The following policy management terms provide a high-level definition overview. For more detailed information on these terms, see College Policy 6Hx28: 1-09 Policy Development, Review and Approval
- Official Online Policy Manual: All approved Board policies are in a Policy Manual posted on the College’s policy website in a standard format.
- Policy Process: The College has a formal process to develop, approve, issue, and maintain all College policies in a consistent format in a central electronic policy library. Documented review is based in response to changes in law, regulation, operational strategies and structure, and adoption of new best practices or other practice changes.
- College operating plans, protocols, guidelines, forms, catalogs, and handbooks are subject to and must conform with strategic governing policies and procedures approved by the District Board of Trustees
- Policy: Board level policies are guiding principles that express the institutional culture, goals, and philosophy; promote consistence and operational efficiency and effectiveness; enhance the College’s mission; and mitigate significant institutional risk. At Valencia College, the District Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility for adopting policy for the operations of the College; however, the process for formulating policy is the shared responsibility of the District Board of Trustees, the faculty, and the administration of the College.
- Procedure: Board level procedures detail the steps necessary to operationalize and implement board level policies and articulate the process for accomplishing controls, ensuring the consistent and repetitive approach to accomplish control activities. At Valencia College, procedures need not follow the development and approval requirements as required for policies but should be developed in consultation with the Office of Policy and General Counsel, subject matter experts and stakeholders, and the Faculty Council when appropriate.
- Responsible Executive: The Responsible Executives are accountable for the substance (provisions and requirements) of board level policy documents under their jurisdiction, and to ensure they are in compliance with the policy review cycle and applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
- Policy Contact: Policy Contacts consult with the respective Responsible Executive to update existing policies on a timely basis. When requested by the Responsible Executive, the Policy Contact may develop a policy, or as otherwise necessary and appropriate, responsible for coordinating the policy revision process, which may include forming a work team or committee to provide subject matter expertise and technical/editorial assistance. Policy Contacts work in partnership with the Office of Policy and General Counsel in finalizing policy drafts, putting policy drafts through the standard policy review cycle that include obtaining input from multiple stakeholders, and making updates to the policy draft as appropriate.
- Policy Work Team or Committee: A policy work team or committee may be established by a Responsible Executive or Policy Contact(s) with representation from various college stakeholders to provide subject matter expertise and technical/editorial assistance to assist the Responsible Executive or Policy Contact(s) in the development of a new policy/procedure or review of an existing College policy and procedure.
- Minor Amendments: Minor amendments are editorial changes that do not otherwise affect the policy or procedure content or substance, may be made at any time during the life cycle of a policy, and may be adopted without further Board consideration, action, or notice. These amendments include, without limitation:
- organizational structure, position or office titles, dates, information technology-based systems, contact names and information, references to laws, rules or policies;
- to correct grammar, punctuation, or clerical errors; and/or
- to conform to other Board policies in any other non-substantive ways.