Legal Affairs Policies

I. Justification and Statement of Policy

College policies protect the integrity of the College's mission, reputation and operations, and support the management of operational risks. This policy provides for a consistent and transparent process for the adoption of all College policies that ensures expeditious policy development coupled with the opportunity for robust debate and discussion by the College community.

II. Scope

This policy applies to all departments, faculty, staff, and students. All College policies must be developed, approved and distributed in compliance with this policy and published on the College's policy website. The Faculty Handbook, department, or unit policies/procedures are not covered by this policy, but such policies, policy documents, or procedures may not conflict with College Policies. Any policy, regulation, rule, or procedure found to be in conflict with a state or federal law, rule or regulation shall be null and void to the extent of the conflict.

III. Definitions

1. College Policy: A mission-oriented rule with broad application throughout the College that provides guidance and assistance to the College community in the conduct of the College's affairs, ensures coordinated compliance with applicable laws and regulations, reduces institutional risks, and promotes operational efficiency. Questions regarding the differences between policies and procedures or the appropriate designation of a policy should be directed to the General Counsel.

2. Committee on College Policy Development (CCPD): A College standing committee responsible for advising the President on policy development, implementation, and revision and ensuring that College community input and feedback are broadly sought, valued, and appropriately used, subject to its standard operating procedures. The CCPD is chaired by the General Counsel and will, at a minimum, include representatives from the following: Faculty Council, Staff Council, Risk Management and Compliance, Human Resources, and Student Affairs. Other stakeholders may be invited to participate in the CCPD's work when necessary to ensure that all interests and perspectives are recognized and discussed.

3. Policy Owner: The College officer (President, senior officer, or their designee) whose responsibilities cover the subject matter of the policy and who will have primary responsibility for policy dissemination, enforcement, ongoing policy review and maintenance as well as the development of any training necessary to implement policy.

4. Policy Proposal: A document that explains the need and/or reasons for, summarizes the content of, and indicates the stakeholders who should be consulted during the development of any proposed new or revised College Policy.

5. Policy Sponsor: Any faculty, staff member, or student who identifies the need for a College Policy, submits a Policy Proposal, and who may also work with the CCPD and other stakeholders to develop and implement the policy.

6. Procedures: Operational processes necessary to implement a College Policy or carry out specific institutional functions, provide details of who performs specific steps, when and how they should be performed.

7. Senior Officer: Divisional leaders of the College who report directly to the President.

IV. Policy

Policy Development and Approval: A Policy Sponsor, through the submission of a Policy Proposal form, or the Committee on College Policy Development (CCPD), on its own initiative, may initiate a College Policy or make recommendations to revise an existing College Policy. All Policy Proposals must be submitted to the CCPD who will assess the need for the proposed policy, in consultation with senior administrators. If the Policy Proposal is approved, the CCPD will designate the Policy Owner.

Once the Policy Proposal has been approved, the Policy Owner will draft the proposed policy using the standard policy template. During the drafting process, the Policy Owner is responsible for proactively seeking input from any stakeholders identified in the proposal, along with other appropriate members of the College community. The CCPD will work with the Policy Owner to complete a draft of policy within a reasonable time period.

The Policy Owner, after receiving approval from the Senior Officer of the relevant division, will submit a completed draft to the CCPD for review. The CCPD, in its representative capacity, will revise, edit and comment as necessary in order to facilitate approval of the policy and will submit any substantive issues to the Policy Owner for further review. Upon agreement by the Policy Owner and the CCPD, the draft policy will be posted on the College policy website for ten (10) business days of review and comment from the College community. The Policy Owner, in consultation with the CCPD, will take comments under advisement and implement any necessary changes to the draft policy based on the comments received.

Within fifteen days of the conclusion of the comment period, a proposed final draft must be presented to the President for approval. The President, in consultation with the Senior Officers, will either affirmatively approve, reject, or request reconsideration of the policy provisions.

Publication of Policies: Approved College Policies are published on the College Policy website as soon as practicable after review and approval. New policies or policy revisions will also be announced in the College's official mediums of electronic communication to faculty, staff and students, as applicable. When referencing College Policies, departments and units should hyperlink directly to the policy's URL on the College Policy website.

Interim Policies: The President of the College reserves the right to establish interim policies to address emergent issues facing the College where the policy development process proves too lengthy to address the issue. An interim policy will remain in effect until fully adopted through the process defined in this policy or for up to twelve months from the date of issuance, whichever occurs first. The President may renew an interim policy if necessary.

Ongoing Policy Review and Maintenance: Policy Owners will review their policies annually in order to determine (a) whether the policy is still necessary; (b) whether updates, revisions, or other changes are needed; (c) whether there are gaps that indicate that a new policy should be developed; and (d) the necessity for associated training. The results of this annual review will be communicated annually to the CCPD for review and evaluation. The College reserves the right to revise any policies at any time without notice. All revisions supersede prior policy and are effective immediately upon approval.

Policy Repeal: A Policy Owner who believes that a College policy should be repealed may request the CCPD to review the policy. The CCPD, on an annual basis, will consult with the relevant Policy Owners regarding the policies it recommends for repeal, and submit a recommended listing to the President for review. If the President agrees that repeal is appropriate, the policy will be repealed and the campus will be notified.

Related Documents and Forms

Policy Proposal
Policy Template

-----
Policy Maintained By: Office of General Counsel, Vice President of Legal Affairs and General Counsel
Original Effective Date: July 18, 2022