Policy and Procedure Statement

SUBJECT:
PREAMBLE
SIAST Policies: Framework, Approval and
Administration
Policy and Procedure Statement
CATEGORY:
Governance –
Organizational Policy &
Accountability
NO.
G-2.8
SIAST strives to enrich the learning experience and working environment for its student and
employee populations. SIAST policies and procedures fulfill the mission, vision, values and
goals of the organization, provide uniform interpretation and guidelines for governance and
decision-making within the organization, and regulate individual and organizational action and
behaviour.
POLICY
SIAST policies articulate the core governing principles and strategic directions of the
organization, set out its governance and regulatory positions, distinguish compliance with
applicable laws, regulations and other policies, and identify both the rights and responsibilities
of all members of its community.
SIAST policies relating to major functional operations such as board governance,
organizational policy and accountability, legal requirements and high risk decisions, require
board approval. All policies requiring board approval are subject to review every three years
by the SIAST board of directors or earlier as dictated by changing conditions.
All other policies are approved by the president and chief executive officer. The procedures to
implement board-approved policies are also approved by the president and chief executive
officer. All policies requiring presidential approval are subject to review every five years or
earlier as required.
All SIAST employees are bound by SIAST policies and are responsible to ensure they have
read and understand, or ask questions to obtain needed clarification as to intent, for all
Approved by:
Board of Directors
Original Issue Date: June 15, 2007
Prepared by:
Senior Management Council
Date Issued:
April 23, 2010
Supersedes/New:
Supersedes
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#G-2.8

elevant policies. 1 Any person who knowingly or unknowingly violates a SIAST policy without
lawful justification or excuse may be subject to disciplinary action, suspension or dismissal.
SIAST reserves the right to recover from its employees any direct or indirect costs incurred as
a result of any violation of its policies, in addition to imposing any other disciplinary sanctions it
deems appropriate, including immediate dismissal. SIAST also reserves the right to take legal
action against violators that could result in criminal or civil proceedings. Deliberate or
inadvertent misinterpretation of errors or omissions (consequential or inconsequential), or
misuse or malicious distortion of the general intent of SIAST policies and related procedures is
considered a violation.
SIAST policies and procedures are accessible through the SIAST website.
1 SIAST board members must adhere to The SIAST Act and are bound by the Directors’ Code of
Conduct policy #G-1.4, and all board-related and relevant operational policies. SIAST students are
bound by Student Conduct policy #A-2.5, and all student-related and relevant operational policies.
Approved by:
Board of Directors
Original Issue Date: June 15, 2007
Prepared by:
Senior Management Council
Date Issued:
April 23, 2010
Supersedes/New:
Supersedes
Page
2 of 5
#G-2.8

PROCEDURES
A. General Guidelines for Developing SIAST Policies
Policies are position statements that provide a broad framework for operational procedures
which regulate individual and organizational action and behaviour. SIAST policies fulfill the
mission, vision, values and goals of the organization and are intended to guide action, change
and decision-making. They promote operational efficiencies and reduce institutional risk.
Procedures related to policies are regularly reviewed to ensure processes comply with
institutional policy and that current practices are reflected. Policies are reviewed a minimum of
every three years for board-approved policies and every five years for president-approved
policies.
SIAST policies are divided into three broad subject categories: Governance, Academic, and
Operations and Administrative Services. Within each category there are subsections which
narrow the subject information. Policies contained within the Governance Series are subject
to the approval of the board of directors. Policies within the Academic and Operations &
Administrative Services Series are subject to the approval of the president and chief executive
officer.
Policies are organized and numbered in the following manner:
Procedures to policy #G-2.8
approved by:
President & CEO
Category Number
Governance Series
Board Governance [decision-making] G-1
Organizational Policy and Accountability [directions] G-2
Legal Requirements [government] G-3
High Risk Decisions [financial, legal or reputation impact] G-4
Academic Series
Programming A-1
Student Affairs and Services A-2
Operations & Administrative Services Series
Finance O-1
Human Resources O-2
Information Resources O-3
Donor and Alumni Relations O-4
Established departmental or unit operating procedures or processes are subject to SIASTwide
policies.
Prepared by:
Institutional Secretary
Date Issued:
March 9, 2010
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Supersedes
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B. Process for Policy Development
1. In consultation with the immediate senior out-of-scope manager, employees may
suggest the development of a new policy or the modification of an existing one.
2. If the policy concept is deemed to have merit by the senior out-of-scope manager, a
draft policy will be produced. If required, procedures needed to implement the policy
are also developed at this time.
3. Policies will normally be written in the following standardized format:
Procedures to policy #G-2.8
approved by:
President & CEO
Preamble - A short summary of the reasons leading to the
development of the policy. Positive statements related to
the value of the policy should be included. The preamble
answers the question “why”.
Policy - A concise statement describing the policy. This
statement may contain principles which set standards or
determine a course of action. Consequences for noncompliance
or non-enforcement should be included. The
policy statement answers the question “what”.
Procedures may be included as a supplement to the policy. The procedures set out
the sequence of chronological steps to be followed to implement a policy and may
include key references to facilitate retrieval of relevant information, including the
location(s) of the subject policy. Procedures should be clear, concise and easy to
follow and provide direction to avoid unnecessary ambiguity, conflict, inconsistency, or
inefficiency. Procedures answer the question “how”.
In some instances, operating procedures with restricted circulation are better served
under their own cover (eg. Program Operating Procedures Manual).
4. Reasonable opportunities for consultation from those directly affected by a proposed
policy will be provided. This will include the assessment of the draft policy by the
appropriate unit manager or senior manager.
5. The final policy draft shall be forwarded to the senior vice-president, academic or vicepresident,
administrative services, as appropriate, for consideration, and subsequent
scrutiny and endorsement by deans’ council or administrative services’ council, as
appropriate.
6. All new or revised policies will be vetted through the institutional secretary prior to
submission to senior management council (SMC). SMC is charged with
recommending endorsement, approval or denial by the president of any new or revised
policy. The president’s decision shall be considered final and binding.
Prepared by:
Institutional Secretary
Date Issued:
March 9, 2010
Supersedes/New:
Supersedes
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7. If endorsed by SMC, policies contained within the Governance series will be forwarded
to the SIAST board of directors, via the appropriate board of directors’ sub-committee,
for consideration and approval. Procedures to board-approved SIAST-wide policies
and policies contained within the Academic and Operations & Administrative Services
series are approved by the president and CEO.
8. Following the approval process, the institutional secretary will post the policy on the
SIAST website and send notification of the new/revised policy to the SIAST community.
Procedures to policy #G-2.8
approved by:
President & CEO
Prepared by:
Institutional Secretary
Date Issued:
March 9, 2010
Supersedes/New:
Supersedes
Page
5 of 5
#G-2.8