Hierarchy of legal and policy requirements

The Standard Practice Guide applies to the whole institution, but every campus, school, college, and department has unique needs and operations. Individual units may develop policies and procedures to suit their circumstances, provided they remain consistent with SPG requirements and external legal obligations. Below is a hierarchy of the different kinds of legal and policy requirements found at the university:

Legal and regulatory requirements

Laws and regulations (see https://compliance.umich.edu/),
contract and accreditation requirements

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University-wide policies and procedures

Apply to the entire institution, must stay consistent
with legal requirements

Bylaws of the Board of Regents

Rules approved by the Regents that concern important matters of general university organization and policy, and delegate executive powers to the administration

Standard Practice Guide

University policies and procedures: read about SPGs
for more information

Other internal requirements that apply
to the whole institution

University-wide policies (non-SPG)
e.g., Research policies, Information Technology

University-wide procedures
e.g., Human Resources procedures, Information Technology policies, Finance procedures, (embedded in M-Pathways
and Concur), Research administration procedures
(embedded in e-Research)

Faculty handbook, Staff handbook,

Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities

Delegations of authority

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Non-university-wide policies and procedures

Individual units may have policies and procedures
that address their unique needs, provided they remain consistent with university-wide policies and procedures,
and legal requirements

Campus policies and procedures
e.g., U-M Health System policies,
UM-Dearborn policies & UM-Flint policies

School and college bulletins or handbooks
Official rules, regulations and academic policies,
usually published annually. Focus on student
relationship with the university.

Other school, college or institute
policies and procedures

Departmental policies and procedures
e.g., Internal controls procedures unit COI
implementation policies

Check with your department to find out what
specific policies apply to you