Any type of document, whether in letter form, standard contract form, or otherwise, that commits the University to pay another party for goods or services or commits the University to provide goods or services to another, is a contract and may bind the University to its terms. While you may have authority to make purchases for your department using a University purchasing card, or to sign payroll, HR or other documents used for internal University administrative matters, this does not necessarily mean that you have the authority to sign contracts on behalf of the University.
Most individuals on campus are not authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the institution, please review the Signature Authority Memo for information on who is authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the University.
If you have a contract in need of review and signature by the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration or the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business Services, please forward the Contract Approval Cover Sheet with the contract requiring signature to Heather Bockhop at heather.bockhop@wisc.edu.