Underlying the Policy system is the philosophy that all policies are approved by the campus’s established forum and will be available via the web. An appropriate format shall be adopted and used consistently. Proper formatting of the document/printed version of the Policy allows for more consistency, authority and ease of transfer to the web version of the Policy. University Compliance keeps a Word template updated to help begin drafting a policy and they can provide assistance.

For more information about how a proposal becomes a policy, visit the Unversity Council website.

For Bozeman, the following major sections should be considered in the order listed for each Policy:

  1. Document header contains horizontal MSU logo on the left and “Mountains and Minds” sub-logo on the right. These appear on every page of the Policy.
  2. Document title, in large serif font set as a Heading 1.
  3. Table of important information about the policy, including:
    1. Subject
    2. Policy Number
    3. Revision Dates
    4. Web Link
    5. Effective Date
    6. Review Date
    7. Responsible Party
    8. Scope
  4. Table of Contents for the major sections including section numbers, set up as links to the heading anchors within the document.
  5. Main sections of the Policy, including:
    1. Introduction and Purpose
    2. Policy
    3. Definitions
    4. [More main sections as needed to define and explain the Policy]
    5. Appeal or Grievances
    6. Noncompliance
    7. [Other sections as needed]

Some Policies may not require all these sections.