Policies

Development, Revision, and Approval of UW-Whitewater Policies and Procedures

UWW Procedure 1.A

Original Issuance Date: 10/17/2025
Last Revision Date: N/A

1. Purpose of Procedure
Policies, procedures, and practice directives must be up-to-date, consistent in format and how they are approved, and easily accessible and understandable to stakeholders. This procedure on the development and approval of policies and procedures is issued to promote these objectives and specify the implementation of UWW Policy 1.

2. Responsible UW-Whitewater Officer
Office of Compliance and Risk Management

3. Definitions
Initiator: the UWW representative who initiates a new policy, a change to an existing policy, or the elimination of an existing policy. The Initiator may be the Chancellor, any Vice Chancellor with authority over the subject matter of the policy, the Academic Staff Assembly Chair, the University Staff Council Chair, the Faculty Senate Chair, or the Whitewater Student Government President.

Responsible Party: the UWW representative, group, or committee primarily responsible for overseeing implementation, administration of and updates to a particular policy. The Responsible party may be the chair of the committee that is primarily responsible for overseeing implementation, administration of, and updates to a particular policy.

4. Procedures

A. Development, revision, approval, or rescission of UW-Whitewater Policies & Procedures

I. Initiation and Development of UW-Whitewater Policies and Procedures
Any member of the university community wishing to propose a new or revised UW-Whitewater policy or procedure must communicate such a proposed policy or procedure, request for a proposed policy or procedure, or change to an existing policy or procedure to an appropriate Initiator.

1. Initiator
  Once the Initiator agrees to formally change or initiate a new policy or procedure, the Initiator will appoint a Responsible Party.
2. Responsible Party
  The Responsible Party will oversee the creation of a draft of the proposed policy or procedure in accordance with the UW-Whitewater Policy and Procedure Templates (UWW Procedure 1.B & UWW Procedure 1.C), with appropriate input and consultation with appropriate shared governance groups.
3. Circulation for Review
  
  The Responsible Party shall circulate a draft of the proposed policy or procedure to an informal group of reviewers for comments and feedback. This group of reviewers may include, but is not limited to, the Initiator, subject matter experts when appropriate, potential users of the proposed policy or procedure, and representatives of groups, including shared governance, affected by the proposed policy or procedure. Alternatively, particularly in the case of policies and procedures originating within faculty or academic staff governance, the Responsible Party may oversee creation or review of the policy or procedure by a committee. The Responsible Party shall indicate to each reviewer, or the designated committee, the deadline for comments on the proposed policy or procedure and the format for submission of such comments.
  
  The Responsible Party shall indicate on the UW-Whitewater Policy and Procedure Transmittal Form (UWW Procedure 1.F) under “Circulated to:” the names of individuals or groups that have reviewed and commented on the proposed changes or proposed policy or procedure.
4. Office of the Chancellor

After circulating a draft of the proposed policy or procedure to an informal group of reviewers, the Responsible Party will forward a draft of the proposed policy or procedure along with the UW-Whitewater Policy and Procedure Transmittal Form (UWW Procedure 1.F) to Thomas Lisowski in the Office of the Chancellor for review and to offer editorial suggestions to assure the following:

1. 1. 1. Consistency in format and presentation;
    2. Appropriate UW-Whitewater policy or procedure numbering;
    3. Absence of conflicts between the proposed policy or procedure and other Federal, State, Board of Regents, Universities of Wisconsin, and UW-Whitewater policies; and
    4. Consistency with laws or external regulations related to the policy or procedure.

II. Review of UW-Whitewater Policies and Procedures

1. Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, & Shared Governance Leaders
  
  After a proposed policy or procedure has been reviewed by the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of the Chancellor will present a proposed draft of the policy or procedure, along with the UW-Whitewater Policy and Procedure Transmittal Form (UWW Procedure 1.F), at the following monthly meeting with the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders.
  
