Policy Manager: CIA Cabinet
Rationale/Purpose
Standard 2.A of the Higher Learning Commission’s criteria for accreditation requires that “actions taken by the institution’s governing board, administration, faculty and staff demonstrate adherence to established policies and procedures” (HLC, 2025). Element E.1 of the CIA Strategic Management Action Plan calls for an audit of all internal policies to standardize and uphold the standards of CIA. In service of these two goals, these procedures outline how CIA defines, adopts, publishes, and revises policies to ensure appropriate review and broad awareness and understanding.
Scope and Definitions
Policies
The term policy is reserved for statements and directives formally adopted by CIA Cabinet or the College’s Board of Directors to ensure the documents have the legitimacy, accountability, and broad applicability expected for clarity, compliance and to prevent dilution of institutional authority. Except for statements of principles, policies prescribe or constrain the behavior of individuals such as employees, students, visitors, or others engaging with College property or otherwise considered within the College’s jurisdiction. Policies cannot be (substantially) revised or rescinded without the formal approval of their associated Approval Authority.
Statements of Principles
A subcategory of policies that speak broadly to institutional identity, intention, purpose, values, or commitments from the formal position of the college leadership or governing body, but that do not prescribe or constrain individuals’ behaviors. Examples include the college mission, vision, and values statements, as well as our commitment to academic freedom.
Procedures
For the purpose of these policy management procedures, the term procedures refer to formally published instructions describing the formal process by which Policies are implemented or other key tasks are to be completed across roles or functions. Procedures may have an Approval Authority other than CIA Cabinet or the Board of Directors.
Other types of documents not considered part of these procedures
Individual leaders, departments or personnel may establish their own documentation setting expectations and processes, but that do not have the broad, cross-functional applicability or formal approval required of published Policies or Procedures. In place of the word policy, consider the following terms and definitions.
Guidelines
Guidelines are recommended practices for following policies, procedures, or otherwise achieving goals or accomplishing tasks. Their function as flexible recommendations as opposed to mandatory requirements make their formal adoption and publication less necessary than formal policies or procedures.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Standard Operating Procedures—often referred to with the initialism “SOP”—refer to documented processes by which general tasks or functions are performed within a department. Although critical for cross-training and succession planning, the limited scope to an individual or department does not require their broader dissemination to the campus community.
Rules
Rules prescribe or constrain the behavior of individuals within the context of an activity or event. Because the activities or events are short-lived and generally of a small scope, these rules do not require a formalized adoption or publication process.
Standards
Standards are defined benchmarks or specifications for a product or activity. As standards do not necessarily prescribe or constrain behavior and frequently are solely within a context that is not broadly institutional, they do not require the formality of policies or procedures.
Policy Library
The Policy Library is the official, centralized repository of all current approved Policies and Procedures. It serves as the authoritative source for policy content, ensuring accuracy, version control, and accessibility for the campus community. Maintained by the Policy Coordinator, the Policy Library is the definitive reference in cases of conflict with other documents such as handbooks and department materials. Individual Policies and Procedures may have different levels of access for different audiences.
Handbooks
Handbooks are compiled reference documents that reference and consolidate policies, procedures, guidelines and other relevant information for specific audiences or functional areas (for example, the Employee Handbook for employees and the Student Handbook for students). Policies and Procedures referenced in a handbook must exist and be congruent with the Policy Library and follow the appropriate approval and revision process.
College Catalog
The College Catalog is the official, comprehensive publication of academic programs, degree requirements, courses, and institutional policies related to enrollment, grading, and graduation. Functioning as a legally binding reference for students and the institution for its given catalog year, referenced Policies and Procedures for each Catalog update must exist and be congruent with the Policy Library and follow the appropriate approval and revision process.
Policy Coordinator
The Policy Coordinator is responsible for the publication and maintenance of the Policy Library as well as ensuring adherence to these procedures. Appointed by CIA Cabinet, this role will manage communications and timelines as well as advise on the content and clarity of draft Policies, though primary responsibility for the Policies themselves lies with the Policy Manager.
Procedures for Policy Management
Policy Elements
Policies and Procedures are initially drafted using the Policy Template, though the policies will eventually be published, maintained, and revised in the online Policy Library. Unless specified otherwise, Procedures follow the same format as Policies.
Policy Number
Each Policy has a formal four-digit policy number. The first digit categorizes the Policy using a framework. Using a zero for the second digit is reserved for statements of principles. Procedures published in the Policy Library will include a P after the number and be numbered to be listed next to the most relevant Policy.
Policy or Procedure Title
The title should concisely represent the issue addressed by the Policy such that those searching for the Policy will recognize its relevance.
