Policy 100-001

Effective: December 21, 2017

Approved by: Venkat Reddy, Chancellor

Responsible Vice Chancellor: Administration and Finance (VCAF)

Office of Primary Responsibility: VCAF Policy Office Policy

Primary Contact: VCAF Policy Office, 719-255-7203

Supersedes: February 20, 1995; April 19, 2004, January 14, 2013

Last Reviewed/Updated: November 2, 2017

Applies to: Administrators, Faculty, Staff, Students

Reason for Policy: It is the policy of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs to maintain relevant campus specific campus policies for the effective operation of the institution.

This policy establishes the authority and provides guidance for the required processes and development of campus-specific policies related to the effective operation and administration of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). It also outlines the role and responsibilities for the Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance (VCAF) Policy Office and provides guidelines for communication and dissemination of campus policies.

A. Authority for the creation of campus administrative policies is found in The Laws of the Regents, as amended in 2017, Policy 3 Section B.1 which states:

The chancellor of each campus shall be the campus’s chief executive officer and shall be the chief academic, fiscal and administrative officer responsible to the president for the conduct of the in accordance with the policies of the Board of Regents. The chancellor shall have such other responsibilities as may be required by these Laws or regent policy or as may be delegated by the president

B. General Requirements

1. Campus policy shall be consistent with relevant Board of Regent Laws and Policies, University-wide Administrative Policy Statements (APS), and applicable laws and regulations.
2. Campus policies must be signed by the chancellor, or interim or acting chancellor, to become effective.
3. Campus policies will continue to remain in effect until subsequently amended or rescinded by the chancellor.
4. Campus policies must state an effective date before implementation.
5. Campus policies shall be reviewed and updated as required by legal, organization or other policy changes. Additionally, the VCAF Policy Office is encouraged to schedule regular periodic reviews a minimum of every five years. The VCAF Office and the Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) shall be responsible for this review, as well as updating assigned policies and reviewing all comment, feedback and/or advice regarding policies.
6. Campus policies shall be available on the UCCS website under the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance (“VCAF”) at http://www.uccs.edu/vcaf/. Individuals requesting a copy of a campus policy shall be directed to this web address. The original signed policy shall be retained in the VCAF Policy Office. The only official copies of campus policies will be those with the chancellor's signature.
7. Historical documents of superseded or rescinded campus policies will be maintained by staff of the office of the VCAF

C. Campus Policy Development and Review Process

1. The VCAF Policy Office shall have responsibility for the following:
   1. The VCAF Policy Office shall have responsibility for the following:
      1. Establish a regular and consistent policy review and implementation schedule;
      2. Communicate the schedule to all of the Vice-Chancellors, Administrative Council, Campus Governance Groups, and Campus Compliance Council;
      3. Review policies under consideration for alignment with Administrative Policy Statements (APS) and Regent Law and Policy;
      4. When appropriate, assure collaboration between administration, faculty, staff, and students, to include assignment of stakeholders and relevant governance group representatives to join the OPR in the review of an existing or proposed policy
      5. Adhere to the timeline established for the policy review cycle;
      6. Ensure all relevant forms and policy drafts are completed and archived;

      7. Update the campus as to policies under review or in development, as well as when receiving final approval by the chancellor

          

2. All proposed campus policies first require that a completed UCCS Campus Policy Justification form be submitted to the VCAF Policy Office.
3. All policies must be submitted in electronic format using the official format linked below (IV.C.1.). Updated polices must be submitted in red-line/tracked-changes format to allow reviewers to more easily assess the proposed revisions, except where such revisions are too extensive for the redline/tracked-changes to be beneficial to the reviewer.
4. In the event the policy revision is so extensive that a red-line/tracked version is not beneficial, the OPR may request an Exception to Policy Review Redline Requirements and approved by the VCAF Policy Office.
5. Examples of justifications that may require the development of a new policy or a change in existing policy include, but are not limited to:
   1. Changes in federal statutes, Colorado statutes, or a court decision affecting the University.
   2. Changes in Board of Regent Laws and Policies, or University Administrative Policy Statements.
   3. The chancellor, vice chancellors, deans, directors, and the OPR may initiate the formulation of a new or revised policy.
   4. The faculty may initiate the formulation of a new or revised policy through Faculty Assembly.
   5. Staff members may initiate the formulation of a new or revised policy through Staff Association.
   6. A request approved by the Student Government Association for a new policy or revised policy may be submitted through the Office of the VCSS.
6. A pre-determined cycle for policy review may result in the formulation of a new or revised policy. Each campus policy shall be assigned to an OPR that is responsible for the policy’s compliance with this policy 100-001.
7. After the respective vice chancellor has reviewed a new or revised policy, the policy will be submitted to Leadership Team for review and approval.

