Policy Development and Management Procedures

1. The College's official Policy template includes:
   
   
   
   1. Policy Name and Number
   
   
   2. Approval Body
   
   
   3. Policy Sponsor
   
   
   4. Next Scheduled Review Date
   
   
   5. Effective date
   
   
   6. Context and Purpose
   
   
   7. Definitions
   
   
   8. Scope and Limits
   
   
   9. Policy Principles
   
   
   10. Related Resources, including Procedures where applicable
   
   
   
   


2. The Policy Coordinator will present an annual summary of Policy and Procedures that are due for Scheduled Review to each Approval Body. The list will include any additional Policy and Procedures that may require a review to address a significant change in legislation, regulations or College operations.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Approval Body

3. The three (3) approval authorities for College Policy – Board of Governors, Education Council, and the President – are responsible for approving:
   
   
   
   1. New Policy and Procedures
   
   
   2. Policy and Procedure revisions as part of a scheduled review
   
   
   3. Policy revisions (not part of a scheduled review)
   
   
   
   

Policy Sponsor (the Sponsor)

4. A senior executive of the College, such as a Vice President or Associate Vice President, appointed by the President, responsible for:
   
   
   
   1. Assigning a Responsible Authority
   
   
   2. Ensuring that appropriate research and consultation in the development of Policy and Procedures are thorough and complete
   
   
   3. Approving requests for a legal opinion
   
   
   4. Presenting draft documents for final approval
   
   
   
   


5. For Board approved Policy, the President is the Sponsor.

Review Body

6. A Policy Committee, responsible for:
   
   
   
   1. Scrutinizing draft Policy and Procedures and providing feedback and direction as needed
   
   
   2. Approving draft Policy and Procedures for College feedback
   
   
   3. Confirming that all feedback has been appropriately addressed
   
   
   4. Providing a recommendation for the approval of new or reviewed Policy and Procedures, or revised Policy
   
   
   5. Vetting and approving revisions to Procedures as authorized below
   
   
   6. Reviewing draft Guidelines and Standards as requested
   
   
   
   

Responsible Authority

7. An individual or group responsible for:
   
   
   
   1. Researching, consulting, and drafting/revising documents
   
   
   2. Presenting draft documents to the Review Body
   
   
   3. Reviewing and addressing College feedback
   
   
   4. Creating and initiating an implementation plan as needed
   
   
   
   

Policy Coordinator (the Coordinator)

8. The College's official Policy holder, responsible for:
   
   
   
   1. Acting on requests to create new or revise existing Policy and Procedures and initiating scheduled reviews
   
   
   2. Providing guidance, support and direction on the impact of regulatory, operational or other requirements on Policy and Procedures
   
   
   3. Providing recommendations and support on the College's Policy framework and related processes
   
   
   4. Tracking and reporting on activities related to Policy and Procedures
   
   
   5. Ensuring the completeness and accuracy of Policy approvals, documents, and related resources, such as forms, guidelines or standards
   
   
   6. Informing the College community of new or changes to Policy and Procedures, and maintaining Policy web pages
   
   
   7. Working with the Responsible Authority to implement Policy and Procedures in a timely manner
   
   
   8. Assisting with the development and review of Operational Guidelines and Standards as requested
   
   
   
   

DEVELOPMENT, REVIEW AND APPROVAL

A.  Policy and Procedures

This section outlines the process for:

1. New Policy and Procedures


2. Scheduled reviews of Policy and Procedures


3. Revisions to Policy that are not part of a scheduled review (Note: Revisions to Procedures follow the process outlined in section B.)

9. Requests to create, revise or review Policy and Procedures are submitted to the Coordinator, who works with the Sponsor to determine appropriate next steps, and to assign a Responsible Authority.


10. The Responsible Authority conducts any required research and consultation with relevant parties; drafts documents; and presents drafts to the Review Body for feedback and direction.


11. The Review Body approves draft documents for College feedback.


12. The Responsible Authority presents revised documents and a feedback summary to the Review Body.


13. The Review Body makes a recommendation for approval.


14. The Sponsor presents documents for final approval.


15. The Responsible Authority and Coordinator implement as needed.

B.  Revisions to Procedures

This section outlines the process for the review and approval of revisions to Procedures that are not part of a scheduled review.

16. The Responsible Authority conducts any required research and consultation with relevant parties; edits the document; and presents a draft to the Review Body for input and direction as needed.


17. The Review Body will ensure that the revisions are consistent with the intentions of the Policy and do not contravene the approved principles.


18. The Review Body may:
    
    
    
    1. Approve revisions to Procedures
    
    
    2. Approve revisions to Policy definitions
    
    
    3. Provide recommendations for further revisions and/or an implementation plan as needed
    
    
    4. Determine that the proposed change contravenes the principles of the related Policy or other College policy and direct the Responsible Authority to either begin a scheduled review or revise the Policy
    
    
    
    


19. The Responsible Authority and Coordinator implement as needed.

C.  Editorial Changes

20. Editorial revisions to Policy and Procedures include but are not limited to:
    
    
    
    1. correcting typographical errors
    
    
    2. updating job titles
    
    
    3. revising related resources
    
    
    4. changing the logo or template
    
    
    5. minor changes to language that provide clarification
    
    
    
    


21. Requests for editorial changes are reviewed and approved by the Responsible Authority and/or Coordinator.


22. The Coordinator manages all aspects of an editorial change.


23. Editorial changes do not impact the dates noted on a Policy or Procedures.

D.  Departmental Practice

24. Departmental Practices will be reviewed by relevant parties prior to implementation, but do not require formal approval.


25. For Departmental Practices, the approval authority is the Department Leader or Manager.


26. Individual departments are responsible for communicating, and making accessible, their Departmental Practices to relevant parties.


27. Departmental practices must be consistent with all College Policy, Procedures and collective agreements (as per Policy Principle 5).

E.  Operational Guidelines and Standards

28. Operational Guidelines and Standards will be reviewed by relevant parties prior to implementation, but do not require formal approval.


29. The approval authority for Operational Guidelines and Standards is the appropriate Vice President or designate.


30. Individual departments are responsible for communicating and making accessible their Operational Standards and Guidelines to relevant parties and/or the College community.

F.  Rescinding a Policy

31. A Policy may be rescinded when it is no longer needed to establish high level practices and processes, or when consolidated with another Policy.


32. Requests to rescind a Policy are reviewed by the Responsible Authority and Sponsor.


33. If deemed appropriate to rescind a Policy, the Responsible Authority submits the Policy and rationale for rescinding to the Review Body.


34. The Policy will be posted for community feedback.


35. The Review body makes a recommendation to rescind the Policy.


36. The Sponsor presents the recommendation for approval.


37. A rescinded Policy is removed from the website and archived.

COLLEGE FEEDBACK

38. The Coordinator notifies the College community of Policy and Procedures that are open for feedback. 


39. The College community will have fifteen (15) business days to respond.


40. The Responsible Authority and Coordinator review feedback and prepare a summary for the Review Body.

LEGAL OPINION

41. From time to time, it will be necessary and prudent to seek legal advice especially for specialized areas of expertise or to assess risk. Requests for legal advice must be approved by the Sponsor.


42. The Sponsor determines whether, and at what stage, a draft Policy will be submitted for legal opinion and provides instructions to legal counsel regarding the nature and scope of such review.

EXPEDITED POLICY AND PROCEDURES

43. Under exceptional and/or emergency circumstances, the President may approve new Policy and Procedures or revisions to existing Policy and Procedures on an interim basis and until such time that the Policy may proceed through the regular Policy approval process. This includes but is not limited to addressing an immediate change to legislation and/or regulations or directives from the provincial government.


44. The decision of the President will immediately be forwarded to the appropriate Approval Body who may, depending on their authority, override the decision of the President.


45. Any Policy put into, or taken out of, effect in an expedited manner will enter a normal development process in accordance with the appropriate approval process.


46. The College community will be notified of expedited Policy decisions in a timely manner.

IMPLEMENTATION

47. Approved Policy and Procedures become effective on the date that they are approved, unless a later effective date is indicated by the Approval Body.


48. Upon approval, the Coordinator notifies the College community and updates the College website.


49. The Responsible Authority and Coordinator initiate an implementation plan as needed.