FAQs
- What is a University Policy?
- What is a Unit Policy?
- What is a Procedure?
- How do I find a University Policy?
- Is there a standard University policy format?
- How are new University Policies developed?
- If my department has existing policies that should be placed on the Policies Website, what do we do?
- If I need further clarification about a University Policy, whom should I contact?
- Who has responsibility for a University Policy?
- How do I know if a University Policy was recently updated?
- What if I need to make only minor/clerical revisions or non-substantive changes to a University Policy?
- What if I need to make substantive revisions to a policy?
- What is the role of the University Policy Coordinator?
- How often should policies be reviewed?
What is a University Policy?
A University Policy is a policy with broad application throughout the University which enhances the University’s mission, promotes operational efficiencies, reduces institutional risk, helps to ensure coordinated compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and is approved in accordance with the procedures located in the Policy on Policies.
What is a Unit Policy?
A Unit Policy is a policy adopted by an academic or administrative unit to address specific subject matters that are limited in scope to a particular unit’s operational functions and do not impact units or individuals outside of the academic or administrative unit. A Unit Policy may supplement, but must not conflict with, University Policies.
What is a Procedure?
Procedures are step-by-step detailed rules or specific actions that provide for orderly implementation of established policies and are more detailed than a policy statement. Procedures include information as to the who, what, when and where of the University Policy. As procedural content may evolve over time as new tools emerge and new processes are designed, it is recommended that the Responsible Office prepare applicable procedures in a document separate from the University Policy, and simply provide links to applicable procedures in the Procedures section of the Policy.
How do I find a University Policy?
The Policies Website is intended to serve as a centralized location for official University Policies applicable across the University community. We are currently in the process of identifying and classifying policies found elsewhere on University websites or documents. Consequently, the list of University Policies published on this site is not exhaustive. The University Policies currently available on the Policies Website are listed alphabetically. In the future, they will also be sorted by functional field and by audience.
Is there a standard University policy format?
A Policy Template has been created for the adoption, revision, or withdrawal of all University Policies. All University Policies should be drafted and revised using the Policy Template. Use of the Policy Template will facilitate the adoption of clear and concise policies and procedures and provide for the uniformity of information. The Policy Template is located in the Policy Development section of the Policies Website.
How are new University Policies developed?
Once the need for a University Policy has been established, a Responsible Office will analyze the issues and draft the initial draft of the University Policy using the Policy Template. The Responsible Office will send a draft of the policy to the Responsible Executive, who will then determine whether University Policy development will proceed. If approval to proceed is granted, the Responsible Officer will route the proposed University Policy throughout the Responsible Office and relevant functional fields for feedback from key stakeholders involved in the policy issue. The Responsible Officer may consult with the University Policy Coordinator regarding compliance issues. The Responsible Executive will then decide if the policy is ready for submission or if it needs further analysis and redrafting.
Once the proposed University Policy is finally approved by the Responsible Executive, he or she will route the proposed policy to the University Policy Coordinator for review. The University Policy Coordinator will submit the proposed University Policy to the Provost. If the Responsible Executive reports to the Provost, the Provost may return the proposed policy to the Responsible Executive for further consideration. Otherwise, the Provost will place it on the University Council Agenda.
The Responsible Executive or his/her designee will present the proposed University Policy to University Council. The University Council may either approve, reject, or appoint a policy committee to further develop and revise the policy.
Once a proposed University Policy is approved by University Council, the policy will go back to the University Policy Coordinator for a final review and submission to the President for approval. Upon the President’s approval, the Policy will be adopted.
Please refer to the Policy on Policies, and other information on this website for additional information on policy development.
If my department has existing policies that should be placed on the Policies Website, what do we do?
If your policy is a University Policy as defined in Question #1 above, and you have an electronic copy of the policy (ideally a MS Word document), you can e-mail it to the University Policy Coordinator at policies@louisiana.edu, who will arrange its placement on the Policies Website. If you do not have an electronic copy of the policy, you can fax, hand-deliver or scan the document and email it to the University Policy Coordinator.
If I need further clarification about a University Policy, whom should I contact?
You should contact the Responsible Office that owns the policy. If the Responsible Office is not known, you can contact the University Policy Coordinator for guidance.
Who has responsibility for a University Policy?
The Responsible Office, under the direction of the Responsible Executive, is responsible for the implementation, administration, enforcement, management and revision of a University Policy which falls under his or her jurisdiction.
How do I know if a University Policy was recently updated?
Policies that have been recently updated will be announced on the homepage of the Policies Website. The Policy Template also includes a “Latest Revision” date at the top of the University Policy and a “Revision History” section in the policy detailing the dates of any substantive or “clerical” revisions to the policy, as well as providing a brief summary of the changes to the policy.
What if I need to make only minor/clerical revisions or non-substantive changes to a University Policy?
The following minor “clerical” revisions may be made by the Responsible Office without further approval: corrections to reflect the new name of a department or new name or title of an individual; changes to e-mail or website addresses; clarifications of grammar or syntax; and typographical errors. The Responsible Office may also revise documents, including procedures, located in the Appendices, References, and Related Materials Section of a University Policy without further approval if such revisions are non-substantive and they do not modify the intent, meaning or focus of the University Policy.
All “clerical” revisions should be annotated in the Revision History section at the end of a University Policy. Such annotations should include the dates the clerical revisions were made as well as a brief summary of the changes. After any “clerical” revisions are made to a University Policy or its documents located in the Appendices, References, and Related Materials Section, the updated documents must be sent to the University Policy Coordinator to place on the Policies Website and to ensure an official copy of the current University Policy is always held in the Office of Operational Review.
What if I need to make substantive revisions to a policy?
Substantive revisions/amendments should be approved using the same process for adoption of new University Policies described above and in the Policy on Policies. All substantive revisions should be annotated in the Revision History section at the end of the University Policy. Such annotations should include the dates the substantive revisions were approved as well as a brief summary of the changes.
What is the role of the University Policy Coordinator?
The University Policy Coordinator is the individual in the Office of Operational Review responsible for review of proposed University Policy to ensure compliance with System Policies and Federal or State laws and regulations. In addition, the University Policy Coordinator coordinates the Policy adoption process and maintains a repository of all University Policies, including control of official versions. You can contact the University Policy Coordinator, Camille Perry, by telephone at (337) 482-1394 or by e-mail at policies@louisiana.edu.
How often should policies be reviewed?
University Policies shall be reviewed a minimum of every five years. It is the responsibility of each Responsible Officer to ensure that their University Policies are reviewed no less than every five years and sooner if there is a change in System policies, federal or state laws, or business processes.