8. Once Leadership Team has reviewed and approved a new or revised policy, the policy must be reviewed and commented upon by the following campus units before being forwarded to the chancellor for final approval and signature:

   Chancellor's Administrative 

   Council Deans Council

   Faculty Assembly

   Staff Association (formerly PESA and Staff Council)

   Student Government Association

   Campus Compliance Council

   1. This review and comment period is not a process of approval. This process is to provide a forum for comment feedback and advice to the OPR, vice chancellors, and chancellor before final approval, signature and implementation of the policy.
   2. The campus units referenced in Section II.C.8.a shall have no more than thirty (30) days to review and comment on the proposed policy or proposed policy changes.
   3. If no response is given by the units referenced in Section II.C.8.ait shall be assumed that the policy has been reviewed and is acceptable as drafted.
   4. All questions and comments regarding the contents of the policy submission should be directed to the VCAF Policy Office. The VCAF Policy Office will direct the questions and comments to the OPR for resolution, review and possible revision.
   5. University legal counsel shall review all campus policies for legal sufficiency prior to final approval and signature by the chancellor.

D. Final Approval, Website Posting, and Training and Implementation

1. Upon receipt of a newly developed or revised campus policy that has been reviewed by the units listed in Section II.C.8.a. of this policy, the VCAF Policy Office will submit the policy to the chancellor for signature.
2. Any policy not approved by the chancellor will be returned to the VCAF Policy Office, which will schedule a meeting with the appropriate OPR to make the recommended changes. Once the changes have been made, the policy will be sent back to the chancellor for signature.
3. Upon receipt of a final, signed policy from the chancellor, the the VCAF Policy Office shall distribute a copy to the OPR and shall post the policy on the UCCS website. The VCAF Policy Office will notify UCCS employees, faculty and students advising them of the adoption of the policy on a quarterly basis.
4. If mandatory training is required for a newly developed campus policy, the campus policy may be finalized before training begins. However, final implementation of the campus policy will not be effective until training is completed for affected staff as determined by the campus Leadership Team.
5. Minor changes that do not affect the meaning or intent of the policy including updating website links, typos, formatting, and department name changes can be updated by the VCAF Policy Office without a full review process or a new signature by the chancellor.

E. Rescission of Campus Policy

1. The Laws of the Regents provides general authority to the chancellors to operate their respective campus. Pursuant to this authority campus policies may be rescinded by the chancellor at any time. This authority to rescind campus policies is not intended to change any delegations of authority to faculty as set forth in the Laws of the Regents, Regent Policies or system Administrative Policy Statements.
2. Campus policies recommended for rescission or modification shall be submitted to the VCAF Policy Office in the same manner as the review process for new or revised campus policies. However, the intent will be to determine whether the rescission or modifications of the policy will have a negative impact on any facility/office.
3. Signatures must be obtained for rescission of a campus policy from the office of primary responsibility (OPR), the appropriate vice chancellor, and University legal counsel.
4. When all signatures have been obtained approving the rescission, the document will be forwarded to the chancellor with signatures attached.
5. If the chancellor approves the rescission, the the VCAF Policy Office will notify the units listed in II.C.8.a. above that the campus policy has been rescinded.

F. Campus Policy Compliance

1. All UCCS employees, faculty, and students shall comply with all campus policies that are in effect. Any variances to compliance must be agreed to in writing by the chancellor, or designee, through the appropriate vice chancellor.

G. College/Department/Operational Policies, Memorandums, Procedures and/or Guidelines

1. College/Department/Operational Policies, Memorandums, Procedures and/or Guidelines shall not supersede, conflict with or be contrary to or inconsistent with a campus policy or board of Regent Laws and Policies, University of Colorado Administrative Policy Statements or applicable law. College/Department/Operational Policies, Memorandums, Procedures and/or Guidelines must be reviewed regularly by the applicable dean or director and posted on the appropriate website. Any request to withhold such posting requires approval of the appropriate vice chancellor.
2. Department directors, chairs and other administrative heads and/or supervisors shall monitor operations for compliance with campus policies.

