FAQ

General

Who does the Office of Legal Affairs represent?: The OLA provides legal counsel to Georgia State University (including all of its Units and Departments) and its cooperative organizations (i.e., Research Foundation, Foundation, Athletic Association, and Alumni Association). The OLA advises these entities’ administrators, faculty, and staff, in their official capacities, on various issues impacting the University.
What type of legal services does the Office of Legal Affairs provide?: The OLA provides a full range of legal services to the University community. OLA attorneys provide counsel on a variety of topics, including, but not limited to, labor and employment, intellectual property, corporate law, research, compliance, litigation, governance and ethics, real estate, athletics, and student and faculty issues.
Does the Office of Legal Affairs provide personal legal advice?: No. The OLA does not provide legal advice or representation to individual University employees on their personal matters or with matters that may conflict against the University’s interest. If you are interested in finding an attorney to represent you in a personal matter, please consult the “Finding a Personal Attorney” section under the LEGAL SERVICES heading of the OLA website for helpful resources.
Can the Office of Legal Affairs notarize documents?: Yes. The OLA has several Notaries Public. If you are a member of the faculty, staff, or student body of the University and have a document that needs to be notarized, please bring the unsigned document and valid photo identification to the OLA. If all requirements for notarization are met, a Notary will have you sign the document in front of him/her, and the Notary will sign and stamp the document as required.
How can I contact the Office of Legal Affairs?: The OLA operates between 8:30 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. Monday – Friday and is located in Suite 510 on the 5th Floor of the 10 Park Place South Building. The OLA can be reached by phone at (404) 413-0500 or by fax at (404) 413-0518. Mail may be sent to the Georgia State University Office of Legal Affairs, P.O. Box 3987, Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3987.

Alcohol Issues

Can a Georgia State University Unit or Department serve alcohol at a campus event?

Alcohol may only be served at events held on the Georgia State University campus upon receipt of permission to do so by the University President or the President’s designee. In order to receive permission to service alcohol at an on-campus event, the event sponsor must review the University’s Policy on Alcohol and other Drugs and complete the required Request to Serve Alcohol process. A link to the Policy on Alcohol and other Drugs and to the Request to Serve Alcohol form are set forth below.

Document Links

Policy on Alcohol and other Drugs

http://webdb.gsu.edu/policies/policy_index.cfm?view_policy=4484

Request to Serve Alcohol at On Campus Event

Request_to_Serve_Form_and_Routing_Sheet.doc

Directions for Obtaining Permission to Serve Alcohol at an On-Campus Event

1. Read the Policy on Alcohol and other Drugs;

2. Complete the Request to Serve Alcohol at On-Campus Event form by (A) entering all requested information about the event on page 1; and (B) routing the document for signature to all persons identified on page 2, as applicable; and

3. Submit the completed Request to Serve Alcohol at On-Campus Event form to the Office of Legal Affairs for review at least two weeks prior to the event. Your Request to Serve Alcohol at On-Campus Event form may be sent through hand-delivery (recommended), interoffice mail, or facsimile to 404-413-0518.

4. You will receive notice from the Office of Legal Affairs indicating whether or not permission has been granted for alcohol service at your event once Legal Affairs has completed its review of your Request to Serve.

Business Issues

Where can I obtain a copy of current Georgia State University policies?

ll current University policies can be accessed on the University Policy Library website at http://www.gsu.edu/policies/

What contracts must be reviewed by the Office of Legal Affairs?

With a few rare exceptions, the OLA must review all contracts involving the University, its Units and Departments, and its affiliated organizations, regardless of amount, prior to signature by an authorized signatory of the University. For more information about University contracts, and the procedures for processing and executing such contracts, please visit the “Contracts” under the LEGAL SERVICES heading of the OLA website or click the link

Where can I obtain a copy of the current Contract Routing Sheet?

Click link to download a copy of the Contract Routing Sheet (effective as of February 1, 2012) Routing_Form_2012.pdf

What is Georgia State University’s signature authority policy?

Only individuals who have written Signature Authority delegation from the University President or one of the President’s authorized delegatees can execute a contract binding on the University. Faculty members, including Department Chairs, generally do not have such authority to execute contracts on behalf of the University. Individuals who execute contracts without official Signature Authority delegation may be personally responsible for fulfilling the terms of the contract (including payment of any required charges under the contract). Individuals seeking Signature Authority on behalf of the University should contact their supervisors or the Division of Finance and Administration at (404) 413-3000. A current list of individuals at the University who have Signature Authority can be found here Georgia State University Signature Authorization Delegation.

What is Georgia State University’s policy on record retention?

The University follows the record retention schedule of the University System of Georgia, which may be accessed at http://www.gsu.edu/es/records/25347.html

Where can I find information about hiring an Independent Contractor/Consultant for my Unit or Department?

Information about hiring an Independent Contractor/Consultant for a University Unit or Department can be obtained by reviewing the Payments to Independent Contractors/Consultants Guide http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwfas/FinancialOperation/consultingcontract_new.html

or by contacting the Office of Disbursements at (404) 413-3040.

Clinical Agreements

What is a clinical agreement and how does my Unit or Department enter into one with an outside facility/organization?: A clinical agreement is a contract between the University and another entity (oftentimes a healthcare facility) for purposes of providing an educational opportunity for students generally in a supervised situation, such as an internship. The clinical agreement sets forth the rights and responsibilities of each party with regard to the educational opportunity. For more information regarding clinical arrangements with external facilities, please contact your Unit or Department’s clinical coordinator.

