Procedural Guidelines

University Policy on University-Wide Policies

The University Policy on University-Wide Policies was drafted by the Policy Advisory Group, and approved by the Administrative Council on May 7, 2008. This policy explains how policies that pertain to the whole university community are developed, approved and managed. The University Policy on University-Wide Policies is not binding on policies developed by individual colleges, schools, divisions or departments to govern their internal operations.

Any member of the university community may initiate the policy development process, although this role is typically performed by an administrative office, a Senate or Staff Council committee, a Student Government Association committee, or an executive officer of the university. Keep in mind that policy development is usually an iterative process and you should include all relevant parties in discussions and formulations. It is particularly important to include in the development process the administrative office charged with implementing and overseeing the policy (i.e., the Responsible Office) to ensure that the policy is feasible to implement and its implementation occurs smoothly.

Using the Policy Template

All new policies and revisions to existing policies must use the Policy Template. Completion of the Template ensures that the policies in the library are in a consistent and usable format. It also serves as a guide for those developing policy as to the information needed to ensure that the university community understands the purpose of the policy and how to comply with the policy.

Policy drafts are submitted to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness who arranges for the policy draft to be reviewed by the Policy Advisory Group (PAG). The PAG is a university committee charged with reviewing drafts of policies to ensure that all mandatory elements are completed, that format is consistent, and that any overlaps with other policies or conflicts with other policies or federal, state, or Board of Regents regulations are identified prior to its final approval. (Except as stated above, the PAG does not evaluate, nor is it responsible for, the substantive content of any proposed policy.) Members of the PAG are appointed by the Provost.

New policies or revisions to existing policies ultimately must be approved by either the University Senate (academic and student policies) or the Administrative Council (administrative and operational policies). Click here for the policy development template [DOC] and instructions [DOC].

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness is responsible for overseeing the policy management process. The mission of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (OIE) is to provide leadership, assistance, and oversight of the university’s continuous planning, assessment, and evaluation efforts for the purpose of enhancing the quality of the university’s programs, services, operations, and processes.

If you need assistance with policy development, please contact Mary McLaughlin (mmclaughlin@gsu.edu ; 3-2583).

Policy Approval Process

The following procedures will help you begin the process of developing a university-wide policy and submitting the policy for university approval.

Policy Statement Summary: Georgia State University formally approves, revises, and posts university-wide policies. All university-wide policies must be approved by either the University Senate (academic and student policies) or the Administrative Council (administrative policies) prior to final approval by the President, as set forth in the University Statutes.

Procedural Guidelines for Approval of Academic Policies
Procedures Approved by: Administrative Council
Date Approved: May 7, 2008
Effective date of procedures: May 7, 2008

Procedural Guidelines for Approval of Academic Policies
Responsible Party	Actions / Steps Needed
Responsible Office / Senate Committee	Policy Development. With input from the relevant associate provost or vice president, the Responsible Office and/or the relevant Senate Committee drafts a document containing the new policy or revises an existing policy.
Policy Advisory Group	Document Review. The Policy Advisory Group reviews drafts of new or revised policy to (a) ensure that all mandatory elements are completed and consistency of format, and (b) identify any overlap with other policies or conflict with other policies or federal, state, and Board of Regents regulations. This may be an iterative process. Reviews shall be completed in a maximum of 5 working days (urgent issues will be expedited). The draft policy documents will be returned to the Responsible Office/Senate Committee to be forwarded to the Executive Committee of the Senate for scheduling the discussion of the policy on the University Senate agenda. (Except as stated above, the PAG does not evaluate the substantive content of the proposed policy.)
Senate Committee / Associate Provost	Introduction to the Senate. If the drafted policy comes under the purview of a Senate Committee, the chair of that committee serves as the sponsor of the proposed policy when the policy is introduced in the Senate. If not, the relevant associate provost or vice president will serve as the sponsor. (Note: A given policy may have more than one sponsor.)
University Senate	Senate Deliberation. The Senate discusses the policy and passes or denies the motion to approve.
President	Final Approval. The President concurs or vetoes the motion of the Senate. If the motion is approved, the policy contained therein becomes official.
Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness	Posting. The Associate Provost posts the approved policy on the University’s policy website.
Responsible Office or Senate Committee	Notification. The Responsible Office or Senate Committee notifies relevant individuals and departments of the policy change.