H. Assigning Numbers to Campus Policies

1. The VCAF Policy Office shall determine the number assignment for any new campus policy.
2. Campus policies shall be given a chapter number followed by a sequential three-digit number, beginning with 001. Chapter designations and numbers are as follows:

• Administration/Organization 100
• Academic 200
• Human Resources 300
• Facilities 400
• Fiscal 500
• Student Success 600
• Information Technology 700
• Community/Media Relations 800
• Sponsored Programs and Research 900
• Intercollegiate Athletics 1000
• Health Services 1100

I. Executive Directives

1. The chancellor may issue an executive directive when there is an immediate need for a new policy or policy change. Such executive directives may be issued under a cover letter from the chancellor, through the VCAF Policy Office.
2. An executive directive may provide specific procedures or information not delineated in a current campus policy or may include the implementation of a new campus policy or an existing campus policy with significant changes.
3. An executive directive shall be valid until it is incorporated into the affected campus policy, or until otherwise rescinded by the chancellor. If the executive directive is issued as a new campus policy, the campus policy shall be valid until the next review period. An executive directive should be eliminated once it has expired.
4. An executive directive shall be distributed in the same manner as a campus policy.

J. Format

1. All campus policies shall have a heading which includes the policy title and number, policy functional area, brief description & reason for policy, effective date, approved by, responsible vice chancellor, office of primary responsibility, policy primary contact, supersession date, last reviewed/updated and applies to section. All policy documents will be separated into six segments as follows:
   1. INTRODUCTION
   2. POLICY STATEMENT
   3. KEY WORDS
   4. RELATED POLICIES, PROCEDURES, FORMS, GUIDELINES, AND OTHER RESOURCES
      1. Administrative Policy Statements (APS) and Other Policies
      2. Procedures
      3. Forms
      4. Guidelines, Regulations, Statutes or Professional Standards
      5. Other Resources (i.e. training, secondary contact information)
      6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
   5. HISTORY
   6. APPENDICES

Key Words

Academic Affairs (VCAA): One of five divisions within the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. The Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs has overall responsibility for the six colleges and schools, the Kraemer Family Library, the graduate school, and academically related programs, centers and services

Administration and Finance (VCAF): One of five divisions within the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. The Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance has overall responsibility for budget management, coordination, integration, and support of various services, programs, management functions and activities at UCCS, as well as the campus-wide strategic enrollment management functions.

Administrative Policy Statement: A written University of Colorado system-wide policy, issued from one of the University of Colorado Vice President’s Offices that provides specific or general directives that must be adhered to for the effective operation of the University of Colorado System.

Campus Policy: A document used to provide specific or general statements for the effective operation of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus.

Campus Policy Review Process: A process, as specified in section II. of this policy, to assure policies are reviewed on a regular cycle, update of effective dates, documentation, and distribution and communication of the campus policies.

Chancellor: The chief executive officer of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. Divisions reporting to the chancellor are Academic Affairs, Administration and Finance, Student Success, University Advancement, and Strategic Initiatives. Departments reporting directly to the chancellor are varied and may include Community and University Relations and Events, Information Technology and the Office of Institutional Equity and Intercollegiate Athletics.

College: Reporting to the Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, the colleges of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs are responsible for establishing the academic standards for all course offerings.

Department: A distinctive section of University of Colorado Colorado Springs management, as designated by the Board of Regents. Departments will generally be in one of the five divisions: Academic Affairs, Administration and Finance, Advancement, Strategic Initiatives, or Student Success.

Dean: The administrative officer of an academic college, or the Dean of Students.

Director: The administrative head of a non-academic department.

Graduate School: The Graduate School has oversight and coordination responsibilities for all graduate programs on campus.

Leadership Team: A decision-making executive group that reports to the Chancellor and appointed by the Chancellor

Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR): Designated divisions, departments or colleges that are assigned the task of developing, writing, reviewing, formatting, and revising campus policies.

Strategic Initiatives (VCSI): One of five divisions within the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. The Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives will lead local, state, national and international strategic innovation and initiatives and supervise the development and implementation of a campus-wide compliance program.

Student Success (VCSS): One of five divisions within the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. The Vice Chancellor for Student Success & Enrollment Management has overall responsibility for departments, programs and services to support the engagement and learning of students outside of the classroom, as well as creating inclusive communities and environments for the campus.

University Advancement & Development (VCUAD): One of five divisions within the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. The Vice Chancellor for University Advancement & Development has overall responsibility for communication, marketing, fundraising, development, and community outreach for the campus.

Vice Chancellor: The executive officer for a division within the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. The five divisions are Academic Affairs, Administration & Finance, Strategic Initiatives, Student Success, and Advancement & Development.

1. Administrative Policy Statements (APS) and Other Policies
2. Procedures
   1. Procedures and Flow Charts for Policy Development are located on the UCCS Policy Resources
3. Forms Policy Forms and Templates are located on the UCCS Policy Resources
4. Guidelines, Regulations, Statutes or Professional Standards
5. Other Resources (i.e. training, secondary contact information)
   1. University of Colorado Policy Framework and Hierarchy
   2. University of Colorado Office of Policy and Efficiency
6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Initial policy approved February 20, 1995

Revised April 19, 2004 and January 14, 2013