Compliance

To whom should I report suspected fraudulent or illegal activity or harassment of any kind?: University faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to report any suspected occurrences of fraud, illegal activity, or harassment through their supervisory chain of command or other trusted administrators. However, faculty, staff, and students may also report such occurrences to the Police Department, the Office of Human Resources, the Office of the Ombudsperson, the Office of Opportunity Development and Diversity Education Planning, University Research Services & Administration, or University Auditing and Advisory Services. Finally, any member of the University community may report occurrences of fraud, illegal activity, or harassment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the Georgia State University Hotline, which may be accessed by phone toll-free at 1-877-217-4674 or online at the Hotline website http://www.tnwinc.com/gastate/

Emergency Management

Does Georgia State University have a disaster preparedness plan?: Yes. A copy of the University’s Emergency Management Policy and Emergency Management Plan, as well as information relating to Georgia State University’s preparedness level and procedures for handling pandemic flu, and other potential emergencies, may be obtained at the University Office of Emergency Management’s website http://www.gsu.edu/oem/index.html

Intellectual Property

How do I get permission to use Georgia State University’s name and/or logos/marks/etc.?

The University’s Division of University Relations is charged with reviewing and approving requests to use the name of Georgia State University and any of its associated logos/marks/etc. The OLA will also advise University faculty and staff members about requested uses or references to the Georgia State University name, or about contract or license terms regarding use of the Georgia State University name/logos/marks/etc. Furthermore, all uses of the Georgia State University name/logos/marks/etc. must comply with the Georgia State University Style and Identity Guides http://www.gsu.edu/universityrelations/36113.html

What do I do if I see a company using the name “Georgia State University” or any of Georgia State University’s logos/marks/etc. and such goods do not appear legitimate?

Please contact the OLA immediately if you become aware of such a situation.

What do I do if a research collaborator wants me to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement, Material Transfer Agreement, or Collaborative Research Agreement with them?

All types of contracts, including those commonly associated with collaborative research arrangements, such as Non-Disclosure Agreements and Material Transfer Agreements, must be reviewed and approved by the OLA, as well as signed by an authorized signatory for the University. Please forward these types of documents to the OLA for such a review as soon as possible upon receipt, along with your contact information. If you have a sponsored research agreement, such contracts will be reviewed and handled by the University’s Office of Sponsored Programs, which can be contacted at (404) 413-3500.

Where can I obtain a copy of the University System of Georgia Copyright Policy and its Fair Use Checklist?

A copy of the University System of Georgia Copyright Policy (as modified on January 30, 2009) and its Fair Use Checklist may be accessed here http://www.usg.edu/copyright/

Questions regarding the Copyright Policy and/or the Fair Use Checklist can be directed to the University Library or the OLA.

What do I do if I think I might have created or discovered something that is patentable?

If you think you may have created or discovered something that is patentable, please complete a Intellectual Property Disclosure Form [insert link] found on the OLA website and submit the completed document to the OLA as soon as possible. An OLA attorney will review the Intellectual Property Disclosure Form and be in contact with you.

Litigation

May I retain outside legal counsel for a Georgia State University business matter?: No. For legal advice related to official University business, the OLA – in consultation with other appropriate offices as necessary – is the only office authorized at the University to retain outside legal counsel. If you have a matter you believe warrants legal representation, please contact the OLA for further information.
What do I do if I have received an Open Records Act request, subpoena, letter from an attorney, request to appear in court, lawsuit, or other legal document?: Because of the time-sensitive nature of these documents, and the possibility of sanctions if the University fails to respond to such requests, if you receive any of the above types of documents, forward the document to the OLA immediately along with your contact information.

Real Estate

Where do I find general information regarding real estate associated with Georgia State University?: Information about the University’s real estate holdings (or real estate holdings of the University’s affiliated organizations), or opportunities to lease space in such properties, may be obtained by contacting the OLA.

Risk & Insurance

Who should I call if there is an injury in my office?

If an injury occurs, the University employee, and his/her supervisor if available, should follow the steps outlined in the Georgia State University Accident/Injury Reporting Instructions at http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwsaf/forms/AccidentReportingAtGeorgiaStateUniversity.pdf

The Instructions guide the injured University employee, and his/her supervisor, on the proper procedures for obtaining proper medical assistance and completing any required documentation. For more information, please contact the Office of Safety and Risk Management at (404) 413-9549.

Who should I call for questions regarding Georgia State University’s insurance coverage?

Questions regarding the University’s insurance coverage, including requests for copies of the University’s current Insurance Certificate, may be directed to the Office of Safety and Risk Management at (404) 413-9549.

Student Issues

Does the Office of Legal Affairs provide legal counsel to students?: No. The OLA does not provide legal advice or representation to students.
Where can I obtain a copy of the Student Code of Conduct and Administrative Policies and Procedures (“Student Code”)?: The Student Code may be found in the Student Handbook or online the website of the University’s Dean of Students Office at
http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwdos/wordFilesEtc/2008_0418_StudentCodecweb.pdf
What policies and procedures does Georgia State University maintain to protect student records?: Information about the University’s policies and procedures relating to student records may be obtained by reviewing the “Subpoenas and Records Requests” section of the LEGAL SERVICES heading of the OLA website.