Policy Creation and Approval Process

Policy creation process Policy review process Policy approval process

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Explore the step-by-step processes for policy development, review and approval. This outlined process aligns with the university's policy on Developing and Approving University Administrative Policies. Contact policies@louisville.edu with questions regarding the creation and approval process.

Policy Creation Process

  1. 1
    Identify the need for a policy.

    A unit/department/committee or other group identifies the need for a new or revised Administrative Policy.

    Once the need is identified, the policy will need to be assigned to a sponsor. The sponsor must be at a Vice President or Vice Provost level or higher and is usually the Administrative Authority who has oversight responsibility of the Responsible Unit or Department that will oversee, maintain, and implement the policy. For Substantive Revisions to existing policy, the sponsor is the assigned Administrative Authority. You may contact the UICO to determine an appropriate sponsor.

    The sponsor must approve the need for a new policy or Substantive Revisions to an existing policy.

    The sponsor (or delegate) should consult with the UICO for guidance on the policy creation and approval process.

  2. 2
    Draft the policy

    The Responsible Unit or Department drafts or revises the policy per the approved policy template.

    The sponsor then takes the draft policy to the President and the President’s Leadership Team to obtain feedback on whether to move forward with the proposed policy or the Substantive Revisions to an existing policy.

    Download Policy Template about
  3. 3
    Vet the new or revised policy

    The sponsor determines the appropriate vetting of a new or revised policy and is responsible for vetting the new or revised policy with appropriate University constituents. Policies impacting staff should be vetted with Staff Senate. Policies impacting faculty should be vetted with Faculty Senate. Policies impacting students should be vetted with the Student Government Association. All policies should be vetted with University Counsel. Questions regarding other groups to vet a policy should be directed to policies@louisville.edu.

    Communications with Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, or other groups must be coordinated through the sponsor and the respective senate or committee chairs.

    The sponsor considers all feedback received from the vetting process and makes further revisions to the new or revised policy, as determined necessary.

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University Counsel Review Process

  1. 1
    Sponsor submits the proposed policy

    The sponsor (or designee within the Responsible Unit or Department) submits the proposed new or revised draft policy to the Office of General Counsel and VP for Legal Affairs for review and feedback.

  2. 2
    General Counsel and Legal Affairs reviews and provides feedback

    The Office of General Counsel and VP for Legal Affairs reviews and provides feedback to the sponsor and advises whether the policy requires submission to the Office of the President for presentation to the Board of Trustees for final approval or continues through the standard creation and approval process.

  3. 3
    Sponsor makes further revisions to the new or revised policy

    The sponsor considers feedback received from the Office of General Counsel and makes further revisions to the new or revised policy, as determined necessary.

  4. 4
    Sponsor submits the proposed draft policy

    The sponsor (or designee within the Responsible Unit or Department) submits the proposed draft policy to the UICO for review.

  5. 5
    UICO reviews and provides feedback

    The UICO reviews and provides feedback to the sponsor (or designee) and advises on next steps regarding the creation and approval process.

  6. 6
    Sponsor makes further revisions

    The sponsor considers feedback received from the UICO and makes further revisions to the new or revised policy, as determined necessary.

Policy Approval Process

  1. 1
    President and President’s Senior Leadership Team Approval.

    • The sponsor presents the final proposed draft policy to the President and the President’s Senior Leadership Team for review and approval. This is the final approval step, unless the policy requires Board of Trustees approval. If Board of Trustees approval is required, see step 3.B.
    • The sponsor considers the feedback received from the President and the President’s Senior Leadership Team.

  2. 2
    University Board of Trustees Approval

    The sponsor provides a final draft of the new or revised policy to the President for presentation and recommendation to the Board of Trustees for final approval of the policy.

  3. 3
    Policy implementation and publication

    • The sponsor (or designee of the Responsible Unit or Department) submits the final, approved policy to the UICO for publication in the Policy and Procedure Library.
    • The UICO publishes the policy in the University’s Policy and Procedure Library and sends a copy of the final policy and the link to the publication to the sponsor.