Glossary of Policy Development Terms

Approver
University Policies must be approved by the president, and when required, the Board of Trustees.

College/Department/Operating Unit Policy
A policy that does not have broad impact on the university community and is limited in its scope and application the specific college, department or operating unit that created it. These policies are NOT subject to the terms of this Policy.

Comment Period
A 30-day period (if applicable) during which time a draft Policy is posted to the Policies website, and is open to comment, suggestions or questions from the university community.

Committee on University Policy Development (CUPD)
Group appointed by, and advisory to, the president to conduct an initial review of all existing university Policies to determine what Policies are still needed, what updates are necessary, and to identify gaps in existing Policies. CUPD will respond to questions on interpretation and application of Policies and provide advice on a timely basis. The committee will also consider when informal guidelines should be used instead of formal Policies.

Implementation Guidelines
Information describing how the Policy will be implemented and communicated to the relevant constituencies.

Pertinent Dates
The origination date states when the Policy first went into effect, and the revision date states when the Policy was last updated.

Policy Owner
The individual accountable for and charged with the responsibility for creating, implementing, monitoring and updating the subject university Policy, and developing/recommending relevant communication, education and training.

Responsible University Office
Under the direction of the Policy owner, the responsible office will develop and administer a particular Policy and procedures and will be accountable for the accuracy of its subject matter, its issuance, regular review and timely updating.

University Leadership Council (ULC)
A standing group of university executives appointed and chaired by the president. The council is comprised of the president, provost, vice presidents, deans, vice provosts, chief of staff and corporate secretary, chief human resources officer, and chief investment officer.

Each ULC member represents his/her college/division and is responsible for communicating the draft Policies to his/her college/division as applicable and collecting feedback. ULC members will also be assigned to communicate with and engage as warranted any constituency not represented formally on the ULC (Faculty Senate, Staff Council, Student Government, etc.).

University Policy
A university Policy is a rule that has been officially sanctioned by the president of Carnegie Mellon University, and that generally has university-wide applicability. A Policy may include governing principles; it may either mandate or constrain action; it may promote compliance with laws; or it may mitigate the university's risk. It must be approved by the president before it becomes official Policy.

University Policy Office
Stewards the Policy development process, advises on the availability of Policy training and education, manages policy publication and education, manages the online Policy website and ensures ease of use, receives inquiries and facilitates timely responses, arranges and monitors the Policy review schedule, designs templates, supports CUPD and undertakes such other responsibilities as may be necessary or assigned.