Policy Library Resource

Policy document review checklist

The purpose of this checklist is to assist the Policy Advisor when reviewing or developing a policy document, and
to ensure alignment with the Policy Governance Framework. Once completed by the Policy Advisor this form
should accompany the final draft of the policy document along the approval pathway.

POLICY DOCUMENT INFORMATION

Title [Insert policy document title]

Approving authority [Insert name of approving authority]

Date completed [Insert date]

Proposed action ☐Develop new ☐Review existing

Policy document category ☐Academic ☐Governance ☐Operational

Policy document type ☐Policy ☐Procedure ☐Guidelines

(see Policy Gov Framework for
more information) ☐Framework ☐Plan ☐Local Protocol

Policy Advisor [Name and position]

Contact details [Telephone number and email address of Policy Advisor]

CHECKLIST

1. IDENTIFY AND SCOPE

Contacted Policy Library Manager on policy@griffith.edu.au for guidance about process ☐

Identified the need for the policy document and clarified the objectives, including benchmarking against
☐
sector and industry best practice (see Policy Governance Procedure for list of questions)

If developing a new policy document, or undertaking a major review, completed the Policy Document
☐
Proposal template

If undertaking a review as part of the review cycle, downloaded the latest Word version of the policy
☐
document from the Policy Library, and marked up changes using track changes i

If you have been contacted by Corporate Governance and your policy document has been scheduled to
undertake a major review to align with the new Policy Governance Framework, downloaded the new ☐
relevant template and completed the Policy Document Proposal template

Meta data checklist

Policy document title is succinct and easily understood by most potential users (NOTE: Do not use Griffith
☐
University in the title unless required for compliance reasons)

Classified policy document type according to objectives and content (see Definitions in the Policy
☐
Governance Policy of different policy document types, ie policy or procedure)

Categorised policy document as either academic, governance or operational, and sub-category as

☐
appropriate (see definitions in the Policy Governance Policy)

Assigned an approving authority (see Policy Approval Information Sheet) or for existing policy documents
☐
undergoing review, approving authority checked against Schedule B of the Delegations Register CRIC

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Devolved the approving authority for procedures and guidelines to the relevant Senior Executive or Senior
University Officer as appropriate to support business efficiency and operations (see the Delegations ☐
Framework)

Assigned a Policy Advisor ☐

Assigned a Responsible Executive Group Member ☐

Assigned an effective date (this is typically the date of approval, but not always and is relevant for changes
☐
to policy documents as well as new policy documents)

Assigned a publishing date (this is typically, but not always the same as the effective date) ☐

Assigned a review cycle, with a major review to be undertaken usually every 3 years, but every 5 years at
☐
most (some policy documents will need to be reviewed annually for compliance or currency reasons)

Assigned an audience (one or more of: public; staff; students – typically policy documents are publicly
☐
available unless there is sensitive material)

Assigned relevant legislation and all other legal requirements ☐

Assigned and checked related University policy documents to ensure no duplication or gaps ☐

2. DEVELOP / REVIEW DRAFT POLICY DOCUMENT

Content checklist

Is the document a policy? If so, it contains clear high level principles with operational/procedural
☐
information documented in a separate supporting procedure or guidelines, using relevant templates

Drafted using the correct template and standard headings and formatting (go to Policy Library Resources
☐
for current Word versions of all templates)

Content is aligned with the stated purpose and scope of the policy document ☐

Content is consistent with (or at least not inconsistent with) with University strategy, and reflects our values

of fairness, equity, diversity and inclusion

Content complies with the law, references relevant legislation, including the Griffith University Act 1998,

and relevant Federal higher education standards

Content does not conflict with or duplicate the Enterprise Agreements (consult with HR to confirm) ☐

Content does not conflict with or duplicate other University policy documents ☐

Other related policies and procedures are listed under ‘Related Policy Documents and Supporting

Documents’, with hyperlinks provided

Considered the sustainability of the policy document, in particular the regulatory/administrative burden of

implementation on organisational units, groups and individuals across the University

Content is comprehensive, incorporating all aspects of a general topic, rather than segregated into multiple

policy documents

Delegations of authority are not included in the policy. As the new Delegations Framework is implemented,
all delegations are to be moved from policy and listed in the Delegations Register. Contact 
delegations@griffith.edu.au for more information

Definitions included are appropriate and complete  CRIC

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Content is accessible and language is inclusive and non-discriminatory (see the Quick Guide) 

