Procedure for Requesting an Interim University Policy

Capitalized terms used but not defined in this procedure have the meaning assigned in the University Policy-Making Policy.

This procedure applies to University Policies (“Policy”), which have broad applications across the University and meet the requirements listed in the University Policy-Making Policy. 

The University may adopt or revise a Policy on an interim basis when the President or the President’s designee determines that there is a compelling University interest to do so. Such Policies will be given interim status for up to 12 months. The President or the President’s designee may once renew an interim Policy for an equal period of time as necessary.

The proposed new interim Policy or interim revisions to an existing Policy must undergo the complete policy review, feedback, and approval process if interim Policy is to be made permanent.

The Policy Analyst in University Initiatives is responsible for ensuring the request for an interim Policy adheres to this procedure.

This procedure is not required for:

• Creating new or revising current Policies for approval as final, permanent Policies.
  • Such changes must be made by following the Procedure for Creating and Revising University Policies.
• Policies or changes that are required by Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) Policy, law or regulation, or non-substantive edits.
  • Such changes must be made by following the Procedure for Requesting Edits to University Policy That Are Non-Substantive or Required Edits.
• Policies to be Repealed
  • Such requests must be made by following the Procedure for Repealing Existing University Policies.
• Unit Policies, which only apply within a particular Unit or only to the operations or transactions within a particular Unit and that are overseen by a particular Unit.
  • Unit Policies may not conflict with University or ABOR Policies, laws, or other regulations.
  • Units are strongly encouraged to consult with the Office of General Counsel (OGC) if there is any uncertainty about potential conflicts.
  • Units should develop a process to receive input from shared governance groups of elected faculty representatives and other shared governance groups, and obtain approval from appropriate Unit leadership or University leadership before finalizing changes.
• Academic Policies, which should follow the Academic Policies Approval Process.
• Procedures, guidelines, or processes which describe the steps taken to implement or meet the requirements of a Policy.

PROCEDURE

1. Identify Need for an Interim Policy.  If a member of the University Community believes there is a need to create a new interim Policy or make interim revisions to a current Policy, the individual will notify the Responsible Unit noted on the Policy to discuss a potential new interim policy or potential interim changes to a current Policy, or contact University Initiatives/Policy Analyst with any questions. Shared governance groups of elected faculty representatives, such as the Faculty Senate and Committee of Eleven, and other shared governance groups, such as the Classified Staff Council, Associated Students of the University of Arizona (ASUA), and the Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC), play a unique and important role in suggesting potential new interim policies or potential interim changes to a current Policy.  The role of elected faculty representatives is recognized in ARS 15-1601(B). Responsible Units should engage with elected faculty representatives and shared governance groups to discuss their interim policy ideas and feedback.

2. Designate a Policy Sponsor. When there is a need to create a new interim Policy or make interim revisions to a current Policy, the Responsible Unit designates a Policy Sponsor. A “Policy Sponsor” is the administrator or compliance professional who oversees the Unit responsible for the Policy. Policy Sponsors may delegate the steps of this procedure but are ultimately responsible for the new or revised interim Policy.

3. Contact the Policy Analyst. The Policy Sponsor must inform the Policy Analyst of the request for an interim Policy. The Policy Analyst is responsible for facilitating the request for an interim Policy in accordance with this procedure. 

4. Develop and Draft Policy Language for Endorsement and  Approval. Policy Sponsors should consult with OGC at this initial stage and throughout the steps of this procedure to ensure the proposed interim Policy comports with University and ABOR Policies, laws or other regulations. When beginning to draft or revise a Policy, refer to the Policy Style Guide for style and writing guidelines, and explanations for each of the policy sections.

5. Prepare the University Policy Template and Policy Impact and Tracking Statement. Policy Sponsors must use the University Policy Template to draft a new interim Policy, or to change a current Policy to interim status. For a current Policy, Policy Sponsors must create a tracked changes version of the Policy to highlight the proposed changes. In addition, Policy Sponsors must complete and submit the University Policy Impact and Tracking Statement to the Policy Analyst along with the interim Policy.

1. Justification for requesting an interim Policy by reason of compelling University interest must be included on the University Policy Impact and Tracking Statement.

6. Obtain Endorsement and Approval. The Policy Analyst submits the proposed interim Policy, including any additional required tracked changes, and the University Policy Impact and Tracking Statement to the Executive Office of the President, which will coordinate endorsement by the President. If the Policy is endorsed by the President, the Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel signs the Policy Approval Cover Sheet and submits the interim Policy and Policy Approval Cover Sheet to the Executive Office of the President for the President’s approval and signature on the Policy Approval Cover Sheet.  

