Tools for Regulation Writers
This page includes resources, information, and templates for university regulation writers. Visit About University Regulations for general information about university regulations. If you are beginning a regulation revision or need help with revising a regulations, please contact regulations@utah.edu
University Regulations Community of Practice
The University Regulations Office coordinates a community of practice for employees who are responsible for managing and revising University regulations. The community of practice meets every other month. To be added, please send a request to regulations@utah.edu.
About the Institutional Policy Committee (IPC)
The IPC is established in Policy 1-001: Policy on University Regulations with responsibilities to assist in developing and reviewing University regulations. At a minimum, the IPC reviews and provides feedback on proposed regulations changes before they go through the final review and approval process. The IPC is also available to provide guidance and support to regulation writers at any time.
The Institutional Policy Committee meets at 9:00 a.m. on the second Friday of each month on Zoom. If you have a university regulation that you'd like to add to an IPC agenda, please contact the University Regulations Office.
Institutional Policy Committee Membership
- Jeff Herring, Human Resource Management (chair)
- Sarah Tice, Special Assistant to IPC Chair
- Brent K. Brown, Office of Sponsored Projects
- Kristen Keefe, Health Sciences Academic Affairs
- Emma Houston, Community Engagement
- Lori McDonald, Student Affairs
- Allyson Mower, Academic Senate
- Allison Nicholson, Academic Affairs (Budget)
- Catalina Ochoa, Health Sciences
- Robert Payne, Office of General Counsel
- Kevin Turner, Human Resource Management
- Ken Pink, University Information Technology
- Sarah Projansky, Office for Faculty
- Trina Rich, Academic Affairs
- Christian Sherwood, UUHC Human Resources
- Karen West, Board of Trustees
- Bryant Gordon, Staff Council
- Allyson Hicks, University Regulations Office
Policy and Rule Templates
All proposed changes to University policies and rules need to be written on the University's regulation template. For a proposed new policy or rule use the template below. For proposed revisions to an existing policy or rule, please contact the University Regulations Office for a Microsoft Word version of the policy or rule. University regulations template without instructionsUniversity regulations template with instructions
Other Template Tools
In addition to a draft of a proposed policy or rule, regulation writers should also prepare a memo or other summary document describing the proposed change and a single slide summarize the proposed change. Regulation writers may use the templates on this webpage, or may use any format of their choice.
Regulation revision summary memo template
Regulation revision summary slide template
Project Planning
The University Regulations Office recommends that regulations drafters take a project planning approach to think about all of the steps in the regulation revision process and plan for implementation. Regulations writers are encouraged to use the regulation change project planning excel sheet through the regulation revision process. Note that rows can be added to deleted as needed to tailor the tool to a particular regulation revision.
Writing Resources for Regulation Writers
University regulations should be written in plain language so that all readers can understand what they are required to do, what they are prohibited from doing, and what they are allowed to do but not required to do.
The following are resources for regulations writers about how to write University regulations.
Stakeholder Engagement
University regulations have the potential to affect thousands of University students and employees. It is important for regulations writers to communicate with the individuals who are impacted by regulations changes. All regulation writers should think about who should have the opportunity to review and provide feedback on a proposed drafts. For major proposed changes, regulation writers should consider forming a writing group to work together on the proposed changes. Regulation writers can also hold town hall meetings to talk with larger groups about proposed policy changes.
The following list provides examples of stakeholders to contact about regulation changes. Note the each policy change is unique, and regulation drafters should think about which individuals their policy has the potential to affect.
Councils and Other Representative Groups
- Council of Academic Deans
- Staff Council
- Undergraduate Council
- Graduate Council
- Associated Students of the University of Utah (ASUU)
Committees
- University Committees and Academic Senate Committees: The university and the Academic Senate have many committees with broad representation that focus on specific issues
- Unit or other subject matter committees: Units may have committees that provide input on specific topics.
Administrative Units
Considerations for Regulation Writers
Before drafting a policy change, regulation writers should think about background information related to the policy issue, the purpose and potential impacts of the proposed policy change, and any considerations for implementation. The following questions can be helpful in thinking through these issues.
Background Questions
- What, if anything, do existing University regulations cover related to this topic?
- If there is more than one regulation about this topic, will your proposed change cause a conflict with another existing regulation? If so, you should propose revisions to the other regulation at the same time as the proposed change.
- What, if any state or federal requirements is the University subject to related to this policy?
- How do other higher education institutions address this topic in policy?
- Who within the University community should be involved in revising the policy?
- How can you broaden the input you’re receiving on this potential policy change?
Purpose and Impact Questions
- What problem is the policy revision trying to solve and what is the reason for the policy revision?
- Who is affected by this change? Specifically, who benefits from the change and who does the policy leave out?
- Does the policy increase access and opportunity for all? How?
- Will the policy have a positive impact on full participation of all people (in the process, in implementation, in breadth of outreach and participation, in decision-making and culture of decision-making etc.)
- Are there changes you could make to this policy to ensure it provides equal opportunity?
Implementation Questions
- Keeping in mind that policies, rules, and procedures are binding on the University community, what is the correct level of detail for this regulation? Are exceptions needed?
- What support or information will organizational units need to implement this change? How do you plan to provide this support of information?
- What are organizational units doing now related to this issue? To what extent will your policy revision require a change to organizational units’ policies or practices?
- Does this policy change have a financial cost, and if so, how will it be paid for?
- What is the timeframe for making this change in practice?
- How will you measure the impact of the policy and ensure that there are not negative unintended consequences of the policy change?