Institutional Policies

This site provides a central reference for Smith’s institutional policies. The policies can be accessed alphabetically. 
 

Download the Policy on Policies (doc) (31.51 KB)
 

Any institutional policies written after December 21, 2015, must follow the workflow and policy template below.

Policy Workflow

Step 1:

  • Draft policy
  • Vet with sponsoring officer

Step 2:

  • Sponsoring officer and author present to Cabinet for approval

Step 3:

  • Post policy to appropriate webpage
  • Send URL to the Office of Risk Management to be posted in the institutional policy directory

Step 4: 

  • Communicate policy to affected community members

Policy Template

An institutional policy is defined as any policy that meets most of the following criteria:
has broad application or impact throughout the college;

  • involves a subject matter specific to one area that has direct financial or operational influence to the work of other offices across the college;
  • has budgetary impact and requires review and approval by a member of the senior staff;
  • seeks to ensure compliance with applicable laws, ethical norms, accepted best practices, promotion of operational efficiencies, enhancement of the college’s mission, and/or reduction of institutional risks; and
  • mandates or constrains actions.

College policies can apply to some or all members of the college community, including: (a) the Board of Trustees; (b) faculty, including visiting faculty; (c) employees; (d) volunteers; (e) students; and (f) others who are performing activities or providing services at or under the auspices of the college, including consultants, vendors, and contractors.

A procedure can be defined as the operational processes required to implement institutional policy. Operating practices can be formal or informal, specific to a department or applicable across the entire institution. If policy is “what” the institution does operationally, then its procedures are “how” it intends to carry out those operating policy expressions.

Identifying a Policy vs. Procedure

Institutional Policy

Procedure

Widespread application

Narrow application

Changes less frequently

Prone to changes

Uses language such as “required,” “mandated” or “must”

Uses language such as “should,” “could” or “may”

Statements of “what” or “why”

Statements of “how,” “when” or “who”

Usually expressed in broad terms

Often stated in detail