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Te Pūkenga Anga Wakarite Tuhinga | Document Development Framework
Note: This Former Otago Polytechnic Limited Policy has changed status to an Otago Polytechnic Business Division Procedure and will be read in conjunction with the approved Te Pūkenga policy/ies and be applied to our ongoing operations and activities until further notice”.
The purpose of this policy is to provide a consistent approach to developing, approving, implementing and reviewing all Otago Polytechnic policy documents and ensure that they:
align to the Otago Polytechnic and Te Pūkenga strategies and frameworks
support Otago Polytechnic to achieve quality outcomes
ensure legislative compliance and reduce institutional risk
are consistent with each other, practical and easy to understand and implement.
Approved policy documents are intended to comply with the legislative requirements and procedures of
Ministry of Education (MoE)
Tertiary Education Commission (TEC)
New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA)
The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 (PCC)
Relevant Collective Agreement
Approval Body: Te Kāhui Manukura (TKM) on behalf of Executive Director (ED).
Legislation: statutes enacted by the New Zealand Parliament and Statutory Regulations made pursuant to those statutes and enforced by law.
Major Amendments: a change to a current policy document that is likely to affect or alter the effect, responsibility, and/or meaning of a policy document. Any consultation with key stakeholders must be undertaken for four (4) weeks.
Minor Amendments: a change to a current policy document that is not substantive and that does not alter the effect, responsibility, meaning, or intent of all or any part of the policy document. Examples of minor amendments include a position or title change; updating links; or adding new or amending existing supporting documents.
Policy Documents: policies, procedures, or guidelines (refer to Appendix 1. Types of Otago Polytechnic documents).
Policy: high-level guidance document that sets out the principles that inform decision making in relation to the relevant subject matter. Compliance is expected in normal circumstances and any departure from a policy needs to be justifiable.
Procedure: a procedure sets out, often in a step-by-step manner, the way in which the Otago Polytechnic undertakes appropriate or best practice. Procedures sometimes elaborate on, and give effect to, a Statute, Regulation or Policy. Compliance is mandatory.
Guideline: a guideline embodies the Otago Polytechnic current view of appropriate processes or best practice. Compliance is expected in normal circumstances and any departure from a guideline needs to be justifiable.
Policies Committee: a group convened by the Director: Academic Excellence that has responsibility for overseeing the policy documents at Otago Polytechnic (refer to Clause 1.).
Policy Library: an online repository, containing the current versions of approved policy documents available on the Otago Polytechnic website.
Policy Master Database: is located on the Policies Committee Team site and used to record the status (i.e. approved or rescinded) of each policy document during its life cycle.
Policy Owner: (PO) kaimahi or team with responsibility for the policy document. They liaise with the Policies Project Manager and are responsible for the development/review and implementation of a policy document. The Policy Owner cannot approve a policy document which they are responsible for.
Policies Project Manager: (PPM) person responsible for managing and monitoring policy document review and approval processes.
Policy Vault: an online repository located on the Policies Committee Team site. Contains copies of all versions of a policy document during its life cycle.
1. Policies Committee – Terms of Reference
1.1. All policy document development, review and approvals will be undertaken by the Policies Committee (refer to Appendix 1. Types of Policy Documents).
1.2. Membership of Policies Committee
Policies Committee will comprise:
Executive Director (ex. officio)
Director: Academic Excellence (Chair)
Deputy Executive Director: People, Culture and Safety or delegate
Deputy Executive Director: Te Tiriti and Partnership or delegate
Otago Polytechnic Internal Auditor/Policies Project Manager (PPM)
Member of the Research and Post-graduate Committee
Otago Polytechnic Student Association (OPSA) Representative
The Committee may co-opt additional members from time to time, and they have the same voting rights as full members.
