File · 001 / 26
Filed · April 2026
DOSSIER001
ISSUEPROPOSAL — FOR REVIEW
ORIGINSTUDENT FOUNDING TEAM
RECIPIENTGRINNELL COLLEGE ADMIN.
CLASSIFICATIONIN PLANNING
EFFECTIVEFALL 2026, CONDITIONAL
APPDEV · COMPLIANCE FRAMEWORK · IN PLANNING · FALL 2026 · APPDEV · COMPLIANCE FRAMEWORK · IN PLANNING · FALL 2026 ·
Pending
review
Fall 26
Subject of Filing

A compliance
framework for
student software.

Eight clauses, condensed.
Authored by founders.
Submitted for tightening.
Folio iThe Exposure

Students at Grinnell are already shipping software. Without a shared process, five categories of exposure go unmanaged.

Note. The question for the administration is not whether students should build software. They will. The question is whether that work happens inside a compliant framework or outside one.
— Executive summary
Folio iiThe Frame

On the question of what AppDev is —
and what it is not.

It Is
  • i.1A proposed student organization at Grinnell.
  • i.2An intake and compliance gate for student software projects.
  • i.3A framework keeping liability separate from student-owned work.
  • i.4A place to build real skills inside a reviewed structure.
It Is Not
  • —A college department or administrative unit.
  • —A publisher, host, or owner of student-built apps.
  • —A commercial venture or incubator.
  • —A bypass to college systems, data, or branding.
  • —A guarantor of any app's quality or operation.
Folio iiiThe Containment

Four classifications.
Proportional oversight.

Every project receives a tier at intake. Tiers are binding. Tier IV is declined by default. Standards are conditions of funding, not guidelines.

Class
Designation
Description
Required Standards
Posture
I
Personal / Internal
Tier I · Class 01
Single user. No data collection, no distribution.
  • §Self-certification only.
Permitted
II
Closed Community
Tier II · Class 02
Limited users known to the builder. No sensitive data.
  • §Advisor review.
  • §Non-affiliation disclaimer.
  • §Security checklist.
Permitted
III
Public-Facing
Tier III · Class 03
Open to the public. May collect user data or payments.
  • §Privacy policy.
  • §Security scan before grant.
  • §Accessibility at launch.
  • §Advisor sign-off.
Conditional
IV
Touches Grinnell
Tier IV · Class 04
Uses Grinnell systems, data, or branding — or sensitive student features.
  • §Administrative review.
  • §Legal & IT consult.
  • §Written approval required.
Default: Decline
Chart 03.A — Classification ScheduleSingle-veto · Standards must be met · Compliance gate, not funding form
Schedule BStructural Prohibitions · Eight items · Cannot be relaxed

What AppDev will not do.

01Host on Grinnell infrastructure.
02Facilitate access to protected records outside review.
03Permit any app to market itself as official Grinnell.
04Assume ownership of any student-built app.
05Fund projects that cannot meet the standards.
06Waive a standard. For any reason.
07Serve as a financial intermediary.
08Continue a project after the founder graduates without re-entry.
Folio ivThe Authority

Oversight is structural,
not advisory.

Authority is distributed across five roles. Four have a binding veto. Student leadership executes; it does not define.

Binding · Veto
Faculty Advisor
To be designated
May halt any active project. Signs Tier II+ grants.
Signature × 01
Binding · Veto
Administrative Oversight
To be designated
Written approval for Tier IV. May suspend operations.
Signature × 02
Binding · Veto
Legal Review
College counsel
Consulted on Tier IV. Opinion is binding.
Signature × 03
Binding · Veto
IT Review
College IT
Consulted on system integration. Opinion is binding.
Signature × 04
Non-overriding
Student Leadership
Operational execution
Runs the framework. Cannot waive standards.
Signature × 05
Lifecycle Schedule
90d
Graduation Sunset
Founder graduates: shutdown, hand-off (re-enter), or formal separation with disclaimers.
60d
Abandonment Window
No activity + founder unreachable: marked dormant. Extended dormancy → shutdown.
365d
Annual Review
Active funded projects reviewed yearly. Failure withdraws AppDev recognition.
— Closing Note —

This framework is designed to earn administrative confidence. No standard should be relaxed as a condition of approval.

Status
Pending review
Opens · Fall 2026
Folio vThe Ask
To: The Administration of Grinnell College
From: The AppDev Founding Team

We respectfully request the following—

  1. 01.Recognition as a standard Grinnell student organization.
  2. 02.Designation of a Faculty Advisor.
  3. 03.Administrative liaison for institutional questions.
  4. 04.Review of this compliance framework, with revisions incorporated before funding begins.
  5. 05.Clarification of insurance and liability coverage.
  6. 06.A standing channel to escalate Tier IV reviews and incident reports.
Footnote · A

AppDev does not request institutional funding, space allocation, technical resources, or endorsement of student products. Operating funds come from standard student org budgets and external donor support.

Footnote · B

This proposal is written to accommodate tightening—not to be negotiated downward. Questions, revisions, and concerns may be directed to the founding team at any time.

The AppDev Founding Team
Grinnell College · Filed April 2026
team@appdevgc.com