7. Post the Interim University Policy. Upon receipt of the signed Policy Approval Cover Sheet, the Policy Analyst will:

1. Notify the leaders of shared governance groups of elected faculty representatives and other shared governance groups, before submitting the approved interim Policy through UAnnounce for potential shared governance and University Community feedback, so that leaders may share the interim Policy with their members and invite them to submit comments during the feedback period, and if desired, invite the Policy Sponsor to their next scheduled committee meeting to provide a briefing on the interim Policy;
2. Publish an enactment notice of the approved Policy on an interim basis in UAnnounce; opening the 30 day feedback period to collect feedback for the creation of a permanent Policy; and
3. Post the interim Policy to the University Policies portal.

8. Conduct Interim University Policy Review. Within 12 months from when the Policy was approved and adopted on an interim basis, the Policy must be reviewed and revised, as applicable, by the Policy Sponsor and submitted for approval to adopt the Policy on a permanent basis.

1. If the interim Policy is not extended by the President or the President’s designee, or if the Policy Sponsor decides not to make the interim Policy permanent within the 12 month timeframe, the interim Policy will be repealed in accordance with the Procedure for Repealing Existing University Policies.

Process for Moving Policy from Interim Status to Permanent Status

1. Policy Revisions. If the Policy Sponsor makes revisions to the approved interim Policy, the Policy Analyst will submit the revised Policy to OGC.

1. If OGC determines that significant changes to the Policy language are warranted based on changes initiated by the Policy Sponsor or based on feedback, the revised Policy will be submitted for conceptual review. Move to step 2 below.
2. If an interim Policy is being used throughout the interim period, before the Policy is moved to permanent status, and OGC determines that no significant changes to the Policy language are warranted, there is no need to submit the Policy for the feedback period. Move to step 7 below.

2. Request Conceptual Review. Before seeking feedback, the Policy must be reviewed by the President. The Policy Analyst will submit the Policy (including a clean version and a tracked changes version of the current Policy) and the University Policy Impact and Tracking Statement to the Executive Office of the President, which will coordinate the review by the President. The President will determine if the Policy will move from interim to permanent status.
3. Notify Senior Leadership Team. Upon notice that conceptual review was provided, members of the Senior Leadership Team will, for informational purposes, be notified of the Policy moving from interim to permanent status.

4. Notify Leaders of Shared Governance Groups of Elected Faculty Representatives and Other Shared Governance Groups. Once the Senior Leadership Team is notified of the Policy moving from interim to permanent status, and before submitting the Policy through UAnnounce for potential shared governance and University Community feedback, the Policy Analyst will notify the leaders of shared governance groups of elected faculty representatives and other shared governance groups that the Policy is moving from interim to permanent status so that leaders may share the Policy with their members and invite them to submit comments during the feedback period, and if desired, invite the Policy Sponsor to their next scheduled committee meeting to provide a briefing on the Policy draft.

5. Gather Feedback. Feedback is collected for a period of 30 calendar days from the initial date of publication. The Policy Analyst solicits feedback from shared governance groups and the University Community as follows:

1. Notify the University Community via UAnnounce and invite them to submit comments.

2. Publish the proposed Policy on the University Policies portal. The Policy will remain posted until it is approved as a permanent Policy by the President.

6. Consider Revisions Based on Feedback. The Policy Analyst will provide the Policy Sponsor with the feedback collected throughout the feedback period. The Policy Sponsor will review the feedback and any additional comments gathered directly from shared governance groups and the University Community and discuss the feedback with OGC.  If OGC determines that significant changes to the Policy language are warranted, the revised Policy will be re-published per Step 5 above.

7. Obtain Endorsement and Approval. The Policy Analyst submits the final Policy, including any additional required tracked changes, and the updated Policy Impact and Tracking Statement to the Executive Office of the President, which will coordinate endorsement of the permanent Policy by the President. If the permanent Policy is endorsed by the President, the Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel signs the Policy Approval Cover Sheet and submits the final permanent Policy and Policy Approval Cover Sheet to the Executive Office of the President for the President’s approval and signature on the Policy Approval Cover Sheet.

8. Post the Approved Permanent Policy. Upon receipt of the signed Policy Approval Cover Sheet, the Policy Analyst will:

1. Publish the approved permanent Policy in UAnnounce, and

2. Post the approved permanent Policy on the University Policies portal.

9. Conduct Ongoing Policy Review. All Policies should be reviewed on a regular basis by the Responsible Unit, at a minimum, every 3 years to ensure accuracy and relevancy.

 

Revised: February 2024

Effective: March 2023