Approver's Role

This article describes the responsibilities of Approvers in UC OATS. Approvers are typically individuals in formal academic leadership positions, such as Department Chair, Division Chief, Dean, Vice Provost, or Provost. The specific titles assigned to the Approver role may vary by campus and organizational structure. 

Primary Responsibilities

The following is a list of responsibilities for Approvers:

• Review prior approval forms to determine whether proposed activities comply with APM policy and conflict-of-commitment requirements.
• Review Annual Certification reports to confirm accurate disclosure of outside professional activities.
• Approve/Acknowledge or return submissions to reviewers or faculty to request additional clarification or correction as needed. 
• The final approver will have the option to officially approve or deny the prior approval form.

Reviewing Prior Approval Forms

When reviewing prior approval forms, the Approver is responsible for: 

• Evaluating whether the activity is allowable under policy.
• Confirm the activity category is appropriate.
• Consider potential conflicts of commitment or other concerns.

Reviewing Annual Certification Reports

Typically, the Department Chair serves as the Approver for Annual Certification reports and Student Involvement forms.

During review, the Department Chair should confirm that the faculty has included all activities and has reported all effort/earnings in their Annual Certification.

Terminal Approver

The terminal approver (e.g., Provost, Vice Provost, Chancellor) serves as the final authority in the prior approval workflow. This role is responsible for determining whether a prior approval form is approved and specifying the approval duration. The terminal approver will have additional options: 

• Expiration Date - Terminal approvers enter the approved expiration date.
• Denied - Terminal approvers can deny a prior approval request.