Preparing a policy or procedure document for UC Santa Cruz’ InfoSlug on-line policy and procedure system is not as mysterious or difficult as you might think. This guide is designed to explain the campus’ policy and procedure framework, to help policy and procedure owners organize their written documentation, and to act as a resource as they navigate the approval process. You will find the information in this “how to” guide helpful if you are responsible for formulating or documenting new or existing policies and procedures.

Over the past several years the campus has been actively examining its decision-making processes with an objective of locating decision-making authority at the lowest appropriate levels. Improvements in the campus’ process for documenting policies, procedures, and delegations of authority will enable this effort by addressing a number of issues:
1. Ease of Access. Currently there are too many manuals and loose memos—an information flood. Users don’t know what is important. Policy and procedure manuals that do exist are not always up-to-date and users cannot always find the documents they need to make informed decisions. An up-to-date, on-line system will permit those who use or are directly affected by policies and procedures to have the access they need.

2. Cost Effectiveness. Currently, individual offices must dedicate resources to maintaining files of relevant campuswide policies and procedures. Alternatively, the offices responsible for policy must respond to requests for policy documents as they are needed by individual users—using scarce human resources within those offices which might better be assigned to other activities.
Making written policies and procedures readily available and identifying a single office (or position within an office) in the policy (or procedure) documents to which questions can be directed should result in the following benefits:
• Less time spent on the telephone (or using electronic mail) to locate a person to whom a question can be addressed;
• Fewer errors; and
• Consistent answers.

3. Responsiveness. The ability to quickly update and disseminate procedures enables the campus to meet changing customer needs and to adapt to new environments.

4. Accountability. Clearly written, available policies and procedures are one of the foundation elements of any system in which individuals and units are held accountable for adherence to campus policies and procedures. A campus policies and procedures manual can quickly become out-of-date if an effective policy coordination function is not coupled with the effort. The creation of a Policy Coordinating Office responsible for the maintenance and distribution of policy records and up-to-date procedures along with providing guidance to you as policy (and procedure) owners will make your investment in preparing written documents a more rewarding effort.

Download pdf Guide to Writing Policy and Procedure Documents