General Counsel

Advancing UNA with Integrity

The Office of the General Counsel supports UNA’s mission by providing legal guidance, contract review, risk education, and practical problem-solving for university decisions and initiatives. The office helps promote a campus culture rooted in integrity, accountability, and ethical action while working with university leaders, departments, and outside counsel to support UNA’s continued growth.

The Office of the General Counsel is dedicated to supporting and advancing the university’s mission, goals and growth. We accomplish this mission by:

• Promoting a climate of ethical behavior, integrity and accountability;
• Providing timely, creative, and practical legal advice and problem-solving;
• Providing education about legal requirements and risks to prevent or reduce liabilities and legal disputes;
• Reviewing and revising contracts and other legal documents;
• Serving as the point of contact for all interaction with outside counsel; and
• Facilitating the development and implementation of university initiatives.

Forms and Resources

View and download related forms and resources here:

• Liability Waiver
• Legal Issues for Faculty
• Policies, Guidelines and University Statements
• State Ethics Laws
• Free Speech on the University of North Alabama’s Campus
• Open Records Request
• Public Universities of Alabama Retention Schedule

[UNA: confirm updated URLs for site launch]

Free Speech Compliance Report

In compliance with Code of Alabama Section 16-68 Free Speech for Students, Faculty and Staff, by September 1 of each year, the Board of Trustees prepares and publishes a report for the prior 12-month period ending July 31.

2021 Free Speech Compliance Report

2022 Free Speech Compliance Report

2023 Free Speech Compliance Report

2024 Free Speech Compliance Report

2025 Free Speech Compliance Report

[UNA: confirm updated URLs for site launch]

Open Records Request

Guidelines for Making Open Records Requests

Alabama Open Records Act Requests

The University of North Alabama complies with the laws of the State of Alabama, including granting citizens the right to review and obtain copies of certain public writings in accordance with Alabama Code §36-12-40, et. seq. As such, the University of North Alabama has adopted guidelines and a form for individuals requesting records from the University of North Alabama.

The Alabama Supreme Court has held that a public body as defined in the Public Records Act may require a person making a request for access to public records to submit a written application and give a reason for seeking the record.

Submitting a Request

The records request form found below should be completed for each request made.  All requests should describe the records being sought, including the date and/or time frame of such records, and the purpose of the request.  Please provide an as detailed as possible description for the records or types of records being requested.  The University is not obligated to respond to a request that is vague, ambiguous, overly broad, or unreasonable in scope, nor is the University obligated to respond to a request that seeks records that do not exist or materials that are not public records.

The University will devote as much of its resources to addressing public records requests as possible without interfering with the fulfillment of the normal job duties of its personnel.

Response

The University will acknowledge all requests received. Depending on the amount of time required to gather the relevant information, the length of time before a response is provided will vary.

Costs

There will be a charge of $1.00 per page, and payment must be provided before documents will be made available.  The University reserves the right to recover the actual cost of record search and copying, including labor, if the information requested is not readily available or requires an extended amount of time to research, retrieve, review, redact, assemble, etc.  If you submit a request that is subject to additional recovery costs, you will be provided with an estimate before work begins.  When possible and reasonable, records may be available at no charge. 

Exemptions

State law provides that some information may be exempt from production including, but not limited to, sensitive personnel information, registration and circulation records and information concerning the use of university libraries; records concerning security plans, procedures, assessments, measures, or systems, and any other records relating to, or having an impact upon, the security or safety of persons, structures, facilities, or other infrastructures, including information concerning critical infrastructures and critical energy infrastructures the public disclosure of which may reasonably be expected to be detrimental to the public safety or welfare; records that the disclosure of which would otherwise be detrimental to the best interests of the public; or, records protected from disclosure by other state and federal laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA) law.

Frequently Asked Questions

May I hire an outside attorney for University business?

No. Only the General Counsel may retain outside counsel for matters related to the University.

Can the Office of General Counsel recommend a personal attorney?

The Office of General Counsel does not refer employees to private attorneys.

Who does the Office of General Counsel represent?

The Office of General Counsel provides legal advice and representation to the University of North Alabama. The University and all of its colleges and departments are one legal entity. In that capacity, the Office of General Counsel advises administration, faculty and staff, all in their official capacities, on various issues affecting the university to reach decisions that are in the best interest of the University.

Can the Office of General Counsel represent or give legal advice to individual faculty members, students, or staff on non-University matters?

No. The Office of General Counsel represents the University and works only on University-related matters

What should I do if I receive a subpoena, summons, or court order or if I am contacted by an attorney in connection with University business?

If you receive a subpoena directed to the University of North Alabama, or related to your work at UNA, you should not accept it. You should direct the person attempting to serve the subpoena to the Office of General Counsel, Cramer Way, room 326, 256-765-4487.

If you receive a summons or court order, or are contacted by an attorney in connection with University business, you should immediately direct him or her to or contact the Office of General Counsel, 256-765-4487.

Our office will coordinate the appropriate response to such legal inquiries. Under no circumstances should any information be disclosed or University documents be released without prior notification and approval from the Office of General Counsel.

What should I do if I need a contract reviewed, approved, and signed?

Faculty and staff regularly receive proposed contracts from various educational institutions, outside agencies, vendors, and other third parties. Most contracts to which the University (or any college or department of the University) is a party, should be reviewed by the Office of General Counsel and signed by a University officer – the President or Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs or appropriate Vice President. Check with the vice president in your area regarding signatory authority, as most vice presidents have authority up to a certain limit. Signing contracts without the appropriate authority is most likely not within the scope of employment and could, under some circumstances, lead to the person who signed the contract being held personally liable for the contractual obligations.

For questions regarding review and/or signature, please call the Office of General Counsel’s main number, 256-765-4487.

How long do I have to keep University records?

It depends on the type of record. Under Alabama law, many University records fall under the retention and disposal guidelines established by the Alabama State Records Commission. The guidelines are called the Records Disposition Authority (RDA) and can be found here.

The retention and disposal guidelines apply to University records in all formats. The RDA governs the disposition of all records, regardless of format, created by the University to dissolution. Please contact the staff of the Alabama Department of Archives and History before destroying any records created before 1940.

The RDA establishes retention and disposition instructions for some University records, regardless of the medium on which those records may be kept.

For more information on records retention and approved methods for destruction, please contact the Office of General Counsel, 256-765-4487.

Where do I get permission to use the University’s trademarks?

Commercial use of the university’s name, logos, nicknames, or other trademarks requires advance permission from the university’s trademark licensing director. University departments are permitted to use the trademarks and service marks for official university business purposes without prior approval. For more information, please visit the University Communications and Marketing webpage.

[UNA note: update with new site link to communications/mkt page]

Are communications with the Office of General Counsel confidential?

When the purpose of a communication between University employees and the General Counsel is to request and provide legal advice, those communications are confidential or “privileged.” This attorney/client privilege is critical for ensuring that clients speak freely with their attorneys and allows attorneys to provide candid advice. However, the privilege is the University’s; communications between individual employees and University employees may be disclosed to other administrators or to outside counsel retained to represent or advise the University on a “need to know” basis.

For the privilege to apply, you should never discuss your communications with the General Counsel with anyone outside of the University. Even within the University, you should take care only to discuss the communications with others who have responsibility for the issue at hand.

Disclosure of these communications risks waiving the privilege, which means the communications would no longer be confidential. Keep in mind that forwarding an email with legal advice could waive that privilege.

What should I do if I receive a request for public records?

Please contact the Office of General Counsel, 256-765-4487.