VPR Delegated Authority

VPR Delegated Signature Authority

Revised: Effective November 1, 2024

**Note: This chart refers only to items that must be signed by the Vice President for Research. A new page for document routing regardless of signature requirements is under construction.

Item Requiring VPR's Approval
Staff Review By
Signature Authority

Absence Requests

for VPR Direct Reports

routes via Workflow in SAP
HR Policy #80.0: Vacation Leave
HR Policy #82.0: Temporary Disability Leave
Judy Duncan
Judy Duncan/Ilhem Messaoudi

Academic Appointments

GR VIII - University Appointments
AR 2:2-1 and AR 2:2-2
Note: BOT Approval required for Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, & Instructors with salaries over $100,000
Note: BOT Reporting required for other faculty appointments with salaries equal to or less than $100,000
Margaret Leach
lisa tannock, associate provost for faculty advancement

Alcohol Expenditures*

AR 6:4
BPM E-7-10 (pdf, 5pgs) and BPM B-3-2 (pdf, 2pgs)
*Requires Discretionary Funds
Business Officers
Directors

Awards 

New Proposals & Changes
BPM E-7-12 (pdf, 4pgs) and BPM E-7-11 (pdf, 3pgs)
a) Faculty
b) Staff
C) Student

 

a) Rita Wilkie
b) Toni Smith
c) Toni Smith
 
 
a) lisa tannock, associate provost for faculty advancement
b) Judy Duncan
c) Judy Duncan

Board Actions 

Status change, leaves, sabbaticals, post retirement APPOINTMENTS, ETC.
ar 2:1-1
a) Faculty
b) Staff
a) Margaret Leach
b) stacy gaylor
a) lisa tannock, associate provost for faculty advancement
b) Ilhem Messaoudi/Judy Duncan

Budget Revisions 

income related
AR 1:4
Toni Smith
Ilhem Messaoudi/Judy Duncan

Business Procedure/Policy Exceptions

delegated to the VPR
BPM E-1-2 (pdf, 2pgs)
Toni Smith/michele schlake
Judy Duncan/Toni Smith

Cellular Allowance - Supervisor Signagure for VPR Direct Reports

BPM Q-1-2 (pdf, 7pgs)
michele schlake
Toni Smith/michele schlake

Cellular Allowance - AFO/BO Signature for VPR Director Reports and Research Administration Staff

BPM Q-1-2 (pdf, 7pgs)
michele schlake
Toni Smith/michele schlake

Concur Travel & Expense Reports for VPR Direct Reports

routes via workflow in concur
E-5-1: Reimbursement of Travel Expenses (PDF, 17PGS)
B-3-2-1: Procurement Card Authorization and Limits (PDF, 2PGS)
stacy gaylor/Judy Duncan
stacy gaylor/Judy Duncan

Contracts

all NON-CLINICAL
AR 8:3 and BPMs B-4 (pdf, 2pgs), B-4-1 (pdf, 1pg), B-4-2 (pdf, 3pgs), and B-4-3 (pdf, 1pg)
a) Acacdemic Program Contracts
b) Personal Services Contracts
c) International Program Agreements
a) university legal counsel
b) university legal counsel
c) university legal counsel
a) lisa tannock, associate provost for faculty advancement
b) Ilhem Messaoudi/Judy Duncan
c) sue roberts, associate provost for internationalization

Cost Transfer for Sponsored Projects

>120 Days

BPM E-4 (pdf, 8pgs) and Cost Transfer Policy (pdf, 5pgs)
toni smith/Judy Duncan
Judy Duncan/toni smith

Data Use, Material Transfer, & Confidentiality Agreements

AR 8:3
directors, with review by office of technolgy commercialization
director of office of technology commercialization, and OTC director delegees

Data Use & Memoranda of Agreements for Kentucky Cancer Registry (KCR) receipt of genetic/molecular cancer data of Kentucky cancer centers and hospitals

AR 8:3
office of legal counsel
director of kentucky cancer registry (KCR)

Data Use & Memoranda of Agreements for provision of Kentucky Cancer Registry (KCR) data to researchers external to University

AR 8:3
office of technology commercialization
director of kentucky cancer registry (KCR)

Employee Education Forms - Supervisor Signagure for VPR Direct Reports

only required for classes that meet during working hours
Employee & Family Education Program
michele schlake
toni smith/Judy Duncan

Equipment Purchases over $200K 

without legislative budget authority 
(letter to provide authority)
toni smith/Judy Duncan
Judy Duncan/toni smith

Gifts to Friends & Donors*

Appreciation, Memorial, special occasions
BPM E-7-10 (pdf, 5pgs)
*requires discretionay funds
toni smith/Judy Duncan
Ilhem Messaoudi/Judy Duncan