Policy Manager
The position responsible for the development and administration of the Policy, generally an executive or senior leader at the College.
Rationale/Purpose (Optional)
A brief description of what the Policy is seeking to achieve. While not required, this section can help inform not only the approval and revision process, but also those impacted by the Policy as to why the Policy is in place.
Scope and Definitions (Optional)
If a population or activity is excluded from the Policy, this section should explicitly identify who or what are within the scope of the Policy. Additionally, providing definitions for key terms within the Policy, as appropriate, will support the interpretation and understanding of the Policy.
Body
The body and details of the Policy or Procedures should be written in plain language for accessibility and broad understanding. Generally, Policies do not need to be lengthy, as the operations and implementation of the Policy may be addressed through separate Procedures. Procedures should be comprehensive to ensure common shared understanding and minimize confusion.
Resources and References (Optional)
This section includes a bulleted list of other relevant Policies, law, or other resources that would inform the development, revision, or implementation of the Policy. Hyperlinks should be used, linking to the most permanent/stable version of the resource being referenced.
Approval Authority
Generally, the approval authority for Policies is CIA Cabinet. Policies may be elevated to have the Board of Directors as the Approval Authority, and Procedures may have an individual (identified by title) or committee as the approval authority.
Adoption and Revision History
The following dates are documented for each Policy, documenting the adoption and revision process.
- Adoption Date – When the Policy was first formally approved by the approval authority.
- Revision Date(s) – Each time the Policy had revisions approved by the approval authority.
- Review Date(s) – Each time the Policy was formally reviewed per the review cycle by the Policy Manager and determined to need no substantive revisions.
Policy Adoption
1. Development
CIA Policies are developed using the CIA Policy Template. While Policy ideas and initial drafts may originate from any individual or committee, the Policy must be proposed to CIA Cabinet by one of its membership, either as or on behalf of the proposed Policy Manager.
2. CIA Cabinet Introduction
The proposed Policy is added to the CIA Cabinet agenda. The proposed Policy Manager or designee presents the policy to Cabinet to confirm the Approval Authority, answer questions, collect feedback, and identify revision requests.
3. Formal Approval
After revisions, if any, are made to the proposed Policy, it is put forth to the Approval Authority for final review and adoption following that organization’s formal decision procedures. This approval may take place in the same meeting the proposed Policy is introduced.
4. Publication
The Policy formally applies upon publication in the Policy Library, which should not be later than one week after formal approval. As appropriate, email or other communications announcing the Policy should be delivered to relevant stakeholders.
Interim Policies
If a Policy or substantive revision is urgently required to be compliant with laws, regulations, or accreditation, the Policy Manager may publish it as an interim policy upon consent of its Policy Manager and the President + CEO. The Policy or revision then continues through the above outlined process for full approval. Interim policies should not be in place without full approval for more than 90 days.
Procedure Adoption
1. Development and Approval
Procedures are also formatted via the CIA Policy Template. The Procedures should be developed in partnership between the Procedures’ Policy Manager and Approval Authority, with stakeholder input as appropriate. The Approval Authority then notifies their CIA Cabinet representative and the Policy Coordinator upon approval for CIA Cabinet notification and publication.
2. CIA Cabinet Notification
New or revised Procedures are submitted to CIA Cabinet as part of the consent agenda by the Policy Manager or their CIA Cabinet representative. Unless objections are raised in response to the consent agenda item, the Procedures are confirmed for publication upon publication of the meeting minutes.
3. Publication
The Procedures formally apply upon publication in the Policy Library, which should not be later than one week after confirmation of approval. As appropriate, email or other communications announcing the Procedures should be delivered to relevant stakeholders.
Policy and Procedures Review
Existing Policies and Procedures are to be reviewed by their Policy Manager within three years after the most recent adoption, revision, or review date.
Minor Revisions
Minor revisions are revisions that do not alter the meaning, intent, or application of the Policy or Procedures, such as:
- Formatting changes,
- Grammar and spelling corrections,
- Terminology changes,
- Updates to position titles, and
- Updates to references or hyperlinks.
Upon confirmation by the Policy Coordinator that the revisions qualify as minor revisions, the revisions are submitted to CIA Cabinet as part of the consent agenda by the Policy Manager or their CIA Cabinet representative and considered approved upon their approval as part of the meeting minutes.
Substantive Revisions and Recission
Repealing or making revisions that alter the meaning, intent, or application of a Policy or Procedures require the approval of the Policy’s Approval Authority and follow the process as though a new Policy or Procedure. The unrevised Policy or Procedures remain in place until the substantively changed Policy is approved or Procedures have had approval confirmed.
Resources and References
Approval Authority: Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) Cabinet
Adoption and Revision History
| Approved | January 27, 2026 |