HR 290 - Policy Creation, Update, Approval, and Communication

Policy

College of Western Idaho (CWI) is committed to ensuring that all CWI policies and procedures are updated as appropriate on an ongoing basis to assist in reducing risks associated with policy misinterpretation, non-compliance to CWI policies and procedures, and/or legal requirements.

Policy Review, Revision, and CreatioN

Administrative policies will be reviewed on an ongoing basis by the responsible department, at a minimum of at least once every two-years. Responsible department will notify Human Resources when a policy has been reviewed but no updates or revisions are made.

• The purpose of ongoing review is to determine:
  • If the policy is still necessary, accurate, and current with laws and regulations
  • If the policy should be combined with another policy or rescinded
  • If revisions are required to improve the effectiveness or clarity of the policy

A department or individual with a policy revision or a new policy shall work with the Executive Operations Team member who has over-sight of the subject area and will facilitate collaboration with stakeholders across the college.

• The responsible department’s Executive Operation Team member must get their department's Vice President’s approval of the new policy or substantive changes of existing policy before submitting to Human Resources.

As necessary, the Executive Operations Team member will provide a draft of the policy to legal counsel or others whose expertise will ensure that the draft policy does not conflict with various laws and regulations that govern the College for review.

• As deemed necessary, drafts of the policy may be shared with the campus community for comment.

After legal or other appropriate review has been completed, the Executive Operations Team member will provide a copy of the policy draft to HR to begin the approval process.

Approval and publication 

Human Resources will provide a draft of the new or revised policy to the Executive Operations Team for review and discussion.

Upon completion of the EOT review, the Vice President of Human Resources will provide a draft of the new or revised policy to Presidents Cabinet for final approval before publication.

• New policies will require EOT and Presidents Cabinet approval.
• Substantive policy changes require review and approval by EOT and Presidents Cabinet.
• Non-substantive changes or changes required by law to policy may move directly to publication process after Presidents Cabinet is notified of the changes.

Human Resources will publish changes or new policies on the CWI website after necessary approval is received.

Communication

New policies or substantive changes to an existing policy will be communicated to the students and employees through multiple communication channels (email, newsletter, etc.) after going into effect.

All policy updates, substantive and non-substantive will be published on the CWI website.

In certain circumstances, acknowledgement of a policy update or of a new policy may be necessary and will be communicated as appropriate.