Educational Policy Development and Review

Purpose

Policy Statement

Definitions

Procedural Guidelines

   Development of New Policy
   Maintenance and review of existing policy

Format

Appendix 1

Purpose

This policy provides guidelines for the development and maintenance of educational policy at Douglas College and outlines a framework for fair and consistent educational decision-making at all organisational levels. It also prescribes a format for documenting the resulting educational policies.

New or revised policy may be required because of, but not limited to, the following:

• needs of learners
• legislative changes or requirements;
• legal challenges;
• changes required due to the academic or administrative needs of the institution;
• changes required due to strategic directions of the institution;
• changes in related policy.

Policy Statement

Educational policies specify the principles and practices which govern educational decision-making at Douglas College as circumscribed by the College and Institute Act (1996) sections 23-25 and approved by Education Council. Departments/Programs have the authority to further define their educational practices through locally-approved and -applied policies, so long as these do not contravene the letter or spirit of any College-wide policies.

Specifically, Douglas College educational policy will:

• reflect the mission and values of Douglas College;
• be formulated in consultation with those concerned: learners, faculty, administrators, support staff, and other members of the Douglas College community;
• be written in plain English, avoiding jargon;
• identify the office responsible for its communication, application and maintenance (usually, the Vice-President, Instruction and/or Vice-President, Educational Services);
• reference all existing related policy;
• where appropriate, be subject to appeal through procedures outlined within the policy;
• be subject to review every seven years in accordance with the Policy Review Schedule or by successful motion at Education Council.

Definitions

Educational Policy: policy developed in order that the institution can carry out those duties and responsibilities assigned to the Education Council by the College and Institute Act (1996) sections 23-25. Educational policy includes rules and practices for the administration of academic matters. It normally includes a purpose statement, policy statement, definitions, and procedural guidelines.

Procedural Guidelines

Educational policy will be developed and maintained as outlined in the following procedural guidelines:

Development of new policy

1. Suggestions for new Educational Policy may be brought forward by any person or group within the College community. Requests for new policy, with accompanying rationale, are submitted to the Education Council Chair in writing and distributed in an upcoming Education Council agenda.
2. Upon successful motion at Education Council (normally short-cycled), the request for new policy is referred to the Standing Committee on Educational Policies, with timelines where appropriate.
3. The Standing Committee establishes a process for developing the new policy. The policy originator will be invited to formulate language for the new policy and to participate in deliberations. Policy will be formulated in consultation with those concerned: learners, faculty, administrators, support staff, and other members of the Douglas College community.
4. The draft policy is brought to Education Council and distributed in an upcoming agenda package for review by Faculty/Department Education Committees, and other constituent groups within the College.
5. Education Council deliberates upon the draft policy and the feedback of constituent groups and decides whether to approve it.
6. The President takes the Education Council-approved policy to the Board, either for approval (where required by the Act) or for information.
7. The Education Council Chair forwards the approved policy to the appropriate Vice President for implementation and notification of the College community.

Maintenance of policies

1. Policies will be reviewed on a seven year cycle in accordance with the Policy Review Schedule.
2. In October of each year, Education Council will publish a list of policies due for review and invite feedback by a specified date to the Standing Committee on Educational Policies.
3. Education Council will announce to the college community through its representatives that certain policies are up for review and will ask for comments regarding the relevancy and appropriateness of the policy and its provisions along with suggested revisions. Any comments received by the posted deadline will be given to the Standing Committee.
4. The Standing Committee will review the policy regarding its relevancy and the appropriateness of its provisions, will draft any proposed revisions, and recommend approval to Education Council.

Amendments to existing policy

1. Suggestions for revisions to Educational Policy may be brought forward by any person or group within the College community. A written request for policy revision outside the normal review schedule will be submitted in writing, with accompanying rationale, to the Education Council Chair and distributed in an upcoming Education Council agenda. Depending upon the complexity of the proposed revision, Education Council will determine an appropriate process which may include immediate distribution to Faculty/ Department Education Committees and other constituent groups in the case of minor revisions, or referral to the Standing Committee on Educational Policies in the case of comprehensive revisions.
2. When the policy is referred to the Standing Committee on Educational Policies, the Standing Committee establishes a process for revising the policy. The policy revision originator will be invited to participate in deliberations. Policy revisions will be formulated in consultation with those concerned: learners, faculty, administrators, support staff, and other members of the Douglas College community.
3. The draft policy revision is brought to Education Council and distributed in an upcoming agenda package for review by FECs/ DECs, and other constituent groups within the College.
4. Education Council deliberates upon the draft policy revision and the feedback of constituent groups and decides whether to approve it.
5. The President takes the Education Council-approved policy revision to the Board for approval (where required by the Act) or for information.
6. The Education Council Chair forwards the approved revised policy to the appropriate Vice President for implementation and notification of College community.
7. Superseded versions of policies will be maintained by the Education Council Secretary for consultative and historical purposes.

Format

Educational policies will include:

• a header listing policy name, category, approval body, responsible administrator(s), effective and review dates, related policies, and other policy or policies replaced or subsumed by this policy;
• a Purpose statement, outlining concisely a rationale for the policy and its relation to the mission and values of Douglas College, and explaining why the policy is needed, who it affects, and what it covers;
• a Policy statement in plain, concise, jargon-free English;
• definitions as required for clarity;
• procedural guidelines necessary to ensure fair and consistent application and interpretation of the policy;
• where appropriate, appeal procedures outlined within the policy.

This policy was last revised December 19, 2007

Appendix 1