Developing Policy and Procedure Documents

A functional policy is one that is broad enough to encompass all aspects of the issue addressed, not just one or several facets of it. It is approved through the appropriate institutional processes and published in appropriate institutional publications and on the institutional website in order to ensure accessibility to those affected by the policy and its related procedures. In addition to the language of the policy itself, the document includes:

• A concise statement of the purpose of the policy and assurance that it is aligned with institutional or unit purposes.
• The implementation date and the dates of any subsequent revisions to the policy.

Procedures for implementation and review of the policy and attendant procedures are also published as above. Well-defined procedures identify:

• Designated personnel responsible for implementing the policy
• The means by which institutional constituents are informed of the policy and procedures it entails
• A timeline for completion of procedures
• A methodology for monitoring compliance with the policy and reporting results
• A schedule for reviewing the effectiveness of the policy and its attendant procedures.

In addition, an institution clarifies the relationship between the policy itself and the procedures proposed to implement it by addressing the following questions:

• By what process are the procedures developed, approved and amended?
• Is compliance with the procedures mandatory?