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Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, University of Tasmania
Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010Crown Convention Centre, Crown Promenade Hotel 3 - 6 October 2010
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University Policy Benchmarking Project Examine the state of policy and policy
development in Australasian universities Identify good practice exemplars and
features Identify quality resources supporting the
University Policy Development Cycle Establish models for university policy
management Apply the findings of the research to
contribute to the University of Tasmania Policy on Policy review
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Research Sample 13 universities spanning all Australian
States and Territories (except Tasmania) 3 universities from New Zealand Both ‘sandstone’ and ‘red-brick’
universities Research-intensive and other universities Single and dual-sector universities Metropolitan and regional universities and One private university
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Research Focus University Policy Frameworks and Policy on
Policy statements University Policy Repositories University Policy Websites Policy Toolkits Core sample of specific policy statements
(Plagiarism, Environmental Sustainability, Leave Without Pay, Credit)
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
+“Policy is rather like an elephant – you recognise it when you see it but cannot easily define it”
(Cunningham, 1963, p229 cited in Hill, 1997, p6).
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What is Policy?Learning from public policy literature …
“Statement of government intent” (Althaus, Bridman and Davis, 2007)
“A promise underlies public policy: If the actions we recommend are undertaken, good … consequences … will actually come about” (Wildavsky, 2007)
“Regulation (the stick), economic means (the carrot) and information (the sermon)” (Verdung, 2007)
Guba (1984) “an assertion of intents or goals; a governing body’s ‘standing decisions’ by which it regulates, controls, promotes, services and otherwise influences matters within its sphere of authority; a guide … a strategy … sanctioned behaviour, formally … or informally … (or) a norm of conduct, characterised by consistency and regularity, in some substantive action area”.
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Policy Development Process Dror (1971) advises that “… very little can be
done to improve policies by more than incremental bits without reforming the policymaking system, that is, without considering and improving meta-policy”
Early policy process theoretical framework development (Lasswell, 1956; Brewer, 1974)
Bridgman and Davis (1998) developed the Australian Policy Cycle heuristic, stating that “Good process is the foundation for good policy” (1998)
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Contextualising University Policy Development
Commonwealth Government higher education public policy
Dawkins ‘Unified National System’ (1988) Increased reporting and accountability
requirements Outcomes from Bradley Review Ongoing Commonwealth Government policy
reform Establishment of Tertiary Education Quality
and Standards Agency (TEQSA) Academic standards debates
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
+University Policy Frameworks
Define university policy Establish the range of policy instruments (e.g. Policy, Procedure, Guidelines) Specify approval authorities for all policy instruments (e.g. Council, VC,
Senate) Identify University Policy Development Cycle stages (or other policy process)
and Define the application of policy instruments (University-wide or section-
specific/local)
Click icon to add picture
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
+Universities refer to ‘Policy’ broadly
and use a variety of terms …
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Hierarchy of Instruments, Approval Authorities and Application
Table 2: Hierarchy of Instruments, Approval Authorities and Application
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Understanding the UTAS Hierarchy Table 3: University of Tasmania Hierarchy of Instruments,
Approval Authorities and Application
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Using Benchmarking to Enhance the UTAS Policy on Policy (refer: Policy Development and Review Policy)
Confirmed need to establish a comprehensive University Policy Framework (in Policy on Policy) which:
Defines University policy
Establishes the range of policy instruments
Specifies approval authorities for all policy instruments
Identifies policy development cycle stages and
Defines the application of policy instruments (i.e. university-wide and/or section-specific)
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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University Policy Development Cycle (Models Identified)
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
Model 1 Majority Most of: drafting, consultation, approval, promulgation and review
Model 2 Some Most stages from Model 1, and one or more of: identification of policy requirements, nomination of responsible officers, endorsement, implementation, records management
Model 3 Few Most stages from Models 1 and 2, and one or more of: benchmarking, revision, quality control, monitoring, evaluation
Table 4: University Policy Development Cycle Stages: Models 1, 2 and 3
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Using Benchmarking to Enhance the UTAS Policy Cycle(refer: Policy Development and Review Policy)
Cautionary note … Cycle not necessarily sequential; intentionally iterative
University Policy Development Cycle
