Policy Program
The Saint Louis University Policy Program was created to provide structure and clarity to the review and approval process for policies at SLU.
The University Policy on Policies guides the policy program. The Office of Compliance and Ethics is dedicated to providing the appropriate guidance to SLU personnel working to create or update policies and procedures at the University. The policy process applies to University-wide policies, although units and departments wishing to follow best practices in policy implementation are welcome to contact the chief policy officer for assistance.
Approved policies can be found in PolicyStat.
Policies Currently Under Review
The University's Bias-Related Incident Policy ensures that all students and employees who are affected by an encounter with a bias incident have the necessary resources as soon as possible, including personal support and a process for having these concerns investigated and adjudicated. This is a new university policy that will replace an existing internal bias protocol that has existed for many years. The policy allows for more transparency with respect to the procedures used to address bias concerns, a new online bias log to track bias reports, and an updated appeal process.
Feedback on this policy will be accepted until May 16, 2025, at 5 pm.
Recently Approved Policies
Revised Policies
Lactation Accommodations Policy
The purpose of this policy is to support faculty and staff by providing paid and unpaid breaks for employees who choose to express milk after they return to work. It is the University's goal to extend that support by establishing guidelines to allow lactating employees to express milk while at work.
The purpose of this policy is to ensure brand consistency throughout the University website, to eliminate expenses for the procuring of websites outside of the SLU content management system, to better track website usage, and to ensure all SLU web pages are protected by the University's web security software.
New Policies
The University's logos are touchstones of the brand and among its most valuable assets. The purpose of this policy is to formalize the rules for the display and use of the Saint Louis University brand and set parameters to build a consistent visual presentation for the University.
Saint Louis University (SLU), as a recipient of federal, industry, or foundational research awards, assumes and maintains a fiduciary responsibility to adhere to applicable laws, guidelines, and terms associated with a sponsored award. Research is a shared responsibility at Saint Louis University. Principal Investigators (PIs) play a significant role in our research ecosystem. PIs serve as an extension of the university and share the responsibility to ensure adherence with all applicable university and external sponsor requirements, terms, and conditions. As such, SLU is committed to ensuring that all individuals engaged in research activities understand their roles and responsibilities as Principal Investigators.
Capital Equipment Capitalization Policy
The purpose of this policy is to outline specific responsibilities and procedures for acquisition, use and disposition of capital equipment, and maintain an accurate inventory of movable capital equipment for financial reporting in accordance with GAAP.
Interim Policies
Interim Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Policy
The purpose of this policy is to comply with new provisions of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and DoD regulations, as well as other relevant sponsor requirements. Federal agencies have defined concerns about inappropriate foreign interference by foreign governments over federally funded research. Such interference is not consistent with the core principles of the U.S. scientific research enterprise, which include transparency, integrity, and fair competition. One significant source of concern is malign foreign talent recruitment programs.
Interim Domestic or Sexual Abuse Leave Policy
The purpose of this policy is to support faculty and staff by providing leave and protection for employees who are victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse, or whose family or household members are victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse. This policy is intended to comply with Missouri's "Victims Economic Safety and Security Act" (VESSA).
About the Policy Program
The University policy program provides structure and clarity to the policy approval process (PDF). The policy program includes the following:
- The designation of a policy owner.
- A policy must have sponsorship by a responsible university official at the vice president or provost level. This will ensure adequate buy-in at the top with new policies
- Policies must use standard University templates. As they are updated, old policies will change to the new format.
- Policies will be moved into PolicyStat, the centralized policy library in mySLU:Tools.
- University policies will be reviewed and approved by the Policy Review Committee (PRC). After approval, new policies will be posted for a 30-day public feedback period. Following the 30-day feedback period for new policies, they will be reviewed and approved by the University Leadership Council (ULC) before final approval by the president. Updated policies will move straight from the PRC to the ULC.
- The PRC comprises individuals with operational knowledge of the University who can advise and provide feedback to the policy owners who present to the committee.
- The PRC meets at 9 a.m. on the second Thursday of every month.
Resources
The resources for the University Policy Program (e.g. policy template and policy style guide) can be found on Policystat, under the document area University Policy Process Resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a general policy question, contact Chief Policy Officer Michael Reeves, Ph.D., at 314-977-5880 or michael.reeves@health.slu.edu.
If you have a question about a specific policy, please contact the policy owner listed on the policy itself. This information can be found within PolicyStat.
During the review of new policies, there will be a 30-day feedback window for comments by the SLU community.
Approved policies can be found in PolicyStat.
New policies are to be reviewed on a triennial basis; current policies will be reviewed over the next few years as they come up for renewal.
The policy owner is responsible for ensuring adequate review by key end users. After this review, policies are first approved by the Policy Review Committee, then approved by the University Leadership Council, before final approval by the president.
A policy is a statement of University philosophy and direction established to guide and assist the University community in the conduct of University affairs. A University policy has broad application across the University, whereas a unit/department policy impacts only those specific areas.