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Development and Approval of Policies and Procedures : 1.11.00.00

Policy/Guideline Area

Governance, Organization, and General Policies

Applicable Divisions

System Office

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide for uniformity in the drafting, review, revision, and approval of all Board policies and procedures. 

Definitions

  • Policy – A written statement that mandates, specifies, or prohibits behavior to express basic values of the TBR system, enhance the TBR mission, ensure coordinated compliance with applicable laws and regulations, promote operational efficiency, and/or reduce institutional risk.
  • Procedure – The specific operational steps required to accomplish an action that necessitates specific instructions. Generally, a procedure will pertain to implementation of a Policy. Procedures may also provide guidance for behavior on issues that are not dictated by Policy
  • Responsible Party – The person or group charged with oversight of policies and procedures related to their area of responsibility.

 

 

Policy/Guideline

**For purposes of this policy, procedure(s) refers to current guideline(s).

  1. Policy and Procedure Initiation and Revision
    1. Initiation and/or revision of a system policy or procedure is the responsibility of the established Sub-councils and the Office of General Counsel. Responsibility for policy areas is generally as follows:
      1. Safety and Security – Office of General Counsel
      2. Sexual Discrimination/Harassment/Misconduct – Office of General Counsel.
      3. Personnel Policies and Procedures– Office of Business and Finance (Human Resources Department).
      4. Business and Finance Policies and Procedures– Office of Business and Finance, Internal Audit.
      5. Student Policies and Procedures – Office Student Services, Student Affairs Sub-council.
      6. Academic Policies and Procedures– Office of Academic Affairs
      7. Governance, Organization, and General Policies and Procedures – Office of General Counsel, Office of Information Technology.
      8. The Chancellor or the Board of Regents may also designate a responsible party for the initiation or revision of a policy or procedure.
      9. All policies and procedures will be reviewed and revised or deleted as needed, but not less than every five (5) years.
      10. The responsible party must follow the procedures set forth in the Procedures Section. 
      11. All proposed policies (with or without procedures) must be initiated using the Policy Template (Exhibit 1)
      12. All revisions of existing policies or procedures must be initiated using a Word copy of that policy or procedure located here: Z:\TBR Central Office\Policy and Procedure Word Copies
      13. The General Counsel is responsible for compilation, organization and maintenance of all policies and procedures and may make such changes to the organization of the policies and procedures as they deem necessary.
  2. Policy and Procedure Initiation and Review
    1. Proposed policies and procedures.
      1. When a policy or procedure is proposed, the responsible party shall send an original draft to the Office of General Counsel, prior to any action by any sub-council.
      2. The General Counsel or designee will review the proposed policy or procedure for legal sufficiency and consistency with existing policies and procedures. 
      3. In consultation with the Chancellor and appropriate Vice-Chancellors, the General Counsel will review the policy or procedure for necessity and consistency with the goals and mission of the TBR system and for proper classification as a policy or procedure, and will also designate which sub-councils will review the policy or procedure then return it to the responsible party for action by the designated sub-council(s). The Chancellor has the discretion to send a policy or procedure directly to the President’s Council and/or Board for consideration, when necessary.
      4. The responsible party will present the policy or procedure to the designated sub-council(s) for review and action.
        1. A procedure approved in sub-council without further revision is then transmitted by the responsible party to the Presidents Council for approval. (Exhibit 2, Sample President Meeting Transmittal)
        2. A procedure requiring further revision in sub-council should be reviewed by General Counsel or designee prior to being transmitted to a Presidents Council Meeting. 
        3. A procedure approved at the Presidents Council Meeting will be effective on the date designated in the procedure and will be posted to the TBR Policies and Procedures website no later than the effective date.
        4. A proposed procedure that is not approved at the Presidents Council Meeting will be returned to the responsible party for further review, revision, and possible presentation at a subsequent Presidents Council Meeting.
        5. A policy approved at the Presidents Council Meeting will be transmitted through the appropriate committee to the Board of Regents for approval. (Exhibit 3, Sample Board Meeting Transmittal)
        6. A policy that does not receive approval at the Presidents Council will be returned to the responsible party. The responsible party may choose to transmit the policy through the appropriate committee to the Board, noting the lack of approval of the Presidents Council.
      5. A policy approved by the Board of Regents will be effective on the date designated in the policy and will be posted to the TBR Policies and Procedures website no later than the effective date.
      6. A policy not approved by the Board will be returned to the responsible party for further review, revision, and possible presentation at subsequent President’s Council and Board Meetings.
    2. Revision or Rescission of Existing Policies and Procedures.
      1. Revisions or rescission of existing policies and procedures will follow the same process as proposed policies and procedures, minus the assigning of numbers and going to the Chancellor.
  3. Ministerial Changes to Policies and Procedures
    1. Any policy or procedure that requires revision, due to a statutory or administrative change or a clerical error (changes in state or federal statues or regulations, institution name/employee title changes, incorrect grammar or spelling), that will not change the substantive meaning of the policy or procedure may be presented to General Counsel for review and approval for a ministerial revision. Such ministerial revisions will be made by the Office of General Counsel.
    2. Exhibits to policies and procedures (forms, templates, sample contracts, etc.) do not require approval at Presidents Council or Board Meetings. New or revised exhibits should be reviewed and approved by the responsible party for the subject policy or procedure.