1.3. The Policies Committee will be chaired by the Director: Academic Excellence.
1.4. A meeting quorum is defined as one more than half of the total membership and must include the Chair.
1.5. An annual meeting schedule will be established with meetings scheduled monthly or as required.
1.6. The Policies Committee may recommend to the Approval Body (refer to Appendix 1)
the deferral of a scheduled policy document review
the rescinding of a current/approved policy document where it is no longer required.
1.7. The Policies Project Manager is responsible for alerting the Policy Owner of a pending review or required change and providing support for policy document development or review (refer to Appendix 3 Roles and Responsibilities - Policy Document Review/Development and Approval).
2. Otago Polytechnic policies will be:
consistent with legislation and statutes and with other Otago Polytechnic and Te Pūkenga policy documents.
reviewed biennially with an appropriate level of consultation and engagement with relevant stakeholders (Refer to Appendix 3. Roles and Responsibilities - Policy Document Review/Development and Approval)
Where policy document changes (minor or major) are required outside of the biennial review timeframe the Policies Committee, in conjunction with the Policy Owner, may conduct a full review.
clearly written and non-ambiguous and presented in accordance with the formatting requirements specified in the Policy Document Template. (Refer to Appendix 4 Policy Document Template).
endorsed by the Policies Committee and the Policy Owner prior to approval (refer to Appendix 2. Policy Document Approval Bodies).
2.1. A consultation period of four (4) weeks may be required for new or changed policy documents, prior to going to the Policies Committee for review.
2.2. Consultation will be managed by the Policy Owner via the Otago Polytechnic intranet (Tūhono) where kaimahi or Otago Polytechnic communities or committees are affected.
2.3. Consultation with relevant Unions will be as per the Collective Agreement/s and managed by People and Culture.
2.4. The Otago Polytechnic Student Association (OPSA) Executive will provide feedback on new or changed policy documents, if applicable, prior to going to Policies Committee for review.
2.5. Following approval from the Approval Body the Policies Project Manager will:
publish the policy document on the Otago Polytechnic Policy Library web page
update the Policies Master Database
save working policy documents to the Policy Vault
notify key stakeholders with updates
add Policy Notification Updates monthly to Tūhono.
(Refer to Appendix 3. Roles and Responsibilities - Policy Document Review/Development and Approval)
2.6. Approved policy documents on the Otago Polytechnic Policy Library are deemed to be the current version.
Appendix 1. Types of Policy Documents
|
Document Type |
Description |
Approval Body |
Compliance |
|
Te Pūkenga Policies, Procedures and Frameworks |
Nationally adopted policies/procedures/frameworks |
Te Pūkenga Council |
Mandatory |
|
Otago Polytechnic Policies |
Policies retained where no Te Pūkenga alternative has been adopted |
Executive Director or delegated to TKM |
Mandatory |
|
Otago Polytechnic Procedures |
Processes to achieve appropriate or best practice or may elaborate on, or give effect to legislation, regulations or Te Pūkenga Policy. |
Executive Director or delegated to TKM |
Mandatory |
|
Otago Polytechnic Guidelines |
Otago Polytechnic's current view of best practice; guidelines may elaborate on or give effect to, a Statute Policy or Procedure. |
Executive Director or delegated to TKM |
Mandatory in normal circumstances; variations must be justifiable. |
|
Other strategic documents |
Plans, strategies, strategic frameworks, delegation schedules, etc. |
Various |
Various |
Appendix 2. Policy Document Approval Bodies
|
Subject Matter |
Policy Approver |
Consultation Body |
|
Governance |
Te Pūkenga Council |
Te Pūkenga Council |
|
Academic
Corporate
Management |
Executive Director or delegated to TKM
|
Academic Committee Kaimahi, where applicable Otago Polytechnic communities and/or committees, if applicable, managed by Responsible Owner. Unions, if applicable, managed by People and Culture |
Appendix 3. Roles and Responsibilities - Policy Document Review/Development and Approval (to download click on the hyperlink)
Appendix 4. New Policy Document Template (to download click on the hyperlink)
Appendix 5. Guide to writing policy documents (to download click on the hyperlink)
Policy Version: V7.
