Legal Issues

The Office of the General Counsel is responsible for all legal representation and advice for the University, including the hiring of all outside counsel. The Office is available for consultation with chairs on any legal questions they may have.

Several Rice offices are also available as resources to Chairs on specific issues, including the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research Compliance, the Office of Risk Management (managing the University's insurance programs covering workers compensation and automobile liability insurance, general and professional liability insurance and property insurance), and the Office of Student Judicial Programs (for information related to the Student Code of Conduct and Honor Council). The Office of Access, Equity and Equal Opportunity works closely with faculty, administrators and staff to foster tolerance and diversity at Rice and to ensure that the University complies with the federal and state non-discrimination laws and regulations. The Disability Resource Center works with faculty, administrators and departments to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. The Office of Human Resources is also an excellent resource on any personnel or benefits issue. If the services of a Notary Public are required, several Rice offices, including General Counsel and Human Resources, have staff who are certified.

While chairs should have general familiarity with University policies and procedures relating to their departments, the following Rice policies often apply with greater frequency, and chairs would find it useful to be aware of these policies: