(Note: OLPM sections on this page may be cited following the format of, for example, "UNH.III.E.Guidelines". These policies may be amended at any time, do not constitute an employment contract, and are provided here only for ease of reference and without any warranty of accuracy. See OLPM Main Menu for details.)
DEVELOPING INSTITUTIONAL POLICY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE: Steps in the Process
These guidelines provide practical direction for initiating, developing, reviewing, approving, and implementing Institutional Policies under UNH.III.E, Institutional Policy Development, Review and Approval. They apply to the adoption, substantive amendment, repeal, and periodic review of Institutional Policies. Non-substantive revisions may be approved by the Policy Owner and do not require the full review process established by the policy and described below.
Planning and Timing
Policy Owners should review their Institutional Policies annually to confirm technical accuracy and identify emerging legal, regulatory, or compliance concerns. This review should include items such as links, office and position titles, contact information, references to other policies, and applicable legal or regulatory language.
In addition to annual review for technical accuracy, Policy Owners should plan for a broader substantive review of each Institutional Policy at intervals appropriate to its subject matter, impact, and risk, generally at least once every few years.
Whenever practicable, adoption, amendment, or repeal of policies should occur on a predictable annual publication cycle. Summer is generally the preferred publication period because it allows changes to be finalized and communicated before the beginning of the fall academic year. Changes may be made outside the normal cycle when necessary to address time-sensitive legal, compliance, health and safety, or other significant institutional needs in accordance with this policy.
Policy Owners should allow sufficient time for meaningful committee and stakeholder review. Depending on the complexity and impact of the proposal, the process may take several months or longer from preliminary review through publication and communication. When summer publication is anticipated, the Policy Owner should generally begin the Preliminary Impact Review by early spring, or earlier for complex or broadly applicable proposals.
A. Identify the policy action or review to be undertaken. The process may be initiated to consider the adoption of a new Institutional Policy, the substantive amendment or repeal of an existing Institutional Policy, or as part of a periodic review. Identify the issue, need, requirement, or change in circumstances prompting the review, if any. A periodic review may begin without a specific revision being proposed.
B. Determine whether Institutional Policy action is warranted. Consider whether the matter should be addressed through adoption of a new Institutional Policy, substantive amendment or repeal of an existing Institutional Policy, or whether there is another avenue to address the issue. Consider whether the matter can be addressed more appropriately through clearer communication or implementation of an existing policy, or through the development or revision of a procedure or guideline. Review the definitions of “policy,” “procedures,” and “guidelines” in this policy to help determine the best avenue for addressing the issue. If Institutional Policy action is not warranted, the review may conclude without proceeding through the remaining steps.
C. Confirm responsibility for the policy action or review. Most policy actions and periodic reviews will be initiated by the Policy Owner or Responsible Executive with responsibility for the relevant subject matter. In those cases, the Responsible Executive should designate or confirm the Policy Owner who will coordinate the process. When a potential policy issue is identified by someone outside the responsible area, that individual should bring the matter to the appropriate Policy Owner or Responsible Executive for consideration. If responsibility is unclear or spans multiple executive areas, consult with the Office of the President, which will designate or confirm the appropriate Responsible Executive.
D. Conduct the Preliminary Impact Review. The Policy Owner, in consultation with the Responsible Executive, should identify the applicable policy category or categories, the populations likely to be affected, the offices responsible for implementation or enforcement, and any legal, contractual, shared governance, compliance, academic, student, employee, research, operational, or financial considerations that may require review. Based on this assessment, identify the proposed Policy Review Group. Refer to the Consultation Reference Guide below to identify required and appropriate reviewers.
E. Submit the Policy Review Memo for preliminary review. Before beginning the Stakeholder Review, the Policy Owner or Responsible Executive should submit the preliminary Policy Review Memo to the Institutional Policy Review Committee. The memo should identify the Policy Owner, Responsible Executive, applicable policy category or categories, proposed Policy Review Group, and a summary of proposed revisions, if known. The Committee will review the Policy Review Memo and may approve the proposed review process and authorize the matter to proceed to Stakeholder Review, return the memo for revision, or identify additional stakeholders or considerations that should be included in the review process.
F. Research and prepare the proposal. Following approval to proceed from the Institutional Policy Review Committee, the Policy Owner should gather the information needed to develop the proposal or conduct the periodic review. This may include applicable legal or regulatory requirements, related UNH or USNH policies and procedures, policies from peer institutions, and feedback from professional organizations and colleagues in the field.
G. Develop the proposal and conduct the Stakeholder Review. The Policy Owner should determine the appropriate sequence for drafting and stakeholder engagement based on the nature of the policy action or review. When the proposed action is already defined, the Policy Owner may prepare an initial draft for review by the Policy Review Group. When conducting a periodic review, the Policy Review Group may begin by reviewing the existing policy and identifying whether revisions or repeal should be considered. Development of the proposal and stakeholder consultation may be iterative.
In all cases, the Policy Review Group should have a meaningful opportunity to review the proposed policy language or tracked changes, when applicable, and provide feedback regarding the policy’s substance, implementation, impact, and consistency with applicable legal, contractual, governance, and institutional requirements. Depending on the subject matter, the proposal may also include definitions, references to related policies or procedures, examples, enforcement or appeal provisions, exceptions or exemptions, and an explanation of how the policy relates to other policies.
H. Finalize the proposal and update the Policy Review Memo. Following the Stakeholder Review, the Policy Owner should consider the feedback received, revise the proposal as appropriate, and conduct additional targeted consultation when significant changes warrant further review. Before final submission, the Policy Owner should confirm that the proposal includes the elements required by this policy and is formatted consistently with UNH and USNH conventions.
The Policy Review Memo should be updated to document the review completed and summarize significant feedback and resulting changes. The finalized proposal and updated memo should be submitted to the Responsible Executive for approval. If no changes are identified through a periodic review, the process may conclude at this point without further submission to the Institutional Policy Review Committee.
I. Submit the proposal for final institutional review. Following approval by the Responsible Executive, the Policy Owner should submit the updated Policy Review Memo and proposed final policy text, shown in tracked changes when applicable, to the Institutional Policy Review Committee. The Committee will review the proposal to confirm completion of the identified review process, appropriate consideration of stakeholder feedback, consistency with the institutional policy hierarchy, and readiness for presidential approval. The Committee may approve the proposal for submission to the President or return it for further review or revision.
J. Obtain presidential approval. Proposals approved by the Institutional Policy Review Committee will be submitted to the President for final written approval. An Institutional Policy may not be adopted, substantively amended, or repealed until presidential approval has been received, except when working publication has been authorized in accordance with this policy. The Committee will notify the Responsible Executive and Policy Owner of the outcome.
K. Publish the approved policy. Following presidential approval, the approved Institutional Policy or revision should be submitted for publication in the Online Policy Manual or other applicable location. The published policy should identify its effective date and Policy Owner and should include or link to any related procedures, guidelines, or supporting materials needed for implementation.
L. Communicate and implement the policy action. The Responsible Executive and Policy Owner should develop and carry out an appropriate communication and implementation plan. Depending on the scope and impact of the policy action, this may include advance notice to affected populations, direct communication to offices responsible for implementation or enforcement, updates to related procedures and webpages, training, and coordination regarding the effective date. The Responsible Executive should ensure that the policy history and related records are maintained in accordance with this policy.
Consultation Reference Guide
The following guide identifies individuals, offices, and bodies that should be consulted during Institutional Policy development based on policy subject matter and affected constituencies. Institutional Policies have broad applicability throughout the University and affect multiple populations. This list is not exhaustive but provides direction on key stakeholders for different policy areas.
The Consultation Reference Guide is intended to support thoughtful and consistent stakeholder engagement. It does not replace any review or consultation required by this policy, other UNH or USNH policy, or applicable law.
Governance & Leadership Bodies
These bodies should be consulted for policies with broad institutional impact or that require shared governance input:
- Faculty Senate (and relevant subcommittees based on policy content) or relevant body with Faculty Senate representation such as Academic Strategy Group
- Student Senate (for policies with significant student impact)
- Graduate Student Senate (for policies that impact graduate students)
- Operating Staff Council (policies affecting operating staff)
- PAT Council (policies affecting PAT employees)
Consultation by Policy Subject Matter
The following offices and bodies should be consulted based on the content and scope of the Institutional Policy being developed:
Legal, Compliance & Risk Management
- USNH General Counsel (always required)
- Civil Rights & Equity Office (policies related to discrimination, disability, Title IX - Sexual Misconduct/harassment, religion, and pregnancy)
- Environmental Health and Safety (safety, environmental regulations, hazardous materials)
- University Police (policies affecting campus safety and security)
- Student Accessibility Services (policies related to disability, access, and accommodations)
Research & Scholarly Activity
- Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects (policies involving human subjects research)
- Sponsored Program Administration (policies affecting research funding, grants administration, or research compliance)
Employment & Human Resources
- Chief Human Resources Officer (always required)
- Assistant Provost for Contract Administration (policies that may affect matters addressed by a collective bargaining agreement or active bargaining topic, including employment-related rights, benefits, working conditions, fees/fee waivers, or graduate assistant obligations.)
Finance & Operations
- Central Finance (financial policies, budget policies, procurement)
- Facilities (policies affecting buildings, grounds, or physical plant)
- Transportation Policy Committee (parking, transportation, fleet, or transit policies)
Technology & Information Systems
- Chief Information Officer or IT leadership
External Relations & Advancement
- University Advancement (policies affecting fundraising, donor relations, or advancement activities)
- Alumni Relations (policies significantly affecting alumni)
- Marketing (policies requiring broad communication or affecting university reputation)
For questions about the appropriate stakeholders to engage in Institutional Policy revisions, Policy Owners should work with the Responsible Executive for direction on the appropriate consultation and review process. The Responsible Executive and Policy Owner may also consult with the Institutional Policy Review Committee for guidance on:
- Who should be consulted for a specific policy topic
- Whether a policy requires system-level or Board of Trustees review
- Whether legal review or additional compliance review is needed
