Policy and procedure development and implementation program

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that university policies and procedures extend the mission of Lynn University, are promulgated in accordance with a standardized process with the engagement of appropriate college stakeholders and are made widely available to the university community.

The university Policy and Procedure Development and Implementation Program, directed by General Counsel and the Office of Compliance, has been designed to ensure that policies and procedures are developed, approved, issued, and maintained in a consistent manner with the engagement of appropriate university stakeholders. This program makes policies and procedures widely available to the university community in order to enhance compliance and advancement of the university’s mission.

The program allows for the design of new policies, amendments or alterations to existing policies, and for design and/or alteration of procedures to increase compliance with institutional policies. The policy and procedure development and implementation program focuses on administrative policies with very little oversight of academic policies.

Definitions

University policy—a university policy is a prudent governing principle derived from the mission and goals of the university, which is adopted and approved by the President of the university and the Board of Trustees. This definition encompasses only university-wide policies, which are distinguished from departmental policies and operating procedures. Only those policies approved in accord with this policy will have the force of university policy. In the event of a conflict between a university-wide policy and a department policy, the university-wide policy will supersede the department policy. University-wide policies include the following:

Administrative policy—non-academic and non-faculty policies governing the operations of the university as published.

Academic policy—policies that directly affect the educational process and the academic programs of the university as published in the university catalogs.

Faculty policy—those policies that affect basic academic personnel matters - principally faculty status, rights and responsibilities, rank, retention, evaluation, and faculty development.

University procedures—statements that provide for orderly implementation of established university policies through specific, prescribed actions and are more detailed than a policy statement.

Issuing authority—the university authority responsible for final approval of a university policy is the Board of Trustees or, as delegated by it, the President.

Responsible officer—the university officer responsible for developing, coordinating, and maintaining a university policy.

I. Policy development/revision and approval process

A. Administrative policies

1. New administrative policies will be developed by the designated “responsible party” in consultation with the Office of Compliance and other subject-matter experts or impacted offices and business units. The policy development process begins by submitting a “request for new policy” ticket to the Office of Compliance.
2. The designated member of the Office of Compliance will meet with the responsible party to discuss next steps. If development of a new policy is approved, the responsible party will be provided with the standard policy template and will be asked to submit an initial draft. The initial draft should be submitted to the Office of Compliance who will conduct additional edits and create a second policy draft.
3. If the proposed policy impacts any business process or university data element, the policy draft will be submitted to either the Data Governance Committee or to Compliance partners for review. During review from either the Committee or the Compliance partners, all impacted parties will be provided an opportunity to provide feedback and comment on the proposed policy. The goal of this stage of the development and review process is to ensure that any policy, if approved, can be followed effectively by all impacted parties. Additionally, it is at this stage that an assessment of the need for supporting procedures will be conducted.
4. Once a final draft has been completed, the draft will be submitted to the President’s Cabinet for review.
5. After approval by the President and, if applicable, the Board of Trustees, the policy will be posted and disseminated to the university community.

B. Academic and faculty policies

Proposed new university academic and faculty policies or proposed changes to existing university academic and faculty policies may be initiated by the Academic Council or one of its committees, the President’s Cabinet, the Dean’s Council, or any other appropriate university standing committee, as well as by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or the President. All university academic and faculty policies are reviewed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Academic Council prior to final approval by the President and the Board of Trustees. Once approved, requests for publication to the university website and policy database should be submitted to the Office of Compliance.

Note: Changes to or adoption of a new curriculum must follow the procedures set forth in the applicable university policies.

II. Review cycles

The Responsible Officer is responsible for keeping the university policy current and for the performance of periodic reviews to ensure that the policy complies with and reflects current laws, regulations, accreditation standards, and higher education best practices. No less than every three years, the responsible officer is to recommend to the issuing authority whether the university policy should be reaffirmed without revision or amended or repealed as provided in this policy. If the issuing authority concurs with a recommendation to reaffirm the policy, the reaffirmation date is to be noted on the university policy. Depending on requested changes by applicable internal governing bodies, accreditation agencies, or as required by changes to governmental policy or legislation, review periods may be shortened.

III. Development and approval of department policies

A department of the university may develop additional policies and procedures that pertain only to the affairs of the concerned department. Such policies do not substitute for university policies and procedures. All department specific policies and procedures must not be in conflict with established university policy and procedure. The area supervisor will communicate such policies to the appropriate President Cabinet member, who will in turn report the policy to the President’s Cabinet for approval.

IV. Interim policies

The President may put an interim policy into place in situations where a university policy must be established in a time period too short to permit the completion of the process delineated in this policy. The President shall inform the Board of Trustees immediately of the establishment of any interim policy.

V. Emergency procedures

If any provision of the Lynn University policies are in conflict with a national, state, or local law or is otherwise illegal, invalid or unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of the policy and the application of the provision in question to persons or circumstances other than those to which the provision is improper, shall not be affected. In addition, the Board of Trustees shall act to bring the university into compliance with such law or invalidity, and the Lynn University policy will be amended as soon as possible, providing none of these laws are in conflict with the mission of the university.

VI. Related procedures and guidelines

Policies may be supplemented by procedures or guidelines that describe policy implementation practices, subject to the approval of the President or an authorized designee. These supplemental procedures may be referenced in, and/or linked from, the relevant policy, as appropriate.

VII. Reservation of rights

Nothing in this policy limits or circumscribes in any way the power and authority of the Board of Trustees or the President to issue, amend, or revoke university policies or department policies at any time.

Only those university policies that are approved by the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board, as authorized by the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees, can be applicable to the Board and/or its Trustees.

To learn more about this policy or the supporting procedures, please contact Compliance.