Transcript What’s in your toolbox?
What’s in your toolbox?
JOSHUA ADAMS, CORNELL UNIVERSITY MICHELE GROSS, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Thanks to our policy partners
Colorado State University – Robert Schur Florida International University – JoAnn Bova Old Dominion University – Donna Meeks University of New Mexico – Pamina Deutsch University of the Pacific – Kimberlee Heberle SUNY Empire State College – Patrice DeCoster DePaul University – Alyssa Schiffman Purdue University – Jessica Teets University of California – Berkeley – Andy Goldblatt University of Texas at San Antonio – Heather Foster Utah Valley University- Cara O’Sullivan
Thanks to our policy partners
Howard University – Anita English Iowa State University – Sheryl Rippke Indiana University – Jennifer Kinkaid University of Kansas – Amy Smith University of Calgary – JoAnn Munn Gafuik Ohio State University – Eunice Hornsby Memorial University of Newfoundland – Donna Ball University of California System – Andrei Trifonov Northwest Arkansas Community College – Lynda Lloyd Virginia Commonwealth University – Audrey Michael Grand Valley State University – Tiesha Hogue-Shankin University of North Dakota – Jennifer Rogers
The blueprint: policy on policy
Establishes the framework for your policy program Requires review and/or approval by governing authorities Specifies what the scope will be for this policy program/structure ◦ Are campus-specific, collegiate, or departmental policies included?
◦ What is the relationship to institutional policies (e.g., Board of Regents)?
Clarifies the decision-making process and parties
Guide to writing policy
Shall or must, can or cannot, etc.
Acronyms Standardized references Active vs. passive voice Examples of well-written policies The intent of each section Elements of a policy (or template) Use of tables, charts, and other graphics
Survey says
Institutions with a policy on policy
Developing a policy 20%
Provide writing instructions
Do not have a guide for owner 32% Have a policy 80% Have a guide for owners 68%
The door to your policies: the policy web site
Responsive web site Addresses policy user needs Includes information for policy owners and other stakeholders Robust search engine – matches your users Highlights new or significantly modified policies Provides contact mechanisms (email links, phone numbers)
Benchmark
How does what you’re considering measure up with other institutions?
◦ All institutions or peer institutions?
Provides contacts for follow-up questions (e.g., compliance rates, enforcement) Can be as simple as an Excel spreadsheet or Survey Monkey equivalent Works well with politically sensitive topics ◦ Smoke-free initiatives
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Pets on campus ◦ Firearms on campus ◦ Senior leader compensation
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Safety of minors
Risk assessment
Initially and when a contributing factor changes significantly Types ◦ Financial ◦ ◦ What is the financial cost of failure or what policies contain cost?
◦ Reputation Focuses on the external audience (e.g., is adopting a smoke-free campus policy a positive change from a taxpayer, state citizen perspective?) ◦ Legal ◦ ◦ Are there laws regulating the activity? Is the policy imposed externally? Will the activity be audited?
◦ Other (e.g., Physical)
Impact statement/policy plan
Prior to developing a policy, core questions to be asked and answered Both Cornell and Minnesota use a form (Impact Statement/Policy Plan) Prepared by the policy owner or designate ◦ Reason, purpose, and scope of the policy ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Areas of risk addressed and relationship to laws Impact of the policy (audience, effort, etc.) Relationship to other existing policies Monitoring, communication, and training How/if exceptions may be granted Timeline Cost Stakeholder involvement
Stakeholder consultation matrix
Political opponents or supporters ◦ Faculty governance ◦ Standing committees Individuals who will be affected the most by the policy Individuals or groups who will execute some piece of the process Senior leaders who have overall responsibility for the policy and process Legal and audit departments, where appropriate Could develop a core matrix to consider for each group of policies (faculty senate, finance, etc.)
Example of a consultation matrix
Survey says
Use an impact statement/policy plan No 40% Yes 60%
What tools do you have to aid in the consultation process?
Policy, procedure, and other templates
One for all components of a policy, or multiple templates (policy, procedure, FAQ, etc.) Standard titles (headers) Standard sections and placement Standard font(s) Standards for title and subsection labels Level of detail History Other components
Survey says
If you are a multi-campus institution, do you have separate templates for each campus?
Policy and other templates
Do not have templates 8% Under development 4% If you also manage more local policies (college, department), do you have separate templates for each entity?
Have standard template 88%
Glossary
Common terms Allow or not allow flexibility at the individual policy level Determine if examples can be added to terms Need to update as new policies are created Address inconsistencies with owner(s)
Automobile Liability
Insurance that provides coverage for third-party bodily injury or property damage in a claim arising form the ownership or use of vehicles the University owns, leases, hires, rents, or borrows.
Feedback mechanisms
Direct email to policy office staff (policy@...) Direct telephone contact with policy office staff Feedback boxes at the bottom of each policy and related document ◦ Goes to policy program ◦ Forwarded to policy owner, as needed Overall link to policy program staff on the web site Running history of the feedback received retained for policy owners
Communications plan
Components of a communication plan ◦ Audience(s) ◦ Message(s) ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Timing (by audience) Who delivers (e.g., policy owner, senior leader) Method of delivery (email template, E-list (opt-in, opt-out, or no opt) meeting, etc.) Frequency Follow-up Responsibility for ongoing communication/training ◦ Depends on resources
Survey says
Uses/develops a communication plan
No 40% Yes 60% What communication about new/revised policies is created by your policy office vs. the owner handling?
What communication mechanism works best for you and your institution?
Maintenance tools
Status reports ◦ How current ◦ When next routine review is due ◦ When next comprehensive review is due Statistics ◦ # hits ◦ # of comments submitted ◦ Tracking peak periods Reminders ◦ Standard/automatic emails
Tools and more tools from our colleagues
Policy Writer’s Workshop
Virginia Commonwealth
Project Management Plan
U of Calgary
Annual Brown Bag Info Session
NWACC
Policy Docket
Iowa State U
Let Us Help! Web form
U of Kansas
Policy Management System
Many!
Development/ Approval Flowchart
Purdue U
Document Collaboration System
Utah Valley U
Policy Background Memo
DePaul U
Signature forms (new, retire, etc.)
Ohio State
New User Training Manual
U of Kansas
Workload Analysis Statement
U of Indiana View the handout for the full list!