Best Practices for Publishing Policy

To provide efficient and effective references to policies, without creating conflicting statements, please follow these recommendations when publishing or referencing policies: 

• Instead of copying and pasting a section of a policy, link directly to the policy on the SUU policy website. Be aware that policies change over time, and policies that reference others are not always updated in tandem. Try to avoid referencing specific portions of other policies, as those portions may be deleted, rearranged, etc., and the original reference may no longer be active or appropriate. (In other words, reference “Policy X.X” instead of “Policy X.X Section IV.A.2.c.x.”)
• Instead of relying on printed copies, always refer to the active link for the policy. This helps ensure you are reviewing the most up-to-date policy.
• Try to avoid summarizing a policy. Again, the better practice is to link to it. It is best for users to review policy language in context and with the exact policy language. If it is absolutely necessary to summarize a policy, label it as a summary. State, “This summarizes Policy ___ and is provided for convenience only, but not to replace the policy. The official policy is located [here]. In the event of an inconsistency, the policy language controls.”
• Similarly, if you desire to create frequently asked questions about a policy, consider whether the information already is in the policy itself. If so, please link directly to it. If additional information is needed to help someone process matters related to a policy, label the additional information as a process and include similar language as recommended above when summarizing a policy. Also, if necessary information is missing, please suggest to the responsible office for that policy that they add missing processes or related links to the section in the policy for “Relevant Links and Forms”; if you are looking for that information that seems to be missing, you likely are not the only one.
• If you want to include illustrations/examples of how a policy is implemented, please draft those precisely and accurately. Include explanatory language similar to when summarizing a policy.
• Please send any summaries, frequently asked questions, or examples to the Office of Legal Affairs for a legal review prior to publishing.
• Accurately reference the term “policies.” Policies are University-wide statements and adopted through the approved process as outlined in Policy 0.0. Policies establish requirements. Guidelines and other guidance-related documents are often recommendations and suggestions and should be appropriately distinguished in name.