elements necessary for the efficient and effective functioning of daily administrative operation.
2. Decisions made by Appointing Authorities must be made in accordance with: Federal laws and regulations; State laws and regulations; University Policies, Procedures, and Regulations governing the applicable area to include the Exempt Code, Faculty Code and faculty or staff union contracts.
   a. Appointing Authorities are responsible for knowing, understanding, and complying with said laws, regulations, policies and procedures.

B. Department Chair or Manager: Those individuals designated by their Appointing Authority for over-all supervision of the day-to-day transactional functions for their assigned areas.

C. Direct Supervisor: Those individuals designated by their Appointing Authority that are responsible for daily transaction (primarily Time and Attendance) of employees who report to them.

(5) Delegation of Authority

A. Appointing Authorities and direct reports within their respective areas hold appropriate levels of responsibility for approval of transactions that are indicated in applicable procedures (see (5) below). All general and specific delegations of authority under this policy must be consistent with these final levels of responsibility. However, the Appointing Authority remains fully responsible for all transactions executed under the delegated authority.

(6) Delegated Authority for Workflow Approvals

A. Because CWU uses various workflow processes for purposes of internal control and audit documentation, delegations and/or approvals built into those systems are automatically valid and binding. The following matrix identifies areas of responsibility and provides guidelines showing when other departments – payroll, human resources, budget and/or accounting may also be involved.

B. Approval Matrix Table

(7) Appointing Authorities

A. The following list shall establish the positions designated by the President as "Appointing Authorities".

1. PRESIDENT’S DIVISION
   a. Chief of Staff
   b. Director, Athletics
   c. Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
   d. Vice President for University Advancement
   e. Vice President for Public Affairs
   f. Associate Vice President, Information Services and Security
2. ACADEMIC AND STUDENT LIFE
   a. Provost/Vice President for Academic and Student Life
   b. Associate Vice Provost
   c. Dean, Extended Learning and Global Education
   d. Dean, College of Arts and Humanities
   e. Dean, College of Business
   f. Dean, College of Education and Professional Studies
   g. Dean, College of the Sciences
   h. Dean, School of Graduate Studies and Research
   i. Dean, Libraries
   j. Executive Director, Extended Learning (University Centers)
   k. Executive Director, William O. Douglas Honors College
3. FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
   a. Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration
   b. Associate Vice President, Campus Planning and Facilities Management
   c. Executive Director, Finance
   d. Executive Director, Auxiliary Enterprises
   e. Executive Director, Human Resources
   f. Director, Capital Planning and Projects
   g. Director, Police and Public Safety
4. STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND SUCCESS
   a. Vice President of Student Engagement and Success
   b. Associate Dean, Health and Wellness
   c. Associate Dean, Student Living
   d. Associate Dean, Access and Equity

(8) Contracting Authority

A. Following are designated CWU positions with the appropriate “Contracting Authority” delegation identified.

B. FOR ALL UNIVERSITY CONTRACTS
a. President
b. Provost/Vice President for Academic and Student Life
c. Chief Financial Officer/Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs
d. Chief Operations Officer/Vice President for Operations
e. Chief of Staff
f. Vice President for Public Affairs
g. Controller, Accounting and Financial Services

C. APPOINTING AUTHORITIES

1. All Appointing Authorities are authorized to issue necessary contracts for services as well as purchase goods in amounts less than $50,000 for their respective areas.

D. DEANS AND VICE PRESIDENTS

1. All Deans and Associate Vice Presidents are authorized to issue necessary contracts for services as well as purchase goods in amounts less than $100,000 for their respective areas.

E. FOR ALL PURCHASED GOODS, SERVICE CONTRACTS AND LEASES

1. Director, Business Services
2. Director, Contracts, Procurement, & Surplus Inventory. Additionally, the Director, Contracts, Procurement, & Surplus Inventory may exercise independently the delegated authority powers referenced in RCW 29B.10.029.
3. Manager, Contracts & Purchasing, up to $200,000.
4. Procurement & supply specialists and contracts specialists, at the discretion and direction of the Director, Contracts, Procurement & Surplus Inventories, subject to written notification of their authority level (not to exceed $100,000).

F. FOR SELECTED CONTRACTING ACTIVITIES AS SET FORTH BELOW

1. Director, Capital Planning and Projects, and Associate Vice President, Campus Planning and Facilities Management
   a. Limited to contracting between Central Washington University and contractors for the completion of capital projects as specifically approved by the State Legislature and the University Board of Trustees.
   b. Authority extends to contracts, change orders and field authorizations up to a limit of $350,000 per transaction.
   c. The Director, Capital Projects may, with the written concurrence the President or a Vice President, delegate contracting authority at a lower level to licensed architects and engineers who are Project Managers on individual construction projects. Authority for the actual disbursement of funds after the completion of work will require the signatures of the Project Manager and a higher-level supervisor.
   i. Delegation of contracting authority shall not exceed $75,000.
2. Associate Vice President, Information Services and Security
   a. Limited to contracting for computing and voice/data equipment, software, and supportive services in accordance with the policies, procedures, and Washington Administrative Codes established by the State Information Services Board pursuant to Chapter 43.105 RCW.
3. Chair, Department of Music
   a. Limited to contracting for the rental of performance music to be used by departmental ensembles and chamber groups and for agreements related to the loan of musical instruments for departmental use.
   i. Performance music rental and instrumental loan agreements may not exceed $1000 for any one contract.
4. Dean, Extended Learning and Global Education
   a. Limited to contracting for the CT3 contract forms and other contract forms associated with Worker Retraining and Workforce initiatives, as part of the Master Washington State Employment Security Department Agreement.
5. Secretary to the Board
   a. All contracts, deeds, leases, notes, mortgages, deeds of trust, bonds, indentures, warrants, undertakings, powers of attorney, releases and satisfactions of mortgages and indebtedness’s, reconveyances under deeds of trust, and all other releases, when the same have been authorized to be executed by order of the board of trustees and for all meeting arrangements (food, lodging, meeting space) for the board of trustees.
6. Director, Business Services
   a. All University public records affidavit responses, sexual misconduct release statements, delegated power of authority for all recovery/restitution requests, and interrogatories responses and settlement as required by the Attorney General Office in response to tort and litigation brought against the University.
7. Associate Dean, Student Living
   a. Limited to contracting with students as needed for University Housing.
8. Dean, School of Graduate Studies and Research
   a. The Dean, School of Graduate Studies and Research, is designated as the organization’s Authorized Representative and has delegated authority to sign all Sponsored Project Agreements; all Sponsored Project Proposals; memorandums of understanding (MOUs) related to research, sponsored projects, or partnerships; non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) related to research or sponsored projects; and Intellectual Property Agreements.

History: 

Responsibility: Chief of Staff; Authority: Cabinet/UPAC; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/UPAC; Review/Effective Date: 02/01/2017; 02/19/2020; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President
Reformatted and Assigned new Policy Number - Previous Policy CWUP 2-10-170, June 2025