  The Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders will consider the merits of the policy or procedure and its consistency with the missions of UW-Whitewater and the Board of Regents. The Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders shall consult with appropriate UW-Whitewater personnel as necessary. The Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders may solicit formal or informal comments or feedback on the draft policy or procedure from the groups they represent.
  
  The Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders may recommend acceptance of the policy or procedure as drafted, recommend changes to the policy or procedure, or recommend against adoption of the policy or procedure.
  
  Once the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders have reviewed the policy or procedure, the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders shall return the policy or procedure with its written recommendations, along with the UW-Whitewater Policy and Procedure Transmittal Form (UWW Procedure 1.F), to the Responsible Party. While the written recommendations shall be based on the will of the majority of the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders, they shall include an explanation of any material, unresolved concerns of individual members and the groups they represent. The Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders shall return their recommendations within 60 days of receipt of the policy or procedure.
2. Responsible Party
  
  After receiving any recommendations of the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders, the Responsible Party will consider the recommendations and make final changes to the policy or procedure. If the Responsible Party should choose to reject the recommendations, the Responsible Party will prepare a cover memorandum detailing the reason for the rejection.
  
  The Responsible Party will then submit the final proposed policy or procedure, along with the UW-Whitewater Policy and Procedure Transmittal Form (UWW Procedure 1.F), to Thomas Lisowski in the Office of the Chancellor for transmittal to the Chancellor or appropriate Vice Chancellor.

III. Approval of UW-Whitewater Policies and Procedures

1. Policy Approval
  
  Upon receipt of a proposed policy from the Office of the Chancellor, the Chancellor may consult with any individual or group prior to approving a proposed policy or, when necessary, forwarding it to the Board of Regents. The Chancellor may also reject the policy or send it back to the Responsible Party for further modifications and/or review by shared governance leaders, if applicable. The Chancellor will take action on a proposed policy within 30 days of receipt.
  
  A proposed policy shall not become effective until approved by the Chancellor or, where necessary, the Board of Regents.
2. Procedure Approval
  
  Upon receipt of a proposed procedure from the Office of the Chancellor, the appropriate Vice Chancellor may consult with any individual or group prior to approving a proposed procedure or, when necessary, forwarding it to the Chancellor. The Vice Chancellor may also reject the procedure or send it back to the Responsible Party for further modifications and/or review by the shared governance leaders, if applicable. The Vice Chancellor will take action on a proposed procedure within 30 days of receipt.
  
  A proposed procedure shall not become effective until approved by the appropriate Vice Chancellor or, where necessary, the Chancellor.

IV. Publication and Distribution of UW-Whitewater Policies and Procedures

Once approved by the Chancellor, the appropriate Vice Chancellor or, if necessary, the Board of Regents, the appropriate Vice Chancellor or Chancellor shall provide the approved policy or procedure, along with the UW-Whitewater Policy and Procedure Transmittal Form (UWW Procedure 1.F), to the Office of the Chancellor for posting on the Policy Library section of the UW-Whitewater website. In addition, the Office of the Chancellor shall provide the university community notice of and information about the policy or procedure in the manner calculated to best inform the campus.

V. Interim Policies
The Chancellor or, in the Chancellor’s absence, the Provost, may sign into effect, waive, or temporarily alter any policy in a situation where there is an extraordinary need or emergency requiring that a UW-Whitewater policy be established, revised, or rescinded in a period too short to permit the completion of the process outlined in this procedure. Interim policies which constitute an alteration of existing policies requiring consultation or approval by the shared governance leaders must obtain the approval of the shared governance leaders prior to their implementation. As soon as practicable thereafter and assuming an ongoing need for the policy, the Chancellor shall initiate the process for development and approval of a permanent policy addressing the same subject.

Any interim policy shall be created or revised in accordance with the UW-Whitewater Interim Policy Template (UWW Procedure 1.D) and shall remain in effect until the earlier of one (1) year or adoption of a new policy or modification of an existing policy pursuant to the review and approval process detailed herein. In the meantime, the interim policy shall be considered to be an official policy of UW-Whitewater. An interim policy may be extended, upon consultation with the Vice Chancellors and Shared Governance Leaders, for an additional one (1) year.