Identification of Policy Requirements Nomination of Policy Owner and Policy Delegate Drafting Benchmarking Consultation Revision Endorsement Quality Control Approval Promulgation Implementation Implementation and Compliance Monitoring Implementation and Compliance Evaluation Review and Records Management
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Policy Websites‘Good practice’ skeleton University Policy Website: University Policy Framework University Policy on Policy University Policy Repository Policy Toolkit Policy News Records Management Legislation Governance Delegations of Authority Codes of Conduct and Charters University Plans and University Committees Agreements Contact Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
+Using Benchmarking to Enhance the UTAS Policy Website ( http://www.utas.edu.au/governance-legal/policy)
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Policy Repositories University Policy Repositories provide the
authoritative source for University-wide policy documentation
May be complemented by local collections of policy documentation (including local policy)
Presentation under policy themes or organisational lines also useful
UTAS Policy Repository reflects the lack of progress in developing a comprehensive suite of Teaching and Learning, research and administrative policy in accordance with the Policy on Policy
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Using Benchmarking to Enhance the UTAS Policy Repository (http://www.utas.edu.au/governance-legal/policy)
University Policy Repository Over time, the UTAS Policy
Repository will provide the authoritative source of UTAS Policy, Procedures and Guidelines
Changes were made to capture all ‘approved’ policies (approved list) and a large number of ‘old’ policy documents (both are in the ‘alpha list’)
Information was included regarding the ‘status’ of various policy projects (i.e. ‘approved’, or ‘old’ / needing to be transferred)
Policy contacts details were addedBenchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Using Benchmarking to Enhance the UTAS Policy Toolkit(http://www.utas.edu.au/governance-legal/policy )
Policy Toolkits – Good Features …
Policy Templates Policy Submission Coversheets Policy Review Submission
Coversheets (i.e. no/minor/major amendment)
Policy Dictionary or Glossary of Policy Terms and Acronyms
Policy Implementation Feedback or Issues Log
Information Sessions, Policy Workshops and capacity building
Policy Evaluation and Review Guide Frequently Asked Questions
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Benchmarking Four Discrete Policies Plagiarism Policy Environment Policy Leave Without Pay Policy Credit Policy
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
Benchmarking Method
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Learning from Specific Policies – Plagiarism Policy
Model Academic Integrity (Plagiarism) Policy Educative, non-legalistic terms Define plagiarism Staff and student responsibilities Procedures for educating students Procedures for investigating and assessing Differential responses Refer student appeal/grievance procedures Central register or database Position regarding detection softwareUTAS – Develop Academic Integrity (Plagiarism) Policy Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Learning from Specific Policies – Environment Policy
Model Environment Policy Manage University’s natural environment Manage University’s developed environment Manage University’s use of natural resources Environmental focus for T&L and research Environmental emergency procedures Interdependence of physical and cultural
environments NZ – Treaty of Waitangi provisions
UTAS – Review Policy and GLP
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Learning from Specific Policies – Leave Without Pay Policy
Model Leave Without Pay Policy Compliance Purposes Eligibility and assessment criteria Minimum / maximum time limits Approval authority Impact on other entitlements Superannuation arrangements Responsibilities Application procedure Advice
UTAS – Review Policy
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Learning from Specific Policies – Credit Policy
Themes identified
Qualification portability and articulation (VET ↔ HE)
Inter-sectoral linkages and collaboration Recognition of various modes of formal and
informal learning Efficiencies in education and training system Role of credit and RPL in integrity Capacity for RPL as equity mechanism
UTAS – Develop Credit Transfer / RPL Policy
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
+‘Skeleton Benchmarking Method’(Benchmarking stage of University Policy Development Cycle)
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Benchmarked Good Practice Clear definitions Clear range and application of instruments Clear approval authorities Articulate policy development process Genuine consultation Cultural change Commitment to improved University
policy process
Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010
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Lessons from Dror (1971)What is needed is “… an intense moral commitment to try to improve policymaking. … At the very best, changes in policymaking will be slow, inconsistent and sporadic. Even slow and minor changes in the quality of policymaking are a tremendous achievement … but the rate of progress – however significant – will hardly satisfy the hopes and ambitions of policy scientists. … they are going to be very frustrated persons, with all the accompanying dangers of getting cynical and apathetic, on one hand, or of despairing of their role as contributors of policy sciences and policymaking … on the other hand. A stoic view of reality combined with missionary devotion to the improvement of policymaking is required … in order to achieve long-range and insistent impact on policymaking” (p.75).
Thank you.Benchmarking to Identify Good Practice University Policy FrameworksBrigid Freeman, Tertiary Education Management Conference 2010