Policy on University Policies

Policy Number: 01.0001

Purpose

This policy standardizes the requirements for development, revision, approval, dissemination, and retirement of university policies to ensure consistency across The New School (“University”), comprehensibility, and compliance with all applicable regulations.

Scope

This policy applies to faculty, staff, students, and any members of the University community who are involved in policy development, revision, review, approval, publication, or maintenance.

Definitions

Guidelines: Procedures, processes, checklists, recommendations, and other materials that guide how a policy should be carried out. Guidelines that apply universally are referenced in the Procedure of the University Policy. Supplemental local guidelines may also be established at college, school, department, division, or unit level. Guidelines support University Policies, but are not considered University Policies themselves.

Material Change: Changes that materially affect the substance of the policy and/or change the rights or what is expected of the individuals to whom the policy applies. All Material Changes are subject to the terms of this policy.

A Material Change does not include minor modifications such as revisions in formatting, grammar, typographical errors, cross-references, links, department names, titles, and/or contact information. Non-material changes may be processed directly by the Responsible Office in coordination with the Responsible University Official (RUO) and Policy Liaison(s).

University Policy: A set of statements or principles that mandate actions, guide decision-making, or establish boundaries for how the University should conduct its activities to ensure compliance with applicable regulations, mitigation of institutional risk, alignment with the University’s mission, and advancement of long-term goals.

University Policies includes, but is not limited to, any policy that is listed in the Academic Catalog, College Handbook, Student Code of Conduct, Employee Handbook, or Faculty Handbook, any policy that seeks to demonstrate compliance with laws or regulations, and anything that imposes disciplinary actions for noncompliance, and any restrictions or actions related to financial operations, grants, or gifts.

Bylaws within the purview of the Board of Trustees, guidelines related to the Boards of Governors, and Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) are not considered University Policies for purposes of this policy.

Responsibilities

Board of Trustees: A limited number of University Policies require notification to or approval by the Board of Trustees. For Board of Trustees notification or approval, consultation must be completed with the Senior Vice President and General Counsel and the University Secretary/Secretary of the Corporation. Any policy to be advanced to the Board of Trustees for notification or approval must first be reviewed by and approved by the President prior to submission to the Board of Trustees or to one of its committees.

Office of the General Counsel (OGC): The OGC is involved in reviewing and providing feedback on new University Policies or policies being Materially Changed prior to the approval stage.

Executive Policy Officers: The Executive Policy Officers consists of members of the University’s senior leadership who must approve new University Policies and those that have been Materially Changed. When determining which senior leader(s) needs to approve a policy, the historical approvals (who approved in the past) are considered as part of the process. Policies that have an operational impact on the entire university community require approval by the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Executive Vice President for Business and Operations. Approval by the Senior Vice President and General Counsel will be required when the policy relates to a regulation or law, and the Chief Financial Officer will be required when the policy relates to financial operations. The President will serve as an Executive Policy Officer for policies that require Board of Trustees notification or approval.

Policy Liaison(s): The Policy Liaison is responsible for final review and formatting of University Policies to ensure they align with the stated policy and procedures, as well as facilitating approval, codifying, and posting.

Policy Stakeholders: An individual, unit, group, or function who will be directly impacted by the policy or whose professional expertise is required for development. Stakeholders, including the OGC, ISPO, other RUOs, and the Academic Policy Group (APG), where applicable, provide consultation to the Responsible Office and RUO in the development of University Policies. The Student, Faculty, and Staff Senates are also informed of all approved new and revised University Policies that amend their code or handbook(s).

Responsible Office: Designated by the RUO, the Responsible Office is the local “owner” of the policy and, in general, the process impacted or governed by the policy. They are involved in developing and revising the University Policy and its related procedure with stakeholders, dissemination, training for those impacted, and ensuring compliance of the policy itself and with this policy. The Responsible Office is also responsible for coordinating policy reviews and retirements.

Responsible University Official (RUO): RUOs are senior University leaders who report to the President or EVPS. They lead university units where policies exist to comply with laws or regulations, establish university expectations, and encourage a culture of ethical, social, professional, and legal behavior. RUOs, and are ultimately responsible for the content of the policies under their leadership and ensuring that policies are not dormant but have active and thoughtful compliance plans or are retired.

The New School Archives: Manages all retired University Policies.

Policy

The only “policies” at The New School are University Policies, which are subject to this policy and supporting policy procedures. Colleges, schools, departments, divisions, and units may establish Guidelines (defined above) that further explain how a policy should be carried out locally, but may not establish policies outside of this scope.

All University Policies must be developed in accordance with stated Procedures below. University Policies must be written in clear, understandable language that is accessible to our community. They must be documented in the approved policy template, as well as published and maintained in the designated repository. A standalone document that is not incorporated into the designated repository does not meet this requirement.

All University Policies require approval by the Executive Policy Officers prior to publication. Policies must be reviewed every five (5) years by the RUO and Responsible Office to ensure accuracy and currency, unless a shorter period is required by law, regulation, or best practice. University Policies remain in effect in perpetuity unless retired by the RUO and Executive Policy Officers, where needed.

Any revision made to a University Policy must be vetted through the Responsible Office, the RUO, and appropriate Policy Stakeholders. If the revisions are deemed to be Material Changes by the Policy Liaison(s), the revised policy must be additionally reviewed and approved by the Office of the General Counsel and Executive Policy Officers.

Colleges, schools, or administrative units may establish local Guidelines that are more restrictive, but in no case are they allowed to be less restrictive or conflict with the University Policy and its procedures.

Procedure

See University Policy Procedure.

Policy Administration

Responsible University Official: EVP of Business & Operations

Responsible Office: Business & Operations

Contact Information: Abbey Florence at aflorence@newschool.edu

Policy History

Effective Date: May 3, 2024

Last Reviewed Date: May 3, 2024

Next Review Date: May 3, 2029

Revision History: N/A