Preview: FAQs

There are a few different types of policy at FSU, and knowing which one you’re dealing with makes a big difference.

University Regulations are the big ones — they’re adopted by the FSU Board of Trustees and function as university-wide law. They have to be consistent with state law and Florida Board of Governors rules, and they apply to everyone.

University Administrative Policies are official directives that set standards for how the university operates. They apply broadly, either university-wide or across more than one unit, and everyone at FSU (faculty, staff, students, vendors, and visitors) is expected to follow them. These are what the Administrative Policy Library is primarily focused on.

Local Policies are narrower — they apply only to a specific school, college, department, or unit. They must be published on the applicable unit’s own website and can never conflict with university-wide regulations or policies.

Not sure which category something falls into? Reach out to the Office of General Counsel. Or see the full explainer: Regulation, Administrative Policy, or Local Policy?

The Administrative Policy Library is the one and only official source. If you come across a different version of a policy somewhere else on the web, always go with what’s posted here. Any version published in the Administrative Policy Library after the effective date of FSU Policy 2-1 is considered the authoritative version — full stop. University websites and publications should link here rather than hosting their own copies of policy documents.

Yes. Any University Administrative Policy that isn’t posted in the Administrative Policy Library isn’t considered an official administrative policy. Beyond that, university websites and publications are required to link to the Administrative Policy Library rather than hosting their own copies of policy documents. This keeps everything centralized, current, and consistent across the institution.

If your policy applies only to one specific school, college, department, or unit, it’s considered a Local Policy. Local Policies don’t need to be in the Administrative Policy Library, but they do need to be published on your unit’s own website. Just keep in mind that local policies can’t conflict with or water down any university-wide regulations or administrative policies.

Not within the policy itself — procedures should be kept separate. That said, they should be directly linked to the related policy in the Administrative Policy Library as supplemental information, so people can easily find both. Procedures can change frequently, which is another reason to keep them out of the policy document itself. Just make sure your procedures never contradict the substance of the underlying policy.

Procedures, processes, and forms related to a policy are kept separate from the policy document itself, but they’re directly linked to it in the Administrative Policy Library as supplemental information. So when you’re reading a policy, you should be able to find the related how-to materials right there alongside it. If you’re looking for a procedure and can’t find the link, check the website of the applicable unit, division, department, or school.

All new and revised University Administrative Policies go through the same process, and everything runs through the University Administrative Policy Navigation System (UAPNS). Here’s the basic flow:

1. The Responsible Executive drafts the policy using the UAPNS template and submits it along with an Implementation and Communication Plan.
2. A Substantive Review Group reviews the draft to check for conflicts with existing law and policies.
3. The draft is posted publicly for a 21-day comment period.
4. The Responsible Executive reviews comments, makes final edits, and brings the policy to the Cabinet for endorsement.
5. The Responsible Executive formally adopts the policy and it’s published in the Library. Some policies also require Board of Trustees approval.

For the template and more detail, see the Style Guide.

All University Administrative Policies must be reviewed at least every five years. When a review happens, there are three possible outcomes: the policy gets repealed, revised, or readopted as-is.

If the Responsible Executive decides a policy should be retired, repeal goes through the same UAPNS process used to create or revise a policy. If a policy isn’t reviewed by its deadline, the Provost has the authority to initiate its repeal.

Once repealed, the previous version is archived in the Administrative Policy Library rather than deleted, so there’s always a historical record.

When a policy is updated, the previous version is archived rather than deleted. You can access older versions through the Current & Archived Notices section on the home page. Keep in mind that archived versions are for reference only — the version currently posted in the Administrative Policy Library is always the one that’s in effect.

Head to the Resources tab above. There you’ll find the Style Guide, which covers writing standards and formatting requirements for University Administrative Policies, as well as information on the UAPNS — the official tool used for drafting, reviewing, and publishing all policies.

Your best first stop is the Document Owner listed within the policy. For questions about legal interpretation, or if you’re unsure whether a policy applies to your situation, reach out to the Office of General Counsel. FSU Policy 2-1 specifically directs applicability questions there.