Process Guidelines

The Administrative Policy Guidelines below define the process to create new, update, revise, or rescind CSUSM administrative policies. 

Key Terms and Definitions

• Policies: Written principles put in place to govern university processes, activities, and/or functions. These principles ensure compliance, enhance the university's mission, strengthen internal controls, and reduce the risk of improper transactions. Policies state what is done and under what authority
• Procedures: Documents that provide step-by-step actions and detailed descriptions of what is needed to carry out policies. Not all policies contain procedures
• Guidelines: Documents that advise how a process should be completed
• Creating New Policy: Developing a new campus administrative policy
• Revision: Making significant substantive changes that change or augment the original meaning, instruction, or directive of an existing administrative policy
• Rescission: Removing a policy because it is no longer required or applicable to the campus 
• Updates: Minor, non-substantive changes to a current campus policy such as: title changes, spelling and grammar updates, Executive Order updates, and similar immaterial changes​ that do not alter policy requirements or terms

Revising an Existing or Creating a New Administrative Policy

Process:

1. Policy Owner/Initiator identifies need for/drafts policy action, obtains approval from appropriate PAT member
2. Policy Owner/Initiator consults with Policy Administrator to discuss and determine further consultation needs (as applicable)
3. If necessary, Policy Administrator consults with applicable stakeholders, including but not limited to Student Affairs and Office of Human Resources 
4. Using the Administrative Policy Template, Policy Owner/Initiator prepares draft and sends to Policy Administrator
5. Policy Administrator forwards draft to APERC who reviews draft & provides feedback form*
6. Policy Administrator shares APERC feedback with Policy Owner/Initiator for consideration/adjustments*
7. Policy Administrator shares policy owner responses with APERC
8. Final policy draft is routed to PAT Jr. for review and/or signature approval. PAT Jr. will have 2 weeks to sign, or communicate to Policy Administrator/Policy Initiator if they have any feedback, questions, or proposed adjustments to the policy draft
9. Once final draft is approved, policy action is published and communicated

*Please see separate APERC process for details

Rescinding an Administrative  Policy

Process:

1. Policy Owner/Initiator identifies need for rescission and obtains approval from applicable PAT Member
2. Policy Owner/Initiator consults with Policy Administrator to discuss policy impact, completes rescission template (as applicable)
3. Policy Administrator consults with Office of Human Resources or Student Affairs, (as applicable)
4. Policy Administrator forwards policy and rescission template to PAT Jr. for review (2 Weeks)
5. PAT Jr. reviews and approves, or, provides feedback, forwards to Policy Administrator and Policy Owner/Initiator for adjustments (as applicable)
6. If rescission is approved, Policy Administrator removes policy from PolicyStat
7. Rescission is published and communicated (as necessary)

Making Updates to an Administrative Policy

Process:

1. Policy Owner/Initiator identifies need for update
2. Policy Owner/Initiator consults with Policy Administrator to confirm 'update(s),' discuss policy impact, and next steps
3. Policy Owner/Initiator forwards final proposed updates to Policy Administrator
4. Policy Administrator posts updated policy on PolicyStat