Policies & Procedures Glossary

A group of campus representatives, appointed by the Chancellors, which serves as an advisory group to the University Council and to the Executive Designated by the President, who chairs the group. The BPWG can be staffed with additional appropriate campus personnel and subject matter experts as needed.  The BPWG’s responsibilities are:

• Editorial review of new and existing Board Policy working drafts to ensure practicality, clarity, and adequacy of the document for the University’s operations; 
• Coordinating campus review and socialization with all appropriate campus Departmental and Executive leadership by distributing Board Policy working drafts for input, comment, and advice;
• Act as a liaison with campus Stakeholders and the Executive Designated by the President to communicate and recommend any necessary or desired changes to Board Policy working drafts;
• Assist in eliminating any potential conflicts by reviewing Board Policy working drafts for consistency with laws or other external requirements, as well as consistency with other University Board Policies and with the University’s mission.

Under the direction of the Board of Trustees, the Secretary provides administrative oversight for the Board Policy development process.

Forty-five (45) calendar day period during which the Board Policy Working Group Members bring the proposed policy to their respective campuses for review, comment and feedback by Stakeholder representatives.

Policy work that draws on the resources of more than a single individual or department.  Usually denotes work beyond the initial thinking, analysis stage performed by a single individual or department.  Any work that involves collaboration across teams, departments, divisions or campuses.

The standing Committee of the Board of Trustees of the University of Massachusetts that will consider the policy in question (e.g. Governance, CASA, Advancement). This committee may differ depending on the policy at issue and will be selected by the Executive Designated by the President.

The Executive is the primary decision maker who spearheads the process of developing, reviewing, revising, or rescinding Board Policies. The Executive works closely with the pertinent University Council and ad hoc groups, makes changes and directs further work on the draft Policy, and submits the final draft of a Board Policy to the President’s Council for approval.

Under the direction of the President’s Council, the Office of the General Counsel will provide legal review and oversight for Board Policies to the President, University Councils, and the Board Policy Working Group.

The President’s Council (President, Executive & Senior Vice Presidents, and Chancellors) shall be responsible for the review of new or revised Board Policies and for the review of Board Policies to be rescinded. The President’s Council will recommend policies for approval by the Board.

The Sponsoring Department is the University department that has triggered the policy development process by identifying a need for action regarding a specific University policy. The Sponsoring Department usually has an interest in the particular policy because it is accountable for the process governed or affected by that University policy. The members of the Sponsoring Department are involved in drafting the University policy by collaborating with the pertinent University Council.

Representatives of campus constituents that will use and be affected by the proposed policy. Stakeholder representatives will be asked to review a proposed policy and submit comments, input, and advice. The stakeholders for a particular policy will be determined by the BPWG. The following is a non-exhaustive list of presumptive stakeholders by Policy Sponsor:

The University Councils (e.g. Academic Affairs, Administration & Finance, Information Technology), under the direction of the pertinent Executive reporting to or designated by the President, shall be responsible for the development or review of the drafts of new or revised Policies. The pertinent Council will make recommendations for issuing, revising or rescinding a Board Policy to the President’s Council.