The regular policy approval process is the approval process for most new policies, revisions of existing policies, and deletions of existing policies. Most policies go through the regular policy process.
The University identifies a policy need and a policy sponsor and steward are assigned. The sponsor and steward develop an executive summary, which the Policy Office reviews. The sponsor and steward then submit the summary to President’s Council for approval to enter Stage 1.
Upon approval of the executive summary from President's Council, the sponsor and steward form a drafting committee and write the policy draft. They submit the draft to the Policy Office, who reviews the draft with the policy sponsor and steward. Where required, the Office of General Counsel conducts a legal review of the draft. The policy steward reviews the recommendations and finalizes the Stage 1 draft. The draft is submitted to policy subcommittee and President’s Council for approval to move to Stage 2.
Faculty Senate, the student government (UVUSA), the staff employee association (PACE), Academic Affairs (Deans) Council, and the Equity Assessment Committee (EAC) review the policy draft and provide formal commentary. The policy steward responds in writing to all comments and makes any necessary revisions. The Policy Office reviews the comments, responses, and revisions. The draft is then submitted to policy subcommittee and President’s Council for approval to move to the next stage.
The Board of Trustees reviews the policy draft and may approve the policy or return it to an earlier stage for additional revisions.
The temporary policy approval process is reserved for policy proposals that President’s Council deems to be crucial and therefore must be processed in a shorter time period than is possible through the regular approval process. Policies approved through this process remain in effect for up to one year and are not renewed. In extenuating circumstances, President's Council may choose to extend all temporary policies to 18 months.
President’s Council identifies a temporary policy need and assigns a policy sponsor and steward. The sponsor and steward develop an executive summary, which the Policy Office reviews. The sponsor and steward then submit the summary to President’s Council. Please note that at the same time a temporary policy enters Stage 1, the policy also enters the regular development process.
The sponsor and steward submit an executive summary to President’s Council. Upon approval from President’s Council, the sponsor and steward form a drafting committee and begin writing the policy draft. The Policy Office and Office of General Counsel (as needed) review the draft and finalize it with the policy steward and sponsor. The draft is submitted to policy subcommittee and President’s Council for approval to move to the next stage.
Board of Trustees reviews the policy proposal and approves or disapproves it.
There is no commentary stage for temporary policies. A temporary policy is effective for one year, during which time the regular policy draft goes through commentary and approval. In extenuating circumstances, the Board of Trustees may extend all temporary policies currently in effect to 18 months.
The non-substantive change policy process is reserved for non-substantive revisions of existing policies. Non-substantive revisions are changes to an existing policy or policy proposal that correct typographical and grammatical errors, change policy format, and/or update university or reference information. These revisions do not constitute the enactment of a new or revised policy and do not change the approval or effective date of such policies.
Because these revisions do not change the substance of the existing policy, this process does not have formal stages like the regular and temporary policy processes. Instead, it follows a simplified process:
Occasionally, changes in external law or other binding compliance requirements (such as legal, industry, or accreditation standards) may necessitate changes to associated university policy. The compliance change policy approval process is reserved for nondiscretionary, limited-scope revisions to passages of existing policy, additions of new policy, or deletions of existing policy that are necessitated by changes in external law or other binding compliance requirements. The changes or additions proposed during this process are limited to only those required to maintain the University’s compliance with external law.
In consultation with the Policy Office and the Office of General Counsel, the policy sponsor and steward develop an executive summary that documents the reason changes must be made and, for revisions, lists the limited scope or substantial revisions to be made. They also develop the policy draft. Both these documents are submitted to the Policy Office for editorial review.
Following their editorial review, the Policy Office submits the executive summary and policy draft to the Office of General Counsel. The Office of General Counsel reviews the executive summary and policy draft or delegates the review to the appropriate subject matter expert responsible for the University’s compliance with the relevant area. The Office of General Counsel (or subject matter expert) provides to the Policy Office a written recommendation on the requested policy actions. The Policy Office then schedules the executive summary, policy draft, and the recommendation for review by President’s Council.
On the scheduled date of President’s Council review, the policy sponsor and steward present the policy draft to President’s Council for approval. Upon President’s Council approval, the Policy Office adds the new policy, deletes the current policy, or posts the revised policy with a new effective date and communicates the policy action to all university governance entities and the university community. The communication must clearly explain the mandate for the changes and why the policy changes were not appropriate for the usual shared governance processes for input from the university community. Where applicable, the pre-existing policy will be archived.
At their next regularly scheduled meeting, the Board of Trustees may ratify the policy change. If they disapprove the policy, it will be remanded back to the policy sponsor and steward for further modification and the pre-existing policy will remain in effect.
