Policy Processes and Forms

Statement on Policies and Procedures

It is the expectation of the dean that all School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) policies are reviewed and updated annually. As the chief academic officer and per the SMHS bylaws, the dean has the authority to approve and authorize all policies in accordance with the School’s policy.

Administrative and Research Related Policies

It is the responsibility of the Dean’s Office to establish, approve, manage, and regularly review policies related to the administrative duties of the SMHS and policies related to the research enterprise of SMHS. It is the responsibility of the Dean’s Office to keep records of and make easily available all SMHS policies.

School-Wide Policies (Effect the Entire School of Medicine and Health Sciences)

It is the responsibility of the Faculty Council (FC) to manage all school-wide policies and procedures. Annual review of and recommended updates to these policies is the responsibility of the Bylaws Committee. It is also the responsibility of the FC to make all school-wide policies easily available to all SMHS faculty, staff, and students. All FC recommended policies and procedures shall be released for a two-week comment period to faculty members prior to discussion at FC, endorsed by FC, and finally approved by the Dean before said documents go into effect.

Biomedical and Health Sciences Related Policies

The establishment of policies and procedures at the department and program level are the responsibility of departments and programs. It is the expectation that departments and programs review, approve, and update their policies and procedures regularly and that these documents are made easily available to their members.

Medical Education Related Policies

The Undergraduate Medical Education Committee (UMEC) is responsible for establishing, approving, managing, and regularly reviewing policies and procedures affecting the medical education program. UMEC shall state a process or establish a subcommittee for so doing and shall make these policies easily available to medical program staff, faculty, and students. The Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC) is responsible for establishing, approving, managing, and regularly reviewing policies and procedures affecting the graduate medical education program. The GMEC shall make these policies easily available to residency program staff, faculty and residents.

Elective Day Request Form

Procedures in Creating and Reviewing SMHS and Program Policies

The SMHS Policy template is used in the creation of and review of SMHS and program policies.
Each policy is reviewed and approved annually by the group responsible as defined in the SMHS policy statement.
The dated and signed checklist along with the reviewed or created policy is submitted to the Dean’s Office within 14 days of completion.
The Dean’s Office ensures correct titles and numbering of each policies and posts policies to the SMHS policy within 30 days of receipt.

Checklist for Creating and Reviewing SMHS and Program Policies

Existing Policies

The policy has been reviewed within 12 months of previous review.
Policy review and re-approval or deletion date is stated on policy.
The updated policy is dated and submitted to the Office of the Dean within 14 days of approval or deletion.
The administrative staff within the Office of the Dean has ensured correct policy formats, titles, numbers and dates prior to posting to SMHS website.
The policy is posted to SMHS website within 6 weeks of approval.

New Policies

The Office of the Dean is notified that a new policy is under consideration when a new policy template is requested.
A newly created policy is written in the proper SMHS template.
A newly created policy is dated and submitted to the Office of the Dean within 14 days of approval.
The administrative staff within the Office of the Dean has ensured correct policy formats, titles, numbers and dates prior to posting to SMHS website.
The policy is posted to SMHS website within 6 weeks of approval.