Policy without (much) pain - University of Ballarat

Policy without (much) painmonitoring policy compliance within the institution, if possible by analysis of data fromenterprise systems rather than merely anecdotal evidenceproviding effective tools, guidance and advice to policy developers and policy ownerstaking an interest in all aspects of the institution’s operations to identify policy gaps andmaintain a reasonable understanding of policy content forming and maintaining a network with staff who can assist with policy projects and providefeedback on effectiveness of policies and gaps in the policy suite marketing policy to staff and students actively through all available media ensuring that the web policy repository is comprehensive and highly usable (see section 21below) monitoring external developments that may require changes to the institution’s policies forming and maintaining a network with policy managers at other institutions to share betterpractice in policy development and policy management, and to facilitate benchmarkingagainst other institutions’ policy frameworks.Tools provided by the central policy unit for policy development should include: procedures setting out the process to be followed in developing or reviewing policies orprocedures a process flow-chart summarising the process for developing/reviewing and approvingpolicies or procedures templates for:o proposing a new policy or amendments to an existing policyo drafting a new policyo drafting a new procedures documento the implementation plan for a new/amended policy or procedures a cover sheet for a policy or procedures document being submitted for approval an institutional glossary providing the institution’s agreed definitions of terms used in policiesand procedures (to avoid the problem of terms being defined differently in different texts).The procedures for policy development, and the templates provided for this purpose, shouldrequire: research and benchmarking against other institutions’ equivalent policies thorough consultation with all stakeholders assessment of the impact of the proposed policy a detailed implementation, communication and training plan.Policy managers are in a position to advocate central approval in principle of policy projectsbefore they commence (though again, their ability to achieve such an arrangement will depend onthe support of senior management). Such approval should be the role of a single centralcommittee or executive group that takes ownership of the policy framework. Such anarrangement conduces to a well structured suite of policies without unnecessary duplication or~ 38 ~