The University of Louisville wants to ensure that its community understands the way administrative policies and procedures are adopted, revised or superseded. The university community should also understand how administrative policies are categorized, as well as who is bound to abide by them.

University administrative policies will:

- Serve as the cornerstone of the university’s operational structure and values;

- Explain the university’s business practices and expectations;

- Promote and enhance individual accountability; and

- Provide useful guidance.

NOTE: This policy has been superseded and replaced with an updated policy on Developing and Approving University Administrative Policies that was approved and effective November 19, 2024.  Please refer to the updated policy.

The University of Louisville's President’s Leadership Team members or designees are hereby designated as Administrative Policy approval authorities. This policy recognizes that there are numerous administrative policies of the university that apply to the university community. These administrative policies are designed to comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, and governing policies of the university. For all such administrative policies of the university, the policies and any implementing procedures will be formally reviewed and approved as set forth in this document. The University of Louisville will make administrative policies publicly accessible.

All members of the university community who are responsible for writing and updating administrative policies must follow this policy. To the extent that there is a conflict between a Departmental Policy and an Administrative Policy, the provision of the Administrative Policy will prevail.

The Redbook of the University of Louisville - http://louisville.edu/provost/redbook/

Policy Resources are available online for additional guidance on the development and approval of an Administrative Policy.

Governing Policy: Umbrella policies of the Board of Trustees that provide the framework for administration to implement and comply with the intent of said policy. Policies approved by the Board of Trustees that define requirements that support the university's overall mission, operation, or governance, including policies delineated within the Redbook of the University of Louisville that serves as the basic governance document of the university.

Administrative Policy: An administrative policy is a written statement of policy with broad application throughout the university. Administrative policies provide for the general administration and oversight of the university and must be approved by the President’s Leadership Team members or designees.

Departmental Policy: A departmental policy is one that applies only to the operation of an individual department or unit within the university. Departmental policy may exist in order to promote operational efficiencies or enhance the mission of the department or unit, but is not broadly applicable throughout the university. Departmental policy can address subjects that are not addressed by governing policy or administrative policy and may supplement, but must not be in conflict with, governing policy or administrative policy.

Academic, Faculty, and Student Life Policies: Policies that are within Faculty Affairs, Graduate Affairs, Undergraduate Affairs, and the Student Handbook have a specific approval process not subject to the university’s administrative policy approval process.

University Procedure: A university procedure is strictly operational. Procedures contain a series of consecutive action steps related to a policy that specifies how a particular policy should be carried out. Procedures may have detailed instructions, definitions, and/or forms that facilitate policy compliance. The highest-level individual within a unit or department should approve procedures with responsibility for said procedure.

Administrative policies and procedures at the University of Louisville are divided into the following main categories:

Any proposed university Administrative Policy will be initially routed through the appropriate university official(s)/sponsor(s) with responsibility for policy scope. The proposed draft policy will be reviewed and approved by all necessary parties on a timely basis as determined appropriate by the university official(s)/sponsor(s). Newly proposed policies and existing policies with a significant change in intent will be posted and available on the university's website for employees, students, and other stakeholders to review and provide feedback. As considered necessary during the review process, the university official(s)/sponsor(s) will consult the Office of General Counsel and VP for Legal Affairs to determine whether the policy rises to the level of a Governing Policy that would require submission to the Office of the President for presentation to the Board of Trustees for final approval. Administrative policies that need to be communicated to the Faculty or Staff Senates will be coordinated through the university official(s)/sponsor(s) and the respective senate chairs. The university official(s)/sponsor(s) with responsibility for policy scope will submit final proposed draft policy to the President’s Leadership Team members or designees for final review and approval.

The University Integrity and Compliance Office will maintain an online publicly accessible library for current administrative policies. Upon the President’s Leadership Team members or designees approval, the university official(s)/sponsor(s) or designee(s) should forward the approved policy to the University Integrity and Compliance Office for publication to the University’s Policy Library.