VI. Regular Policy and Procedure Review
The Responsible Party with authority to implement each policy or procedure shall review and update that policy or procedure, or propose its elimination, as necessary but no less frequently than every five (5) years. Revisions to existing policies and procedures shall be processed and approved in the same manner as are new policies and procedures. Annually, the Office of the Chancellor will notify Responsible Parties of policies and procedures requiring review and updating and will monitor progress to ensure compliance.

The review of UW-Whitewater procedures associated with existing UW-Whitewater policies shall coincide with the policy review date.

VII. Rescission of UW-Whitewater Policies and Procedures

1. Initiation and Proposal to Rescind Policies or Procedures
  Any member of the university community wishing to propose the elimination of an existing UW-Whitewater policy or procedure must communicate the proposal to rescind to an appropriate Initiator.

1. 1. Initiator
    Once the Initiator agrees to formally initiate the elimination of an existing policy or procedure, the Initiator will forward the proposal to an appropriate Responsible Party.
  2. Responsible Party
    The Responsible Party will review the policy or procedure to determine if it remains applicable. The Responsible Party will decide to accept or reject the proposal to eliminate the policy or procedure. If the Responsible Party decides to accept the proposal, the Responsible Party will submit the proposal to rescind to Thomas Lisowski in the Office of the Chancellor with written rationale.
  3. Office of the Chancellor

The Office of the Chancellor shall review the recommended rescission to identify any legal implications of the proposed elimination and consistency with laws or external regulations related to the policy or procedure. The Office of the Chancellor may review the recommended rescission in consultation with the Universities of Wisconsin Office of General Counsel.

The Office of the Chancellor will then present the proposed rescission at the following monthly meeting with the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders.

2. Rescission Review

1. 1. Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders
    The Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders will consider the merits of eliminating the policy or procedure and its consistency with the missions of UW-Whitewater and the Board of Regents of the Universities of Wisconsin. The Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders shall consult with appropriate UW-Whitewater personnel as necessary. The Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders may solicit formal or informal comments or feedback on the proposal to rescind from the groups they represent.

The Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders may recommend that the policy be repealed or recommend against repealing the policy.

Once the Chancellor, Vice Chancellors, and Shared Governance Leaders have reviewed the proposal to rescind, they will submit their recommendations to the Chancellor within 60 days of receipt of the proposed rescission.

b. Approval of Rescission
Upon receipt of a proposed rescission from the Vice Chancellor and Shared Governance Leaders, the Chancellor may consult with any individual or group prior to approving or, when necessary, forwarding it to the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents. The Chancellor may also reject the rescission if they determine that the policy or procedure remains relevant and necessary for the institution. In such cases, the Chancellor may recommend revisions to the existing policy or procedure rather than its rescission. The Chancellor will take action on a proposed rescission within thirty (30) days of receipt.

After the rescission of a policy or procedure is approved by the Chancellor, the Chancellor will transmit the decision to the Office of the Chancellor. The Office of the Chancellor will then remove the policy or procedure from the Policy Library on the UW-Whitewater website. In addition, the Office of the Chancellor shall provide the university community notice of and information about the rescission in the manner calculated to best inform the campus.

5. Related Documents
UW-Whitewater Policy 1, Development, Revision, and Approval of UW-Whitewater Policies and Procedures

UW-Whitewater Procedure 1.B, UW-Whitewater Policy Template

UW-Whitewater Procedure 1.C, UW-Whitewater Procedure Template

UW-Whitewater Procedure 1.D, UW-Whitewater Interim Policy Template

UW-Whitewater Procedure 1.E, UW-Whitewater Policy and Procedure Transmittal Form

6. History
First approved: September 2025

7. Scheduled Review
June 2026

8. Contact Information
Questions regarding the interpretation of this procedure should be directed to:

Office of Compliance and Risk Management

Email: policies@uww.edu