Hiring Proposals & Salary Recommendations for Staff

all research units - Hiring proposals route electronically via ies. salary proposal forms should be emailed to michele schlake.
HR Policy #30: Compensation Administration
a) Salaries less than midpoint and less than 15% increase
B) salaries greater than midpoint but less than maximum***
c) Promotions greater than 15% of current salary***
d) Lateral and demotions with an increase in pay***
e) Salaries greater than Maximum 
*** these requests require a supporting explanation memo (or email) from your director attached to the request in ies (or to the salary recommendation for re-evaluations).
Note: Lateral transfers do not warrant an increase in pay. Increases for lateral transfers are considered an exception and require justification. Voluntary demotions with an increase in pay will not be approved. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
a)michele schlake
b) michele schlake
c) michele schlake
d) michele schlake
e) michele schlake
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
a) michele schlake/toni smith
b) Toni Smith/Judy Duncan
c) Toni Smith/Judy Duncan
d) Toni Smith/Judy Duncan
e) Ilhem Messaoudi prior to ies submission. employment office will obtain president's office approval after IES submission

Lost Equipment Records

BPM E-12-3 (pdf, 7pgs)
Toni Smith/Judy Duncan
Ilhem Messaoudi

Nepotism Exception Requests

HR Policy #19.0: Nepotism
GR X - Regulations Affecting Employment (pdf, 15pgs)
a) Faculty
b) Staff
 
 
 
 
a) michele schlake
B) michele schlake
 
 
 
 
a) lisa tannock, associate provost for faculty advancement
b) Ilhem Messaoudi/Toni Smith

Off-Campus Leasing

UK Real Estate Services
space request form must be signed by dr. Messaoudi prior to submission
Toni Smith/Judy Duncan
Ilhem Messaoudi

Overloads - VPR Faculty Direct Reports

routes via Workflow in SAP
AR 3:9
michele schlake
Ilhem Messaoudi/Judy Duncan

Overloads - VPR Staff Direct Reports

AR 3:9
HR Policy #30: Compensation Administration
a) supervisor signature
b) dean/director/head of organization
 
 
 
 
a) michele schlake
b) michele schlake
 
 
 
 
a) Judy Duncan
b) Toni Smith/Judy Duncan

Petty Cash Advance for Travel

BPM E-5-2 (pdf, 2pgs)
 Toni Smith
Judy Duncan

Payroll Petty Cash Payment

Payroll Petty Cash Procedures (pdf, 27pgs)
Business Officer/Director
Toni Smith/michele schlake

Phased Retirement

AR 3:2
a) Staff
b) Faculty
 
 
a) Toni Smith
b) Toni Smith
 
 
a) Ilhem Messaoudi/Judy Duncan/Toni Smith
b) Ilhem Messaoudi & lisa tannock, associate provost for faculty advancement

Procard Applications for VPR Direct Reports

BPM 3-2-1 (pdf, 2pgs)
A) supervisor signature
b) approving dean/business officer
 
 
 
 
A) michele schlake
b) michele schlake
 
 
 
 
A) Toni Smith
b) Toni Smith/judy duncan
 

Property Transfers - Equipment

BPM E-12-4 (pdf, 7pgs)
Toni Smith/judy duncan
Toni Smith/judy duncan

Public Relations Activities

Dinners, admissions charges, etc.*
BPM E-7-10 (pdf, 5pgs)
*Requires Discretionary Funds
Business Officers
Directors

Recruitment Expenses - Potential Staff

BPM E-7-9 (pdf, 2pgs)
Business Officers
directors

Re-Evaluations of Staff Positions

routes via Workflow in IES
HR Policy #30: Compensation Administration
 michele schlake
 Toni Smith/judy duncan

Relocation Expense - All Offers

all offers
BPM E-7-8 (pdf, 2pgs)
 michele schlakeToni Smith
Ilhem Messaoudi/Judy Duncan/Toni Smith

Renovations less than $100,000

Not funded by special state appropriations (e.g. deferred maintenance pools, state grants, etc.)
BPM E-3-2 (pdf, 2pgs)
Toni Smith/Judy Duncan
Ilhem Messaoudi

Renovations $100,000 and over AND all Projects funded by Special State Appropriations

(e.g. deferred maintenance pools, state grants, etc.)
BPM E-3-2 (pdf, 2pgs)
 Toni Smith/Judy Duncan
Ilhem Messaoudi

Salary Adjustments - Mid Year

 Toni Smith
Ilhem Messaoudi -
prior to submission to compensation. compensation will obtain president's office approval once submitted.

Self-supporting Activities - Discretionary Expenses

(e.g. reception for a conference)
BPM E-7-10 (pdf, 5pgs)
Toni Smithmichele schlake
judy duncan/Toni Smith

Special Leave Requests for Staff

HR Policy #85.0: Special Leaves
michele schlake/Toni Smith
Ilhem Messaoudi/Toni Smith

System Security Access for SAP FI, HR, CM, IES, AND Tableau Server 

note: approval for access to individual tableau folders is granted by tableau folder owner
Business Officers
Toni Smith/judy duncan/michele schlake

Unexpended Plant Fund Projects

exception to funding
BPM E-3-1 (pdf, 3pgs)
Judy Duncan
judy duncan/Ilhem Messaoudi

Vehicle Purchases

Toni Smith
judy duncan/Ilhem Messaoudi

Visa Applications

UK International Center
 
a) OIA Staff/Business Officers
b) OIA Staff Business Officers
a) Directors
b) Directors