| Related Policy | Policy for University Policy Development |
|---|---|
| Responsible Office | Office of General Counsel |
| Initial Date | August 25, 2015 |
| Revision Date |
I. Procedures
These Procedures are related to the Policy for University Policy Development (“Policy”) found in the Policy Library. See the Policy for the definitions of any capitalized terms contained in this document.
II. Policy Development Process
- Policy Initiation and Drafting
The Policy Initiator, together with the Vice President, after establishing a need for a University-level policy or substantial current policy revision, shall draft a proposed revision or policy. The draft should follow the attached Policy Template form. The Policy Initiator and Vice President will submit the proposed revision or policy to the PAC for review. The Policy Development Proposal Form is a tool that should be used to prepare a proposal for a revision or policy and to provide guidance when drafting the proposed policy. This form should be submitted to the PAC along with the draft Policy.
- Submission to PAC, Executive Review Committee, and President
The PAC will review the draft policy for content and editing purposes and, if necessary, submit it back to the Policy Initiator and Vice President, and/or other stakeholders, for further development. A finalized draft policy will be promptly thereafter published on the Policies Under Review page on MyArcadia. Notice of the placement of the draft shall be communicated to the University community via email promptly after the draft is posted. The draft will remain posted for a period of ten (10) days, during which time the PAC will accept comments. The comments received by the PAC are advisory in nature and will not obligate the PAC or the Policy Initiator and Vice President to make any changes concerning the policy under consideration.
After considering all comments, the PAC, in conjunction with the Policy Initiator and Vice President, will finalize the draft of the policy. The Chair of the PAC will send a copy of the resulting final draft to the Executive Review Committee for review and consultation with various stakeholders regarding the proposed policy’s likely impact on the members of the university community. The Executive Review Committee will have 45 days to review any draft presented by the PAC. The Chair of the PAC will make changes to the policy based on the feedback of the Executive Review Committee, if any. Once a final draft is approved, the Chair of the PAC will forward the resulting draft to the President’s office for final review and approval.
If the President approves the proposed policy, it shall be delivered by the Chair of the PAC to the Office of the General Counsel for publication in the Policy Library. Any procedures for the new policy, as well as any associated documents, such as templates or forms, shall be uploaded to the Policy Library at the same time as the policy.
If it is not approved, it shall go back to the Policy Initiator and Vice President and PAC for further review and input. All parties engaged in the review process shall use their best efforts to review the document within a reasonable timeframe.
- Steps after Policy Enactment
The Vice President will, after the new policy has been added to the Policy Library, communicate the new policy to the University community and begin any training or other necessary steps for implementation, in consultation with the PAC, as necessary. The Vice President will also work with appropriate stakeholders to ensure a plan is in place to monitor compliance and facilitate remedies for noncompliance.
All signed University Policies will be maintained in the Office of General Counsel. Vice Presidents, Policy Initiators, and the PAC shall maintain records created during the policy development process for four (4) years.
At a minimum, each Vice President must review each of their unit’s University Policies within three (3) years of the date the policy goes into effect, unless sooner required by a change in law or other compelling reason. At least sixty (60) days before the next scheduled review date, the Chair of the PAC will notify the Vice President that it must review the policy in question, and (a) if the policy requires no substantial revision, notify the Chair of the PAC in writing that the policy has been reviewed and remains in effect; or (b) if the policy requires substantial revisions, initiate this policy development process.
Minor changes may be made to a Policy without it going through the policy development process if the change (i) is not substantive, and (ii) does not modify the intent, meaning, or focus of the policy. The decision as to whether those criteria are met will be jointly made by the PAC and Vice President. If a proposed change is determined to meet both criteria, the revision will go through an expedited process of review by the PAC.
Changes in procedures do not have to follow the policy development process and may be altered by the Vice President, as needed.
Note: Under special circumstances, Policy Initiators and Vice Presidents may request an expedited process by contacting the Chair of the PAC. Special circumstances may include a change in federal or state law, a significant and immediate financial opportunity, or a major institutional risk.
III. Policy Format
A standard policy format ensures clarity and consistency. Although not all policies will contain all of the format elements, University policies should generally cleave to the format described below and in the Policy Template.
- Header information:
a) University Policy Title
b) University Policy Number
c) Policy Category
d) Policy Approval Date
e) Policies Superseded
f) Responsible Office
g) Related Policies
h) Frequency of Review
i) Date of Revision - Scope: Identification of parties governed by the policy.
- Policy Statement: Purpose of the policy and the statement of philosophy, position, rule, regulation or direction.
- Policy: Description of the actual policy covering topics which include: duties assigned to responsible parties and other parties as necessary; other information specific to a particular policy subject as needed; and a description of the compliance review process and specific authority to impose penalties or other remedies when noncompliance occurs, if applicable.
- Definitions: Meaning and interpretation of terms used in the policy.
- Effective Date(s): Initial effective date of policy, and latest revision date, if applicable.
- Signature, title, and date of approval: required for initial approvals and all subsequent reviews and updates.
NOTE: Arcadia University policies that predate this policy should be adapted to the format described above within two (2) years.
IV. Structure and Organization of University Policies
The Policy Library will list all policies by name and category and will provide links to related procedures. University Policies will be assigned to one or more of the following categories:
Academic/Research Policies: Policies that relate to teaching, research, and outreach.
Employment, Benefits, and Workplace Policies: Policies, rules, related procedures, and information impacting working relationships with the University for all employee groups.
Ethics, Integrity, and Legal Compliance Policies: Policies concerning appropriate conduct and/or compliance with the law.
Facilities, Equipment, and Property Policies: Policies concerning use and care of University property.
Financial Policies: Policies related to accounting, budgeting, procurement, travel, and other financial functions.
Governance Policies: Umbrella policies that provide the framework for administration to implement and comply with the intent of the Board of Trustees.
Information Technology Policies: Policies that cover systems, access, data, and related issues.
Operational Policies: Policies that are of a general administrative or operational nature.
Public Safety and Environmental Health and Safety Policies: Policies concerning security and safety of faculty, staff, students, and guests.
Student Policies: Policies applicable specifically to students.
