Policy Development Process

Our Guiding Principles

Policy is connected to multiple areas of the college and interfaces with students, staff, and faculty. The policy team's intention is to undertake a transparent, value-based approach to educational policy renewal and as such we have developed some guiding principles to support our work in all areas of the initiative.

The following is an overview of the guiding principles the process aspires to support throughout the Education Policy work at the college.

What does this mean in practice?

• Asset Based: Start from Strengths
  • Look at the existing knowledge and skills within the Camosun community as integral perspectives and important voices in policy development
• Inclusive: Value Diversity
  • Ensure that processes, practices, and decision-making governance include diverse perspectives and points of view
• Active: Learn by Doing
  • Engagement and active outreach is an important element to creating robust and inclusive policy
  • We are committed to seeking out new voices in creating policy and that will require us to reach out and invite stakeholder participation
• Connect: Create Meaningful Collaborations
  • Policy should not be created in a vacuum, nor is policy static
  • Intentional work to create meaningful and genuine collaborations across the college community in developing and renewing education policy is an important principle of the work ahead
• Transparent: Share the Learning
  • Best practices and emerging ways of creating policy “Camosun style” need to be documented and shared
  • Learning processes include changing or adjusting ways of working when issues arise
  • Being open to sharing learning and recommending best practices is a commitment of this initiative
• Relationship Based: Connect with Meaning  
  • The work undertaken on this initiative will be done with transparency and open dialogue
  • Engagement designs will include multiple entry points and options for contributing one's voice to education policy work
• Support the Student Experience
  • Creating an exceptional student experience is a core anchor for the work that faculty, staff, and services look to provide at Camosun
  • Education policy is an integral part of supporting an exceptional student experience

Step 1: Policy Identification

A variety of tools are used for the college to identify policy priorities. Some include, but are not limited to:

• General review dates for policies
• Legislative requirements
• Needs identified through formal needs assessments or feedback from the college community
• Strategic priorities of the college

Step 2: Policy Scoping Process

• During this stage the policy development team will look to review leading practice, identify key internal college stakeholders (including students) to form working groups, assess key policy elements that align with the college's priorities and needs, and identify potential resource implications. From this, a work plan to develop the policy is created along with a stakeholder map that identifies key people who need to participate in the consultation process.

Step 3: Leadership Endorsement

• The scoping document (an output of Step 2) is presented to the college Executive Team and, if endorsed, the policy initiative will move forward in alignment with the approved work plan

Step 4: Policy Drafting & Feedback

• The policy team prepares a draft policy based on the outline in the scoping document and engages with stakeholders across the college community
• All final draft policy documents will be posted online and include an opportunity for feedback.
• Other consultation tools may include: focus groups, drop-in feedback sessions, discussion forums, or information sessions

Step 5: Policy Approvals and Implementation

• Each policy has an assigned approval body and policy holder
• The policy is finalized after the drafting and consultation stage and then presented to the approval bodies to endorse and formally approve
• An effective date is identified for each policy to ensure that appropriate procedures or guidelines are developed in coordination with the policy implementation

Commitment to Consultation

At the centre of the renewal and review work is a commitment to supporting students in their life-changing learning. The new process strives to create space where all voices across the college community – including students – are included in policy development and feedback.

The policy development team is committed to creating a variety of entry points for college community engagement and input. In addition, all final drafts of policies, prior to approval, will be posted online and include an opportunity to provide feedback.

View policies in development.

Education Policy Initiative

The Education Policy Initiative has established two streams of stakeholder engagement in order to encourage diverse perspectives, critical dialogue and encourage collaboration for the education policy development and implementation process.