Issues to Consider in Drafting an Academic Policy Proposal

Preliminary Research

  • Is the policy proposal aligned with all applicable federal, state, and/or local legislation or accreditation regulations?

  • Have you reviewed the Policy Library to ensure that there are no existing policies that already address this issue? If there are similar policies, how is this proposal different?

  • Have you researched similar policies at other universities to ensure that this policy is aligned with best practices?

Timetable & Costs

  • How quickly must the proposed policy be implemented? What is the proposed effective date of the new policy?  Why is this effective date necessary?

  • Apart from the costs of posting the policy on the website, are there implementation costs involved if the policy is adopted (including new personnel, time commitment for existing personnel, compliance time, etc.)?

Stakeholders & Responsible Parties

  • Which groups, units, programs or other entities would be impacted by the proposed policy?

  • Have all those within the University community who will be impacted been involved in the policy development?

  • Are there other stakeholders, such as alumni, trustees, or students, whose views should be considered during the development?