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´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s B10.00 Policy on Policies outlines a clear and structured process for developing, amending, repealing, and reviewing university policies within the Board of Governors’ jurisdiction. Below is an overview of how and when stakeholder consultation occurs:

1. Board of Governors reviews draft policy 

A policy change may be initiated by the Board, the President, the University Executive, a Policy Sponsor or Designated Lead, or any member of the University Community (via submission to the Policy Sponsor or through the Policy Gazette).

Once the need for a new policy or policy revision is confirmed:

• The Policy Sponsor assigns a Designated Lead to draft the policy.
• A Working Group may be formed to assist, ensuring subject matter expertise, diversity of perspectives, and collaborative input.

The draft policy cannot be shared for consultation until it has been reviewed and approved by the Governance, Risk and Compliance Committee (GRCC) of the Board of Governors. This step is crucial to ensure that the draft reflects institutional priorities before broader input is solicited and before making the draft policy publicly available for feedback (through the public facing Policy Gazette).

When the draft policy is presented to the GRCC, it must include a briefing note outlining the proposed consultation plan. GRCC may review and suggest changes, such as formats for consultation or identifying stakeholders that may be impacted. The consultation plan should identify all key stakeholders - those directly impacted, or with relevant expertise or influence.

2. Initial consultation

Once GRCC approves consultation, the Designated Lead begins engaging targeted or required stakeholders- those with whom the University is required to consult pursuant to contract or policy. For example, some collective or framework agreements may require consultation with specific employee groups.

In addition to these stakeholders, the Designated Lead (and supporting team) may identify others to consult early in the process. For example, if the policy directly affects Library Services staff, they may be included in this initial phase.

Not all members of the University Community are affected equally by every policy. For example, a policy on animals in classrooms may significantly impact students and instructors, but have little relevance for staff in some administrative units such as Finance. As such, APSA or CUPE, who represent most administrative staff, may not be directly consulted during the initial targeted consultation phase. However, all members of the University Community, including those not initially engaged, are given the opportunity to provide input during the university-wide consultation phase.

NOTE: In some cases, where appropriate, initial consultation and university-wide consultation may occur concurrently.

3.  University-wide consultation

All proposed new policies and policy changes are shared with the entire University Community. To meet this requirement, the draft policy is posted on the Policy Gazette. Normally, the draft policy is posted for a minimum of three weeks. We are mindful of holidays and other periods when community availability may be limited, and we take steps -such as extending the consultation period - to ensure that everyone has adequate time to review and provide feedback.

Members of the University Community notified that a draft policy has been posted for consultation through multiple channels, including:

• Email from the Policy Sponsor
• The ´óÏó´«Ã½ Dashboard, linking to the Gazette
• ´óÏó´«Ã½ Social Media (Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube)
• Student Services Bulletin (for enrolled undergraduates)
• What’s On (newsletter for faculty and staff)
• Town halls or information sessions, where appropriate

Additionally, at the beginning of each academic term, a list of anticipated upcoming policy consultations is published on the Policy Gazette.

4.  Senate Engagement

´óÏó´«Ã½ operates under a bicameral governance system, with two governing bodies established under the University Act: the Board of Governors, responsible for the business and operations of the university, and the Senate, responsible for academic affairs.

Once GRCC approves consultation, Designated Leads are also required to submit their draft policy to the Senate Committee on Agenda and Rules (SCAR) for consideration. Together with the draft policy, the Designated Lead submits the Board’s statement outlining the Board’s view of scope of Senate engagement. SCAR then determines whether the policy should be presented to Senate and for what purpose (information, consultation, approval, etc.). The Designated Lead then works with the Senate (and relevant committees, if applicable) to collect feedback or seek approval as required. Where the Board and SCAR disagree on the scope of Senate engagement, the procedures to B10.00 contemplate steps that can be taken to build consensus.

5. Consultations Complete and Policy Finalization

Once all phases of consultation are complete, the Designated Lead incorporates the feedback into the draft policy. If substantial changes are made to the draft as a result of feedback, the Designated Lead may revisit earlier consultation stages to ensure continued alignment and transparency.

The finalization process includes the following steps:

• The revised policy is reviewed and approved by the University Executive.
• It is then submitted to the Board of Governors for final approval.
• Once approved, the policy is published on the Policy Gazette.
• A university-wide announcement is issued to inform the University Community and other stakeholders of the finalized policy.