AVOIDING BAD POLICIES

As the governing body of a college or university, the board of trustees has a fiduciary responsibility to establish and monitor adherence to policies related to programs and services.

But what happens when policies fail to put student learning first and fail to address potential outcomes?

For example, Brigham Young University has recently been under pressure for its Honor Code because of its focus on “homosexual behavior.” 

Or the ongoing debate that is surrounding legacy admissions policies.

And let’s not forget that UC Berkeley paid $70k in legal fees and agreed to a review of policies as part of their settlement with two conservative groups that had accused the university of viewpoint discrimination.

If your institution’s mission is to “make quality education affordable,” or “provide high-quality, relevant and varied educational programs and opportunities for the intellectual, cultural and personal growth,” how can you ensure your policies support that mission and avoid the problems that can arise when a policy fails to support the mission?

Causes Of Poor Policies

What causes the creation of poor policies?

Poor communication or the total lack of communication is a cause of significant problems. Some might call this a lack of transparency, but the bottom line is that effective policies require the input and buy-in of the audiences your institution serves.

 Sometimes the lack of transparency is accidental, especially when there is no clearly outlined process. Other times it is a deliberate decision that’s made for all the wrong reasons.

Another cause of poor policies is an oversimplification of the problem the policy is supposed to address. A clear definition of the problem is critical. And that definition should include specific examples of how the issue impacts distinct members of your audience.

And let’s not overlook prejudice, stereotyping and personal agendas of those recommending the proposed policy.

 Establish an Efficient, Effective Process

Without an effective and efficient process, there is chaos.

Don’t believe that? Talk to the regents at Texas Southern University. And make sure you speak with a janitor about their perspective on the board’s new powers.

What follows is a very linear presentation of what can be a very non-linear process. Again, because transparency is critical, performing some of these stages can be an excellent thing to happen.

The first step is problem identification and definition. An individual or a group of people needs to acknowledge that something is problematic, clearly define that something and propose solutions to the problem.

Next, you should have a formal policy review where all critical constituencies of the institution can review and comment on the proposed policy. Does the larger group agree that the problem exists? Do they believe the proposed solutions are the best course of action?

During this stage, watch out for groups that may start “jockeying for position,” so the proposed policy offers them more benefits. Try to keep the focus on what’s best for the institution and all of the constituencies.

Decision-making is next and this is simply the formal choice of whether or not to move forward with the proposed policy. Implementation and evaluation follow.

The specific details of what needs to be addressed and achieved in each of these five steps can vary based on the institution, but these steps are all necessary for developing effective policies. For example, during the problem identification and definition phase, the individual or group might be required to meet with representatives of each constituency for input. Or they might be required to hold ‘town halls’ with each constituency so that more people are involved in the discussion.

The following is a template you might consider if you don’t have a standard policy format, or you may consider adapting this to your current template:

A Few Closing Thoughts

The key to effective policy creation and management is creating a process that works with your audiences - and then involving everyone. All too often, parties are left out on purpose or because no one stopped to think that [ex] Group A might be impacted so we better give them the chance to offer their input now.

Keep the focus positive - not punitive. The goal should be to enhance the experience, not put someone in a time out because you disagree with their perspective.

And when in doubt, talk it out. Remembering, of course, that today's policy could be eliminated or redesigned based on changes within the institution or society.

ABOUT CASAGRANDE CONSULTING 

Casagrande Consulting was founded in early 2009 to meet select needs of institutions of higher education and not-for-profit organizations. The mission of our organization is to establish simple, effective, and defensible programs and processes that allow institutions to align their resources with their mission. 

This independent, experienced, and focused consultancy is the partner of choice for developing, implementing, and maintaining processes, philosophies, and programs that can both be supported by and withstand the scrutiny of all institutional stakeholders in the areas of: 

• Institutional and Board Effectiveness 
• Leadership Effectiveness 
• Compensation Effectiveness