Download a PDF of COHS Policy Development Authority
Boise State University College of Health Sciences Policy 101
Effective Date
Adopted Date: 05/01/1985
Last Revision Date
Revised Date: 05/04/24
Responsible Parties
Designee from the Dean’s Office
Scope and Audience
This policy applies to the creation, review, or amendment of all College of Health Science policies.
Additional Authority
If applicable, include governing State Board of Education and University policies, federal and state laws, and any other governing authority.
1. Policy Purpose
To establish the process, procedure, and lines of authority through which policies are established, approved, and made public within the College of Health Sciences.
2. Policy Statement
The College of Health Sciences policy development process is guided by principles of transparency and inclusiveness. COHS policies and procedures may be developed and/or amended in response to organizational needs perceived by any member of the COHS community, including faculty, staff, students, and university and community partners. COHS Policies are expected to be supplementary to, consistent with, and complementary to State Board of Education and Boise State University policies.
3. Definitions
COHS Policy Committee: One representative from each academic department or school as appropriate and aligned with the COHS Bylaws.
COHS Clinical Affiliation Committee: One representative from each academic department or school as appropriate and aligned with the COHS Bylaws.
Policy Originator: Person or group of persons with a new or amended COHS Policy proposal.
Minor amendment: Any change to an existing COHS Policy that is limited to a clerical or grammatical change or correction that does not change the intent, scope, application, or meaning of the policy.
4. Responsibilities
The Dean, or designee, has ultimate responsibility for College policies and procedures.
The COHS Policy Committee is responsible for developing, reviewing, and recommending approval and rescinding of General and Personnel (100- and 200-level) policies as identified in the COHS Policy Manual to the Dean or designee. All new policy proposals, policy revisions, or elimination of policies pertaining to General and Personnel policies, other than minor amendments, will be processed through the COHS Policy Committee.
The COHS Clinical Affiliation Committee is responsible for developing, reviewing, and recommending approval and rescinding of Clinical Education (300-level) policies as identified in the COHS Policy Manual to the Dean or designee. All new policy proposals and policy revisions pertaining to Clinical Education policies, other than minor amendments, will be processed through the COHS Clinical Affiliation Committee.
5. Procedure for COHS Policy Committee
A. A person or group within the COHS with a new policy proposal or amendment concept shall work with the COHS policy committee and designee from the Dean’s office to draft the policy proposal or amendment.
a. The policy originator must include a rationale or statement of need for a new policy or change in existing policy.
B. COHS Policy Committee and designee from the Dean’s office will review new proposals or amendments, and removal of existing policies to determine need and priority.
C. The designee from the Dean’s office will present policy proposals, revisions, and recommendations to rescind existing policies from the Policy Committee to the COHS leadership team.
D. COHS Leadership Team will review and provide guidance to the Policy Committee on whether to move forward with the development, revisions, or rescinding of the policy within one (1) month of receipt.
a. If the recommendation is to take action, the Policy Committee will work with the originator to review and revise to meet the needs of impacted parties, facilitate appropriate consideration from members of respective units within the COHS, and execute timely final action (i.e., within academic term).
b. If the recommendation is to rescind a policy, the Policy Committee will communicate planned action to members of respective units within the COHS, and execute timely final action (i.e., within the academic term).
E. Draft policies will be sent to the designee from the Dean’s office for review and to obtain input from the leadership team.
a. Feedback on draft policies will be returned to the Policy Committee within one (1) month of receipt.
b. In the event of amendment or rejection by the Dean’s office, a written explanation will be provided to the Policy Committee.
F. Policies will be vetted with the Office of General Counsel (OGC) as determined by the Dean’s office.
G. The Policy Committee must present final drafts of policy proposals and amendments to the COHS full-time faculty, administration, and staff for approval, revision, or rejection.
a. COHS full-time faculty and staff will be provided a time frame of a minimum of two weeks for open comment.
H. The Policy Committee will provide an overview of proposed policy and/or changes and administer the voting process.
I. Final policy proposals and amendments will be approved or rejected by the full-time faculty, full-time staff, and administration of the COHS.
a. Approval will be determined by a simple majority of those casting a vote.
b. The results of the voting will be shared with members of COHS.
c. The number and distribution of votes will be documented in the minutes of the Policy Committee and available upon request.
J. Given that not all issues pertain to all full-time employees of the COHS, we adopt the following, which are consistent with Article III of the Boise State University faculty constitution:
a. Only full-time faculty members will vote on policies and procedures governing the performance of research, scholarship, and creative activities.
b. Only Tenure/Tenure Eligible and Administrative Faculty will vote on policies and procedures governing tenure, and promotion of tenure-track positions.
c. All policies not specific to J. a. and J. b. will be voted on by all full-time employees of COHS.
K. In all other matters, and because we cannot anticipate every circumstance in which a policy matter might be proposed, the full-time faculty and staff are expected to consider abstaining from voting on new or amended policy if the proposed policy does not substantially pertain to their job responsibilities within the COHS.
L. Approved new proposals and amendments by faculty and staff will be submitted to the COHS Dean’s Office for signature indicating approval.
M. All approved COHS policy proposals and amendments will be promulgated to faculty, staff, and administration within the COHS.
a. The Policy Committee shall maintain documentation of the review, revision, and rescinding of the policy process.
b. The Dean’s office will be responsible for making policies available on the College website.
c. All approved COHS policies will be maintained by the Dean’s Office.
d. All rescinded policies will be archived by the Dean’s Office.
N. Each COHS policy will remain in effect for five years unless revised through the amendment process.
O. The COHS policy committee will review college policies every five years.
a. Policies needing review will be identified by the Dean’s office and communicated as a committee charge at the beginning of each academic year.
b. Procedures for rescinding or removing policies shall follow the process outlined in 4.1 of this policy.
6. Procedure for COHS Clinical Affiliation Committee
A. The COHS Clinical Affiliation Committee will be responsible for maintaining and amending policies related to student participation in COHS programs where additional requirements for student participation are necessary from specifications in an affiliation agreement or memorandum of understanding with an outside organization (ie. accrediting body, healthcare organization, or other outside organization).
B. A person or group within the COHS with a new clinical affiliation related policy proposal or amendment concept shall work with the COHS Clinical Affiliation Committee and designee from the Dean’s office to draft the policy proposal or amendment.
a. The policy originator must include a rationale or statement of need for a new policy or change in existing policy.
i. Rationale generally consists of changes in affiliation agreements and requirements (e.g., drug/background check requirementsCDC recommendations, use of technology, etc.)
C. The COHS Clinical Affiliation committee and designee from the Dean’s office will review new proposals or amendments, and removal of existing policies to determine need and priority.
D. A designee from the Dean’s office and policy originator will present policy proposals, revisions, and recommendations to rescind existing policies to the OGC.
E. A draft revision/creation will be shared with COHS leadership team, Clinical Affiliation Committee, and discussed with OGC.
F. A final revision/creation will be shared with the COHS leadership team, Clinical Affiliation Committee, and discussed with OGC.
G. The Dean’s office will be responsible for making policies available on the College website.
7. Frequently Asked Questions
Flowchart for COHS Policy Development process for Clinical Education (300-level) Policies (PDF)
8. Related Information
University Policy Writing Guidance (include policy templates)
Revision History
(Maintained by COHS Dean’s Office – Revision Dates: Oct, 2021; Feb, 2024)