Policy without (much) pain - University of Ballarat

Policy without (much) painthe issues register. In this way the reviewer begins the review with a list of possible issues thatcan be considered during consultation.When reviewing student-related policies, it is desirable to hold focus groups of students to explorethe student experience of the policy. Where the institution has campuses in other countries and/oroffshore partner programs, focus groups with students there should be held by videoconference.There is no reason why a policy cannot be changed sooner than the review-by date if it becomesapparent that adjustments are needed. This leads to the delicate question of whether a quick fixto one aspect of a policy can be considered to be a review, so that the review time-frame can bereset to the maximum number of years. If stakeholders are consulted on the proposed specificchange, they should also be asked whether they can identify other problems with the policy thatwould require a more thorough review before long. For a policy governing a major area of activity,it would be unwise to consider it fully reviewed without surveying similar policies at otherinstitutions and considering the state of government policy and relevant national guidelines. Wetend to the view that a quick fix to one aspect of a major policy should not reset the review-bydate.Key points/tips:‣ Consider mechanisms to encourage review of policies by review dates.‣ Reviews of major policies may be a full-scale project.‣ Review is easier if records have been kept of issues with the policy.‣ When reviewing student-related policies, convene focus groups of students.‣ If actioning a ‘quick fix’ to one aspect of a policy, it may not be wise to resetthe review-by date.~ 36 ~