ABS Policy Development Process

The process for the development of University-wide policies by Accounting and Business Services (ABS) is summarized as follows:

Definitions

Policy - University-wide policy statements reflect institutional mission, goals, and values as well as ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Such policies also promote operational efficiency, consistent practices, and risk reduction. University policies override policies and procedures established by individual schools, colleges, and departments.

Policy Contact - The person who is the subject matter expert designated within the policy owner’s division to be the first point of contact to answer policy questions and assist in policy interpretation. The policy contact is generally responsible for maintaining and updating the policy, as needed. The contact may also be the author of the policy.

Policy Owner - Typically, the Vice President responsible for the administration of a policy and its related procedures, processes, instructions, and forms. Depending on the scope of the subject matter, a policy may have more than one policy owner.

Procedures - Consists of implementing instructions and regulations that support University-wide policies. Procedures often include step-by-step instructions for performing administrative tasks, along with links to relevant University forms and websites. University policy documents should consist of separate procedures to ensure the consistent application of the policy.

Policy Drafting

New policy drafts should be prepared using the standard ABS Policy Template, which includes the following standard sections:

  • Policy Statement
  • Reason for Policy
  • Who Should Read this Policy
  • Policy Text
  • Procedures
  • Related Information
  • Definitions
  • Additional Contracts
  • Forms
  • Responsibilities
  • FAQ
  • Revision History
  • Appendices
  • Guidance for completing each section of the template is provided in the ABS Policy Template Instructions.

Review by ABS

Once the policy draft has been completed, it must be forwarded to the Associate Vice President for initial review. After this review, the draft will be sent to ABS senior managers for further review by them and any staff members knowledgeable about the policy subject matter. Each senior manager should send comments from their unit to the Associate Vice President, with copies to the Policy Coordinator and the policy contact. The Policy Coordinator or policy contact will then update the draft to include the comments. Further coordination with appropriate Information Technology Services (ITS) staff may be required for any policy changes involving system modifications or other IT issues.

Review by the Office of Internal Audit and Tax Compliance and the Office of General Counsel (OGC)

Policies that include tax compliance or legal matters must be sent to the Director of Internal Audit and Tax Compliance or the Office of General Counsel, respectively, for review and comment. The Associate Vice President will coordinate this review and will work with the Policy Coordinator or policy contact to update the draft to include any tax or legal changes.


Review by the Vice President for Business and Finance

The Associate Vice President will send the revised policy draft to the Vice President for Business and Finance for his review and approval. If approved by the Vice President, the draft may be distributed for wider review, depending on the policy subject matter.


Review by Key Stakeholders

After the Vice President completes his review, the policy draft will be sent to any administrative offices (e.g., HR, ITS, Student Employment, etc.) impacted by the policy. The draft may also be sent to certain Business Managers for their review and comment. The Associate Vice President will coordinate this review. In some cases, a policy draft may be presented at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Business Managers. At the end of the comment period, an updated draft will be prepared by the Policy Coordinator or policy contact, as appropriate.

Review by Leadership

Policies involving significant changes may be sent by the Vice President for Business and Finance to the Leadership Team, as appropriate, for their review and approval. ABS will then revise the draft to include any comments provided by the Leadership Team.

Implementation

After the Vice President approves the policy for Business and Finance and/or the Leadership Team, it will be posted on the ABS policy website. The policy change will also be communicated broadly throughout the University, both in the ABS newsletter and in separate announcements sent directly to Business Managers.