Contract for Review and Signature Policy
Student Involvement Leadership and Involvement (SILT) oversees the routing process of all contracts on behalf of Recognized Student Organizations at Emory. The successful completion of the routing process of a contract must be submitted 30 days (about 4 and a half weeks) prior to the date of contracted services.
Rationale for Contracts
When working with any vendors whether it be for an event space, catering, rights to copyrights such as movies or plays, balloon artists, entertainment/DJs, and a variety of other services utilized by student organizations, it is imperative to establish a formal relationship between Emory University (your student organizations) and the vendor. Contracts are the only way to establish this relationship.
Contract Process Expectations
Contracts enable entities to formally agree to the details of the goods and services provided while also establishing an agreement on business and legal terms.
Only the recognized student organization’s event planner/risk manager may submit contracts on behalf of the organization. The officers must participate and pass the Contracts Training course provided on the Compliance Training Course on Canvas prior to submitting a contract.
Do not make payment in advance of a contract being signed and do not sign a contract. Both of these actions will hold the signatory legally and fiscally responsible, not the recognized student organization or Emory. Reimbursement will not be made for either of these situations.
Submit Contract on The Hub
All recognized student organizations looking to book a service, guest speaker, or performer must submit the Contract for Review and Signature Form through The Hub prior to final event registration approval.
Signature Authority for Contracts
Student leaders should not sign contracts or make payment in advance of a contract. Individuals may not enter into any agreements, verbal or written, on behalf of an Emory University Recognized Student Organization. Only specific Emory Campus Life staff and administrators have the designation of authorized signature authority specifically for student organizations. If you - as a student - signs a contract, then your group or advisor is at risk of being held fiscally or legally responsible for the terms of the contract.
Contracts are reviewed by at least three separate offices/departments, so please note any contract submissions submitted within 30 days (about 4 and a half weeks) of the event will unfortunately not be reviewed and be denied for signature.
Types of Contracts:
Depending on the type of service, guest speaker, or performer your recognized student organization is planning to work with, contracts will look vastly different from one vendor to the next.
Required Details of a Contract
In order to establish a proper business and legal relationship between Emory (your recognized student organization) and the vendor, the following information needs to be notated in the contract:
- Date of service
- Beginning time and ending time of service
- Specific service provided (equipment/food/beverages/staffing need to be itemized)
- Payment terms (Emory prefers via ACH NET30)
- Total Payment Amount for services
- Due date deposit (if applicable) and final payment
- Payment method (Emory will only do check or ACH)
Speaker Contracts
Student groups are required to submit a speaker contract if they are planning on inviting a guest speaker to their event, whether they are being paid or not and/or are attending the event in-person or virtually.
Performer/Performer Adjacent Contracts
For any entertainer (band, comedian, DJ, photographer, etc.) or technical staff (light designer, stage designer, etc.) hired to participate in an event, a contract must be submitted even if the compensation amount is $0.00.
If a current Emory student is being hired as an entertainer or performer for a student group event, please ensure a contract is completed.
Movie, TV, and Play Rights
All student groups are required to purchase and/or obtain the right to show movies and television shows on campus due to federal copyright laws, regardless of the way in which the content is accessed (e.g. Netflix, DVD, or any media platform). Rights will need to be either purchased via an invoice or with a contract depending on the company.
Contracts and/or fees may be associated with purchasing the rights to perform a play or musical, so plan ahead!
The Contract Routing Process
All student groups follow the steps detailed below for every event contract. Please keep in mind that the routing process takes at least 30 days (about 4 and a half weeks) to complete.
- Submit the "Event Registration Form" in The Hub for the event. Only the event planner/risk manager can submit event registrations as well as contracts.
- Student selects, fills out, and completes the appropriate contract template. All contracts will need to be submitted at once on the event registration form.
- Students upload the contract through the event registration to be reviewed and signed.
- Contract is sent to the vendor and if there are edits the vendor must countersign acknowledging the edits.
- Contract is countersigned and returned to the student event planner/risk manager via the message board on the original event registration submission.
- Student Governance Services is notified via The Hub the contract is complete to begin the payment process.
- Update the contract payment processing details (if applicable).
- For all fully executed contracts, payment will automatically be processed according to payment details in the contract. If your event did not happen and/or your payment needs to be canceled, you must email sgs@emory.edu as soon as possible. In your email, provide the full RSO name, event date, information for each individual/business contracted for the event that should be canceled, and a brief description as to why (e.g. "the performer did not show up"). Please write "CONTRACT NO PAY" in the email subject line.
- To ensure a smooth payment process, double check that the person/entity being contracted has provided all the necessary information, including an I-9 or W-9 (details of all necessary information are noted in each of the contract templates), Supplier Information Form, and Sole Source Form for anything above $10,000.
Emory Generic Contracts
Some vendors are small businesses and do not have contracts or have contracts that do not list out the information needed to establish a formal relationship from vendor to Emory University. SILT has three different generic contracts vendors can use by filling out the necessary information.