The Grand Valley State University community will have access to clearly stated university-wide administrative policies, to be published as Grand Valley State University Policies on the University Web site. These policies will be:

• Formally approved and kept current
• Accessible to all parties in a centralized Grand Valley State University Policies website
• Communicated to operating units in a timely manner

A Policy is characterized by the following criteria:

• It is a governing principle that provides specific rules and provisions for implementing Board policies and setting expectations for the administrative operation of the University.
• It has institution-wide application.
• It enhances the University’s mission and connects it to individual conduct.
• It helps ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations and Grand Valley State University Board of Trustees policies, promotes operational efficiencies and reduces institutional risk.
• It may change infrequently and sets a course for the foreseeable future.
• It is approved by the President and/or the Senior Leadership Team.

There are many department-level policies that apply only to those within a department and do not meet all of the above criteria. Therefore, they are not considered to be Grand Valley State University Board of Trustees' Policies, and are not governed by this document. However, these policies may not conflict with the Board of Trustees' Policies or Senior Leadership Team (SLT) Policies.

The Grand Valley State University Board of Trustees' Policies will not include: curricular requirements for degrees, the basic terms and conditions of employment subject to collective bargaining, Academic & Student Affairs Policies as published in the Faculty Handbook and Student Code, Catalog, or division-wide policies (approved by a Vice President in consultation with the President). 

Additional Policy Criteria for Vice Presidential Review

A Vice President or the Provost may use the following criteria in addition to the above policy definition when determining whether a proposed policy is suitable for consideration as a Grand Valley State University Policy:

I. People

• a. Does it impact inclusion or equity?
• b. Who will be affected; how many will be affected?
  • i. Students
  • ii. Faculty
  • iii. Staff
  • iv. External or internal audience
  • v. More than one department/division
  • vi. More than one campus

II. Money

• a. Is there a source of funding?
• b. Does it involve an expense or provide revenue?
  • i. One-time expense
  • ii. On-going expense
  • iii. Fee or refund involved

III. Space

• a. Does it affect or commit a use of space?
• b. Does it involve the use of University communication systems?

P olicy Templates - Word and PDF Versions

Download Policy Flow Chart