Actual Authority Required
      UT System is a state agency
      Actual authority is required to bind a state agency
      A state agency cannot legally perform obligations that are 
       agreed to by representatives who do not have actual 
       authority to bind the agency
      At UT System actual authority is granted through written 
       delegations of authority from the Board of Regents
      Officers and employees of UT System must know whether 
       they have actual delegated authority to act on behalf of UT 
       System
     (Section 1.6, Rule 10501 of the Regents’ Rules)
     Primary Legal Bases for Delegation 
     of Authority to Sign Contracts
     Sections 65.31 and 65.34, Education Code
     Rule 10501 of the Regents’ Rules and 
       Regulations
    Two Categories of Delegation
    Primary Delegation
    Secondary Delegation
   Primary Delegation of Authority
   • A primary delegate receives authority to sign 
    contracts directly from the Board
   • The Board delegates primary authority through 
    the Regents’ Rules
   • The Board may also delegate primary authority 
    through minute orders
                              Examples of Primary Delegation
                                                                                                                  T h e   B o a r d   o f   R e g e n t s
                                                                                                                                    o f
                                                                                                         T h e   U n iv e r s i t y  o f   T e x a s   S y s t e m
                                           C h a n c e l l o r                     E x e c u t i v e   V i c e   C h a n c e l l o r              V i c e   C h a n c e l l o r                             P r e s id e n ts
                                                                                         f o r   B u s i n e s s   A f f a i r s             a n d   G e n e r a l   C o u n s e l