Content is written in plain unambiguous everyday English, without the use of jargon, or unexplained

technical or legal terms, acronyms of abbreviations (see Griffith Writing and Editing Guide)

Structure is logical, with appropriate use of headings and sub-headings (within policy templates) 

Information is succinct, preferably no more than 2 pages for policies 

Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined 

All hyperlinks in the document have been checked and are working correctly 

Titles, names and organisational units are accurate and correct 

Completed the administration section (‘INFORMATION” and “RELATED POLICY DOCUMENTS AND
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS’) and any amendments to the following fields approved, including:
 Approving Authority (if this is new or changing it will need to be approved by relevant authority and
the Delegations Register subsequently updated, contact delegations@griffith.edu.au for advice)
 Policy Advisor (ensure this is up to date)
 Review date.

Consultation

Key stakeholders identified for consultation, as documented in the Policy Document Proposal ☐

Appropriate consultation undertaken and documented in the Consultation Feedback Log template (include
☐
use of the Policy and Delegation Consultation Hub, Legal Services Unit and/or HR where relevant)

Endorsement

Final draft reviewed and endorsed by the Head of Element, as the Responsible Officer ☐

Reviewed by the Policy Library Manager to ensure consistency of style and approach ☐

Endorsed by the Responsible Executive Group Member ☐

Relevant submission templates completed for submission to Executive Group or relevant University
committee for endorsement and recommendation to the approving authority (unless Executive Group or ☐
University committee are the approving authority)

3. APPROVE

Following endorsement, the Policy Document Approval template completed (for new and major reviews)
☐
and if necessary, the Implementation and Communication Plan template completed

Submission template completed if Council or University committee is the approving authority. Contact the
☐
relevant Secretary (see University Committees website to find the relevant Secretary)

The following documents are included in the submission: ☐

 New policy document OR
 Clean and track-changed policy document (if an existing policy document has been reviewed. If
you are consolidating several policy documents, or transferring an old policy document onto the
new template use the Policy Document Approval template to describe what has changed) AND
 This checklist AND
CRIC

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 Consultation Feedback Log template AND

 Policy Document Approval template (if used in the process – not mandatory) AND
 Implementation and Communication Plan template (if necessary).

Once approved, depending on the delegated approving authority, the Council, Committee or Executive
Group Secretary, or Policy Advisor, notified the Policy Library Manager and provided: a summary of the ☐
new policy document or of the amendments; the approved policy document; new or changed delegations;
and effective and review dates.

All consequential changes to other policy documents and/or delegations have been found, listed and
relevant mark-ups completed (using track changes in Word), and are logged in the Policy Document 
Approval template

4. PUBLISH, COMMUNICATE AND IMPLEMENT

Once the Policy Library Manager has published the policy document in the Policy Library, and notified the

Policy Advisor, the Policy Advisor commenced the approved Implementation and Communication Plan

The Policy Library Manager included a notification about the new policy document in the all-staff monthly

Policy and Delegations Update. For more information contact policy@griffith.edu.au

CRIC

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A major review of the University’s policy documents and delegations is currently underway as we transition
to the Policy Governance Framework and the Delegations Framework. Policy documents have been
prioritised for this major review, and policy advisors will be contacted by the Policy Library Manager to
discuss the schedule for their policy document.
As policy documents and delegations are reviewed as part of this project, they will be:
1. Converted to new templates (existing policy documents will remain on the old template until the
major review is complete).
2. Updated to reflect changes brought about by the R2S Program and the Chancellery Review unless
immediate change is required for operational or compliance reasons.
Minor reviews or amendments may be completed without need to move the policy document to the new
template. Content should only be moved to the new template if being reviewed to align with the new Policy
Governance Framework.
Where position titles have changed, the equivalent new position will have the same accountability under the
policy as the previous position did, until such time as the document is updated. For those instances where an
equivalent position does not exist in the new structure, section 3.1 (c) of the Delegations Policy applies:
‘Authorities held by a delegate are included in those held by the delegate’s line manager, subject to any
professional qualification requirements. The delegate’s line manager may exercise the delegated authority in
the absence of the delegate, subject to compliance with legislation and University policy’. If you have any
queries or think that a policy requires urgent change for operational or compliance reasons, please contact
the Policy Advisor listed on the policy document or send an enquiry to policy@griffith.edu.au.