Procedures

The following procedure provides for uniformity in draft, review, and submittal of all system wide policies, procedures, and resource documents. These procedures apply to all TBR Institutions and system-wide employees.

  1. Introduction
    1. The System office establishes the following procedures to be followed when proposing new policies, procedures, and resource documents, or revising current policies, procedures, and resource documents.
      1. Proposed Policy, Procedure, or Resource Document – Initiation
        1. All proposed policies or procedures must begin with the initiator using one of the templates attached as exhibits to policy 1.11.00.00.
          1. Exhibit 1 – Policy & Procedure Template
          2. Resource Documents will use Exhibit 1.
        2. A clean copy of all proposed policies and procedures must be submitted by the appropriate sub-council designee to the Office of General Counsel for review of legal sufficiency, and assignment of number prior to any action being taken by the sub-council(s).
        3. The copy must be in Word format on the appropriate template, using the following letter and numbering format.
          1. Format as I.A.1.a.(1)(a)(i)
          2. Do not use preset numbering lists for sections and sub-sections. Use “Increase Indent” or “Decrease Indent” in the Paragraph Format section, as needed.
          3. All Sections and sub-sections must be numbered or lettered. No “stand alone” sections, sub-sections or sentences, except for asterisk notes.
          4. One space only instead of 2 after a period or (), or any other sentence ending symbol.
          5. When adding definitions in that section of the template, leave a line space between them: no numbering, bullet points or other indicators.
            1. If definitions are going to be defined in the body of the policy instead of in definitions, state that in the definition section.
      2. Policy, Procedure, or Resource Document Revision
        1. All policy or procedure revisions must begin with the initiator using the current Word copy of the policy or procedure.
          1. At this time the current Word copy in proper format is available at Z:\TBR Central Office\Policy and Procedure Word Copies
          2. To show revisions, use Bold strike through (abc) for deletions and bold, underline (abc)for additions. Do not use track changes.
          3. Keep the current formatting in place. Add or delete sections and sub-sections as needed.
          4. Only the affected sections need to be submitted, not the entire policy or procedure. Make sure Section heading is shown.
        2. A copy of all proposed revisions to policies and procedures must be submitted by the appropriate sub-council designee to the Office of General Counsel for review of legal sufficiency.
        3. Following legal review and sub-council approval, all policies, procedures, and resource documents must be prepared for transmittal to an upcoming Presidents Meeting, and/or Board Meeting.
        4. Policies, System Office Policies, and Resource Documents require TBR Board Approval.
        5. Procedures require only President’s Council approval.
        6. Exhibits to policy or procedure require approval by the responsible party for the subject policy or procedure.
  2. Transmittal of Policies, Procedures, and Resource Documents
    1. A copy of all policies, procedures, and resource documents that have sub-council(s) approval and are ready for transmittal shall be prepared for transmittal by a designee of the responsible department.
      1. Transmittal to Office of General Counsel
        1. Prior to transmittal for the Presidents Meeting, the department designee will email a copy of the sub-council approved new or revised policy or procedure to the General Counsel designee in Word format. No clean copy needed unless asked for. No transmittal page needed.
      2. Transmittal for Presidents Meeting
        1. Prior to material due date for Presidents Meeting, each department designee will:
          1. Convert the Word copy of a new policy, resource document, or procedure to PDF format.
          2. Convert the Word copy of a revised policy, resource document, or procedure to PDF format.
          3. Prepare a transmittal page for each policy or procedure in PDF format.
            1. The transmittal page must include a summary of the purpose of the new policy or procedure, or of the revisions to a current policy or procedure.
            2. Exhibit 2 to Policy 1.11.00.00 – sample transmittal summary for new policies and procedures to President Meeting.
            3. Exhibit 3 to Policy 1.11.00.00 – sample transmittal summary for revised policies and procedures to Board Meeting.
          4. Combine PDF transmittal page and PDF policy, resource document, or procedure into one PDF transmittal file.
          5. Email each transmittal file to the Chancellor’s Executive Assistant or designee for appropriate dissemination.
        2. As soon as possible after the Presidents Meeting, the department designee will notify General Counsel designee regarding all procedures that passed.
          1. Provide a new marked up Word copy if any revisions were made at the Presidents Meeting.
      3. Transmittal for Board Meeting
        1. Prior to material due date for Board Meeting, each department designee will:
          1. Prepare a transmittal page for each policy in or resource document in word format and convert to PDF format.
          2. Combine PDF transmittal page and PDF policy or resource document into one PDF transmittal file.
          3. Email each transmittal file, and a word copy of the transmittal sheet, to the Board Secretary or designee for appropriate dissemination.
        2. As soon as possible after the Board Meeting, the department designee will notify General Counsel designee regarding all policies and resource documents that passed.
          1. Provide a new marked up Word copy if any revisions were made at the Board Meeting.

Exhibits

Sources

Authority

T.C.A. § 49-8-203

History

NEW Policy approved by Board, June 23, 2017; ministerial revisions to exhibits and their references, June 26, 2018; Revision approved at Board Meeting June 20, 2019.