Institutional
Policies and Procedures

What is a Policy? The role of a policy is to set organizational standards, goals and objectives. Policies are considered the governing documents of the institution and set out specific courses of action. Outlined below are guiding principles for policy development.

Guiding Principles for Policy Development

Policy Statement. A policy statement should be written with a clear, concise statement and objective. Ensure that the policy is well defined and readers can easily ascertain the purpose.

Context/Preamble. The preamble should be a short introduction and identify the goal of the policy. In a few sentences, summarize the topic and why the policy exists. Reading this section should allow the reader to grasp the essence of the policy and how it applies to them.

Body. Clearly outline the rules and expectations of the policy and inform the reader of what they need to know. Specific goals or actions are included in this section of the policy document.

Authority/Responsibility/Effective Date. Authority states which University governing body approved the policy. Responsibility indicates the department or persons responsible for the policy. Effective date is the date approved by the governing body. This information should appear on the bottom of the first page of the policy.

Appendix. An appendix is procedural information that pertains to the policy. For clarity, it is included as an appendage so the reader can easily identify the procedures associated with the policy document. Examples of an appendix are forms or guidelines that do not need to be part of the policy statement and can be easily updated.

What is a Procedure? This is the “how to” document and outlines the step by step instructions. The “Travel and Business Expense Policy and Procedure” is an example of policy and procedures incorporated into one document – specifically detailing the policy purpose, along with associated procedures on expense claim processes. An appendix is attached outlining the maximum expenditures for expenses such as meals and mileage reimbursement. The rationale for including an appendix is that it is regularly updated and the policy/procedure document remains intact and does not need to be modified on a regular basis.

Policy Template click Here