As a member of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), Athens State University (ASU) operates under the authority of the Alabama State Board of Education upon recommendations from the Chancellor, who serves as the chief executive officer of the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education.

State Board Policy 203.02 defines the President’s line of authority and specifies that the President is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the institution. Pursuant to this Policy, the President’s job description includes the responsibility of securing outside funding for University projects, and delegating responsibility and authority to appropriate administrators. In addition, State Board Policies 315.01 and 319.01 give the President the authority to accept gifts and donations to the institution, and to apply for available federal funds when appropriate.

The ASU Fundraising Policies and Procedures specify that the President has given the Office of University Advancement (formerly the Office of University Relations) the responsibility for coordinating fundraising priorities and activities that are in conjunction with the University’s mission and goals. These responsibilities are further reflected in the job description for the Vice President for University Advancement (formerly the Vice President of University Relations). As a part of these responsibilities, the Vice President for University Advancement must present an annual fundraising plan to the President and the administrative team for approval.

The ASU Grants and Contracts Policy specifies the process that has been established by the University in applying for federal, state, or local grants. A grant approval form must be submitted through the appropriate channels to ensure that all personnel, accounting, matching and other University requirements have been considered. The grant application may be submitted to the appropriate grantor agency only upon receiving the approval of the President. The requirement for submitting a grant approval form is also published in the Employee Handbook.