Dear all, This is a very interesting question, which touches on several inter-related elements:
- nomenclature and categorisation of institutional governance texts; - publication, communication and record-keeping of institutional policy - policy on policy (or meta policy). In terms of classification, most Australian university governance texts include - legislation (foundation acts, and delegated legislation frequently referred to as statutes and regulations) - policy instruments (policies, procedures and guidelines) - related texts (codes of conduct, formal decisions of governing bodies) and - supporting texts (such as forms and checklists). In terms of categorisation, most policy could be categorised as: - governance - academic - administrative. Institutions then have a diverse range of sorting texts within these categories (for example, under 'administrative', into human resources; finance; IT; OHS, and under 'academic' as teaching and learning, research, student-related, and governance, as policy on policy, delegations, privacy etc) In almost all instances, all institution-wide policy (and procedures, and frequently guidelines) are centrally published in an online policy repository or policy library (in Australia and New Zealand). I have attached a listing of Australian and New Zealand institutional policy repository websites (developed by Mark Hatwell from Monash University and I to support policy benchmarking, and for the ongoing professional development and support provided by the Association for Tertiary Education Management (ATEM) Institutional Policy Network established by Mark and Kai Jensen, now at RMIT University). You will notice that almost all institutions publish governance, academic and administrative policies centrally (that is, in the one place). There is a perpetual discussion about 'local policy' developed by local organisational units (we refer to 'Faculties' as umbrellas for academic schools and departments). Generally, local policy is NOT published centrally (and in many if not most institutions is ignored from a centralised policy making/evaluation perspective within the scheme of things). There is also a trend towards including other governance texts (particularly delegated legislation, codes and key forms such as human resources forms) in central policy repositories (which are being retitled, from 'policy repository' or 'policy library' to something else which reflects this broader span). In terms of process, and requirements (i.e. for how a policy is developed, evaluated, published and presented etc), Australian and New Zealand higher education institutions articulate such principles in 'meta-policy', or 'policy on policy', and there is some emerging research (that I am doing) on this area. I might also refer you to the ATEM Policy without (much) pain guide. This is a really fascinating area, and your question touches on much of what policy managers are interested in. I've also attached a paper which I gave at the AACRAO conference in San Francisco in April, 2013, which touches on some of these issues. I am currently researching these questions (and more!), and will be circulating a survey via ACUPA in the next weeks/month to learn more about what US-based higher education institutions are doing in this regard. I will be undertaking some research from January - March 2014 on some of these issues (based at the University of California, Berkeley) and would be interested in hearing from policy managers during that time if you are interested in chatting about some of these issues (email, skype or telephone). (My current research is available via academia on https://unimelb.academia.edu/BrigidFreeman). Best regards, Brigid Brigid Freeman Research Fellow Education Policy & Leadership Melbourne Graduate School of Education | University of Melbourne | Vic 3010 Australia e: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> t: +61 3 9035 9835 | m: +61 408128924 | f: +61 3 8344 8696 World No. 3 in education<http://education.unimelb.edu.au/news_and_activities/news/news_articles/mgse_world_number_three> (QS rankings by subject 2013) P Please consider the environment before printing this email This email and any attachments may contain personal information or information that is otherwise confidential or the subject of copyright. Any use, disclosure or copying of any part of it is prohibited. The University does not warrant that this email or any attachments are free from viruses or defects. Please check any attachments for viruses and defects before opening them. If this email is received in error please delete it and notify by return email CRICOS Provider Code 00116K On 15/11/2013, at 6:31 AM, Schiffman, Alyssa wrote: Hello all, I’m looking for best practice, either for or against, hosting academic policies on a University policy website. At our institution, we differentiate academic policies as those owned by Faculty Council and mostly related to the University Handbook; from operational policies about employee standards, paying the bills, etc. Right now they are both housed on the University policy website, but I find it difficult to stay abreast of the changes Faculty Council makes to them as operational policies go through a different process and use a template. Does anyone else house them together, or do you keep them separate? -Alyssa Schiffman DePaul University ATTN: Please be aware that when you respond to an ACUPA-L e-mail, the reply will be distributed to the ENTIRE e-listing of members. 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Final AACRAO Presentation 17 April 2013, San Francisco.doc.pdf
Description: Final AACRAO Presentation 17 April 2013, San Francisco.doc.pdf
Aust-policy-websites June 2013.docx
Description: Aust-policy-websites June 2013.docx
