In the international contracts area, Ruilin Li’s primary client is the Global Programs and Strategy Alliance (“GPS”) unit. Most University Departments are involved in international activities, though, and therefore Ruilin’s client base in this area is systemwide. A unit contemplating a new international activity should first contact GPS.
University units that hire foreign nationals who require employment based visas to work at the University may utilize the services of International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) for a fee to obtain the necessary visas, or may work through OGC to retain outside legal counsel at departmental/collegiate expense to prepare and submit the visa applications.
Kaley Klanica provides legal advice and counsel to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, which reviews all projects involving animals to ensure that they are justified by their benefits and minimize any animal pain or suffering that might occur. This includes research teaching and display of University of Minnesota-owned animals.
University departments that are holding events off campus at a conference center or hotel must do so in accordance with the University administrative procedure requiring a written agreement. There are over ten approved contracts for Twin Cities’ area hotels and conference centers in the OGC Contracts Library. Holding the event at one of these facilities and using the standard contract form means that no additional OGC review is required, resulting in a speedier contracting process for departments.
Kaley Klanica provides legal advice and counsel to the Institutional Review Board in the IRB’s review of proposed research projects which involve human subjects to ensure that subjects are not placed at undue risk and that they give uncoerced, informed consent to their participation.
The University is a complex organization with operations around the state, the country and the world. It frequently partners with other government agencies and departments, non-governmental organizations, and private companies to conduct research, teach and provide services and information to the community. It creates entities, alone or in collaboration with others. It provides human and technical resources to independent entities. These arrangements further the University’s mission, bringing needed capital, resources, and knowledge to support University programs and activities.
Ruilin Li serves as issuer’s counsel for the University’s bond, commercial paper and other debt issuances and provides advice and counsel to the Office of Budget and Finance on financing, and other matters.
The University is a large public entity that maintains large amounts of data—about students, employees, research projects, funding, administration, and a host of other topics. The data at the University are governed by complex federal and state regulations that classify some data as private or nonpublic, and other data as public. Public information must be disclosed upon request under the state’s Government Data Practices Act.
Copyright is at the heart of the University’s teaching, research and public service. University faculty show copyrighted video in their classes. They copy portions of copyrighted books in their scholarly articles. Students do the same in their term papers and staff in their administrative memos. Federal law, however, grants copyright holders the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, prepare a derivative work based on, publicly display and publicly perform copyrighted works.
Capital Planning and Project Management (CPPM) is responsible for planning, designing, and constructing fixed assets of the University, including buildings, furnishings and equipment, and utility infrastructure. The Board of Regents must approve purchases of construction or other services with a value greater than $1,000,000.