The purpose of this web site is to state the principal policies and procedures that guide AU faculty, staff, and students in the pursuit of the University objectives and in relations within the University community at large. The policies and procedures constitute a living document and are subject to change at any time by the Auburn University administration or the Board of Trustees.

Information and links related to policies, procedures, and databases are available to the University faculty, staff, and students by use of a searchable format. Additionally, this site contains a list of other approved policies published in manuals and handbooks; copies are available for review in the Special Collections and Archives Department on the Ground Floor of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library.

Federal, state, and city regulations or laws with which Auburn University must comply are not listed on this web site, but it may contain internal campus policy which implements such laws.

Click here to locate policies in our searchable database. When new and revised policies become available, they will be posted to the site with an effective date displayed.

A policy is a written plan or general course of action, having broad application throughout the University, intended to govern the actions of Auburn University’s employees, faculty, students, visitors, and others who come in contact with AU.  A policy helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, promotes one or more of the University’s missions, contains guidelines to govern Auburn University, and set limits within which people are expected to operate. There is an expectation of compliance with AU policies, federal and state laws, and other applicable regulations.

Procedures

A procedure is an established method of implementing a University policy.

Recommended Format

The new recommended standard format for policy and procedure statements includes the following components: purpose, policy statement, effective date, applicability, responsibility, definitions, procedures, sanctions, exclusions, and interpretation. A Microsoft Word template to prepare a new policy for submission for aproval is available.

Process

University policies and procedures are to be appropriately approved, published, and distributed in authorized publications and web locations. The Office of the President manages a central policies web site and coordinates the publication of all items included on the web site.  The responsible vice president or administrator approves policies or forwards them to the President and/or Board of Trustees for approval. The process which follows outlines the drafting, review, approval, and distribution processes.  

Analysis/Drafting

Usually the office responsible for implementing and administering the policy/procedure is responsible for analyzing the issues and drafting the document.

Approval to Proceed

The implementing unit routes a summary of the proposal with an analysis to the responsible vice president or administrator through the responsible administrator, dean, director, or department head. The administrator determines whether policy development will proceed.

Draft Preparation

The implementing unit prepares a first draft of the document.

Preliminary Review/Approval

Responsible Unit

The responsible unit routes the first draft to constituencies immediately involved with the proposed policy.

Responsible Administrator, Dean, Director, or Department Head

After considering opinions from the constituencies, the responsible unit routes the proposed policy with supporting policy analysis to the responsible administrator, dean, director, or department head who considers one of the following actions regarding the proposed policy: 

1. Route the proposal back to the responsible unit noting that the policy is not to be considered further.


2. Route the proposal back to the responsible unit for further analysis or redrafting.


3. Give the proposal preliminary approval for review by additional University officers and constituencies. Depending upon the subject matter and scope of the proposal, a few of the offices and groups that may be included in this review include the General Counsel, Provost Council, Human Resources, Internal Auditing, Risk Management and Safety, and Faculty Senate.

If a proposal is substantially revised, it may be routed back to the reviewing organizations, offices, and constituencies for another review round.

Final Approval

Determination of the appropriate authority for final approval of a policy or procedure is dependent upon the judgment of the involved University officials. When in doubt regarding level of final approval, the responsible unit seeks approval from a higher administration level. The following provides guidance for determining the appropriate approval level.

Procedures

An administrator, dean, director, or department head may approve procedural statements or changes. However, procedures with broad University impact and scope should be approved by the responsible vice president or administrator.

Policies

Policy statements or policy changes are routed to the responsible vice president or administrator for approval. The administrator may approve the proposal or take it to the President or Board of Trustees for final approval.

Comments

When an administrator forwards a proposal for approval, he or she may include reviewers’ comments not incorporated into the draft.

Considerations

Reviewers are to consider a proposal’s consistency with University priorities and missions, effect upon operations, and ease of administration.

Notification of Decision

The responsible administrator informs reviewing and implementing organizations of approval decisions regarding the proposal.

Implementation and Distribution

After the proposed policy is approved, the responsible unit publishes the policy on the departmental web site.  The responsible unit will provide the URL, description and keywords for  inclusion of t he policy on the central University Policies and Procedures web site, as well as contact and administrator information which will be added to the University Policies and Procedures web application. The Office of the President manages the University Policies and Procedures web application.

Revision

Departments follow the process indicated above when revising existing policies and procedures.

Retention of Superseded Policies and Procedures

Issuing units are responsible for retaining policies and procedures for at least six years after they are superseded.

This section is designed to be an index to Auburn University policies. To view a policy, click on the name of the policy in the list.

The Office of the President should be contacted with questions concerning this web site or the policies listed on it.  Written suggestions for changes to the web site should be submitted to the University Policy Coordinator, Office of the President, 107 Samford Hall, Auburn University, Alabama 36849.

Suggestions for changes to policies published on this web site should be submitted to a supervisor or manager who may decide to forward them to the next highest administrative level for consideration.

FAQ

AU POLICIES AND PROCEDURES