General Questions
What is an administrative policy?
It is a public document that is made available to the UC Davis community and has broad application across all units under the jurisdiction of UC Davis
It helps to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, University policies, and Board of Regents’ Bylaws, Standing Orders, and Policies
It enhances the University’s mission, mitigates institutional risk, and promotes operational efficiency
It contains governing principles or rules which mandate or constrain action
The subject matter requires vice chancellor/vice provost/dean review and approval for policy issuance and major changes
If it does not meet the above criteria, it may be a departmental, office, or unit policy, procedure, guideline or standard.
What types of policies are in the administrative policy manuals?
The administrative policy manuals contain policies and procedures that apply to all of UC Davis, regardless of location. The policies have broad application across the University and are designed to help establish sound, efficient procedures that ensure compliance with Federal, State, and Systemwide regulations.
The Policy and Procedure Manual (PPM) provides policy and procedures for the administrative business of the University. The Personnel Policies for Staff Members (PPSM) contains information specific to non-represented staff employees, including MSP and Senior Management level employees.
Interim Policies may be issued on rare occasions to make a temporary modification to a policy until update and approval can take place.
How can I get a copy of a policy?
The policies are all maintained as printable PDF documents.
The responsible department has a different version of the policy posted on their website. Which one is the official policy?
This website is the home of the official campus policies. Campuswide "policies" posted on department websites are not official. Departments should provide links back to this website when referencing official campus policy.
Departments can develop their own departmental policy that may be posted on their own websites. Those policies would apply only to the personnel within that department. Departmental policy can be more restrictive, but cannot be more permissive than campus policy.
I work at an off-campus location. Do these policies still apply to me and my department?
Yes, the administrative policies apply to all UC Davis units regardless of location, including UC Davis Health.
Where can I learn more about this website and the policies?
See Understanding UC Davis Administrative Policies.
Development, Review, and Approval
Who writes the policies?
The Responsible Department listed at the top of the policy page works with the Administrative Policy Unit to write the policy section. The Responsible Department is responsible for the content in the document. The Administrative Policy Unit provides editorial and organizational assistance to make the document as user-friendly as possible.
Who reviews policies?
The Administrative Policy Unit sends the policy sections to major stakeholders for review. Because stakeholders vary from policy to policy, the reviewer group changes based on the content and responsibilities detailed in the policy. The Administrative Policy Unit works with the Responsible Department to resolve any concerns that arise out of the review process.
Who approves policies?
Each policy is approved by the policy owner/developer, the department head, and the appropriate vice chancellor/vice provost/dean. The policy is posted on the Administrative Policy website following approval, and notification is sent to UC Davis affiliates registered to receive updates from the policy management system.
If my unit needs to get a policy into one of the manuals, what do I do?
If you think your proposed policy meets the criteria noted above, contact the Administrative Policy Unit. The Administrative Policy Unit can assist you with the development and drafting of your policy, and can provide additional information regarding the review and approval process that will be required.
Questions and Comments
Can I submit a comment about a policy that has already been approved?
Yes, you can submit a comment about any policy posted on the website by emailing policy@ucdavis.edu. Minor changes, such as typos, will be corrected as soon as possible. More significant changes will be discussed with the Responsible Department for inclusion in the next update of the policy.
Who do I call if I have questions about a procedure?
Questions regarding the content of a policy or procedure should be directed to the Responsible Department listed at the top of the policy page. Most policies also have a section titled Further Information, that supplies additional contact information such as telephone numbers and email addresses, as well as contact information for other departments who play a role in the process.