The President of Nicholls State University has ultimate control of the institution's fund-raising activities. The Vice President for Institutional Advancement, who is appointed by the President and reports directly to the President, is assigned the authority of supervising the University's fund-raising programs and serves as the University's chief development officer. Job descriptions for the President [1] and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement [2], as well as the University Organization Chart [3] illustrate the clear chain of authority over fund-raising with the President having ultimate responsibility.

In addition, the Director of Development [4], the Director of Athletics [5], and the Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs [6], who have responsibility for University fund-raising and athletic fund-raising respectively, are all under the supervision of the Vice President for Institutional Advancement. The job descriptions for these positions clearly delineate the chain of command with the President having ultimate authority for fund-raising.

The Affiliation Agreement [7] between the Nicholls State University Foundation and the University outlines the relationship between the two entities. It specifically states that the Foundation's mission is consistent with that of the University. In addition, the Foundation's Gift Acceptance Policies and Procedures [8] clearly states that the University President is responsible for all fund-raising activities including those related to athletics.