Frequently asked questions

University policies:

• should be current, functional and readily accessible to the university community
• are principle-based statements to be followed in carrying out the activities of the university
• have broad application throughout the university and are binding on members of the university community
• have subject matter that requires Board of Governors, Senate, presidential or vice-presidential approval for policy issuance and revision

University procedures are a process or set of steps to be followed in order to give effect to a university policy.

University policies and procedures are approved by either the Board of Governors, Senate, the president, or a vice-president depending on the subject matter.

University policies and procedures may be found in a number of different ways. Options include:

• entering a keyword in the search section
• browsing by functional classification, alphabetically, or by approving authority

If you require assistance, please contact policy@uvic.ca.

The policies and procedures in the university's policy manual were formerly classified by approval authority and numbered within the 1000 - 8000 range. University policies and procedures are now given a four digit reference number and are organized into ten functional categories, which can be viewed by selecting one of the following in the Functional classification drop-down menu on the Browse and search policies page.

• Academic and Students (AC)
• Administration (AD)
• Buildings and Properties (BP)
• External Relations (ER)
• Financial Management (FM)
• Governance (GV)
• Human Resources (HR)
• Information Management (IM)
• Research (RH)
• Safety and Security (SS)

To cross reference the new functional classification code with the previous numerical reference, please see the University Policy Manual Table of Concordance.

Yes, a standard format for university policies is required as established in the Procedures Relating to the Policy on University Policies and Procedures. Please contact policy@uvic.ca for information on the policy template.

Yes, academic and administrative units may have policies that apply specifically to their unit and are not classified as university policies. For information on unit policies please contact the specific unit directly.

University policies and procedures may be reviewed at any time but must undergo a substantive review every seven years. Procedures associated with a university policy must be reviewed when the university policy is reviewed, but may be reviewed at any time as needed.

Yes, depending on the subject matter from time to time policy or procedure drafts will be posted on this website for public comment prior to finalization.

Please contact the responsible executive office or policyofficer@uvic.ca.