The University Policy & Standards Manual is a living document, with policies and standards reviewed by the Responsible Office at least once every three years for relevance and continued need. Updates between review periods may also be necessary to respond to changes in applicable law or business practice.
University Policy & Standards will reach out to Responsible Executives in advance of the review date with instructions on how to conduct the periodic review. The following list of questions should be considered when reviewing existing University Policies and University Standards to ensure that the review is conducted thoughtfully and thoroughly:
Continued need for policy. Is the policy still necessary in light of its stated purpose and goals? Would the document function better as a unit-level rule, procedure or guideline?
Institutional values and objectives. Does the policy clearly and effectively communicate the university’s values as well as the general purpose for the policy?
Equity and inclusion. When considering policy language through the lens of equity and inclusion, are there any disparate impacts created by the policy or related documents (FAQs, responsibilities, procedures)?
Effectiveness. Does the policy function well as written or should it be revised (e.g., by drafting it more clearly) in order to improve compliance? Does this policy have known points of failure, and if so, what improvements would reduce these failure points?
Alignment with legal requirements and best practices. Is the policy current? Does it align with legal requirements and best practices in higher education? Does the policy meet institutional needs? How does the policy compare with peer institutions?
Implementation. Is the policy being followed in practice or is there a need to address and improve policy implementation? Are there audit findings to consider? For system-wide or multi-campus policies, are responsibilities and procedures inclusive of all university locations?
Drafting and formatting. Is the policy well-drafted and consistent with others in the manual? Is it formatted and consistent with the current template?