Policy Development and Revision

University policies articulate the university’s position on issues which have university-wide application, and are subject to the approval of the Board of Governors, University Council and/or Senate.

1. Identification of Need
   1. Any member of the University community may suggest the need for a new policy or a revision to an existing one. Proposals are made by contacting the appropriate Policy Owner (Sponsor) (i.e. the current or potential sponsor of the policy) and the University Secretary to provide a rationale for the suggestion.
   2. Policies may be established, reviewed, or recommended for deletion based on several reasons, such as:
      • • significant changes in practice,
        • significant operational changes,
        • changes in legislation or regulations,
        • scheduled review cycle requirements, or
        • changes in the strategic direction of the University.
2. Notice of Intent
   1. Review the policy on the Development, Approval and Administration of University Policies, to determine whether the policy you are considering putting forward is consistent with the principles articulated there. You may wish to reference other policies for consistency in format and content, particularly those recently approved.
   2. Fill out the Notice of Intent Form, in consultation with the Policy Owner (or delegate) and list all the departments/units that have reviewed the draft, including comments received from them.
   3. Submit the form along with a brief summary to the University Secretary (or delegate) explaining the policy.

3. Approval of Concept
   1. The University Secretary will review the Notice of Intent and engage with the Policy Sponsor to consult on the submission and outline the anticipated timelines.
   2. Proposals for new policies, revisions, or deletions of existing policies will be considered by the Senior Management Team (SMT) in their role as the “Policy Oversight Committee” (POC).  
   3. Individual SMT members will have the opportunity to provide input on proposed changes, particularly as they relate to their respective portfolios.
   4. SMT members shall recommend whether the proposed Policy or modification should proceed and will advise about any further consultations (including advice about the need for legal review).
   5. SMT may also assist Policy Owners (or delegates) in an evaluation of the implications of the policy, including potential risks, costs, and infrastructure requirements.

4. Drafting and Consultation
   1. The Policy Owner (or delegates) will be responsible for carrying out appropriate consultation with subject matter experts (SMEs) and for seeking legal advice. SMEs may be internal or external to the University of Saskatchewan.
   2. The Policy Owner (or delegates) will take responsibility for drafting or updating the proposed policy and/or procedures.
   3. The Policy Owner (or delegates) will also be responsible for including a communications plan and an implementation plan to ensure the policy (or its changes) are enacted.

5. Policy Approval
   1. Recommendation for Approval
      • SMT will receive a penultimate draft policy, review and comment on matters such as the format, the implementation and the communication plan.
   2. The University Secretary (or delegate) will determine the appropriate approval pathways for the policy. The University Secretary (or delegate) will work with the Policy Owner (or delegate) to forward the policy for approval, as per each governing body's own bylaws and procedures.

• Notice of Intent Form

Implementation of the New Policy

1. Once approved, introduction and implementation of the policy will be the responsibility of the Policy Owner.
2. The Policy Owner (or delegate) should communicate the policy to all relevant units and employees, and arrangements should be made by the Policy Owner (or delegate) for appropriate training, interpretation, and compliance monitoring.
3. The Governance Office under the University Secretary will be responsible for keeping an official record of the policy.

Maintenance of the Policy

Major Changes

Major policy changes may take place based on the following reasons:

• Substantial modifications and/or updates are required in the policy
• Updates are required due to new or amended legislation or regulations
• Adjustments reflecting the University’s strategic directions changes

Follow the same steps as in Policy and Procedures Development Process as follows:

• Policy and Procedures Development Process
  • Identification of Need
  • Notice of Intent
  • Approval of concept
  • Drafting and Consultation
  • Policy Approval
• Policy Administration

Questions regarding major changes should be directed to the Policy Owner (or delegate) and/or to the University Secretary (or delegate).

Minor changes

Minor policy changes may take place based on the following reasons:

• Updates to links
• Updates required to reflect units or positions
• Updates due to spelling, grammar, or formatting errors

Questions regarding determination of a major or minor changes should be directed to the Governance Office.

• Notice of Intent Form

Delete an existing Policy

Steps to be taken in proposing the deletion of an existing policy:

• Policy and Procedures Development Process
  • Identification of Need
  • Notice of Intent
    • Fill out the Notice of Intent Form in consultation with the Policy Owner (or delegate) and list all the departments/units that have agreed to the deletion of the policy, including comments received from them.
    • Submit the form along with a brief summary to the University Secretary explaining the need to delete a policy.
  • Policy Deletion Approval
  • Recommendation for Approval
    • SMT will receive the request to delete the policy, review and comment on matters such as implications, the implementation and the communication plan.
    • The University Secretary (or delegate) will determine the appropriate approval pathway for the deletion of the policy. The University Secretary (or delegate) will work with the Policy Owner (or delegate) to forward the policy deletion request, as per each governing body's own bylaws and procedures.

• Notice of Intent Form

Our principles rarely change—they reflect core institutional and societal values. Policy change may be infrequent, but it can, should and will occur to assure continuing relevance.

To ensure that policies remain up-to-date and reflect changing requirements:

• All Policies requiring Board, Senate or Council approval are subject to review at least once every three (3) years.
• All policies requiring the President and Vice-Chancellor are subject to review at least every five (5) years.
• Procedures that detail the steps necessary to operationalize and implement policies change more frequently and are properly the responsibility of decision makers responsible for the associated processes and practices.

Policy Owner (Sponsor) Responsibility

Every university policy must have a Policy Owner (Sponsor): that is, the Senior Administrator who has overall responsibility for implementation, developing and maintaining the associated procedures, and promoting awareness of the policy. The sponsor has the authority to interpret the policy and monitor compliance. The sponsor may delegate these responsibilities (including drafting the policy).

University of Saskatchewan Community Responsibilities

Members of the University of Saskatchewan are responsible to be aware of, understand, and abide by policies and procedures.

Governance Office Responsibility

The Governance Office is responsible for maintaining the integrity and accessibility of the University’s policy and procedure framework. This includes keeping an official paper copy of all approved policies and procedures, regularly updating and maintaining the University’s governance website, and supporting the preparation of materials for the Senior Management Team (SMT). Through these activities, the Governance Office ensures that policy information is accurate, up-to-date, and readily available to the University community.

The University of Saskatchewan expects that its faculty, staff, students, post-doctoral students, visitors, contractors and agents will comply with this policy. Should there be reason to suspect that laws or university policies have been or are being violated, and the university may suffer reputational, financial or other harm as a result of non-compliance, this may constitute grounds for disciplinary or legal action in accordance with any applicable agreements, contracts, collective agreements, regulations or policies, legislation or common law principles.

The main and official source for institutionally approved definitions are located in the Academic and Curricular Nomenclature Policy

1. Senior Management Team (SMT) means the team comprised of the leaders of all administrative units of the university such as Associate Vice-Presidents, Vice-Provosts, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Athletics Officer, University Secretary and Chief Governance Officer, General Counsel, Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief of Staff.
2. Policy Owner (Sponsor) means Senior Administrators and is normally vice-president, associate vice-president, dean or director. See link for latest list of contacts:    https://governance.usask.ca/documents/governing/org-chart.pdf
3. Office of Administrative Responsibility means the unit responsible for supporting the Policy Owner on the drafting, revising and administering the Policy and Procedures.
4. University means the University of Saskatchewan

Development, Approval and Administration of University Policies

Academic and Curricular Nomenclature