Policy Owners

The Importance of Good Policy

Policies are more than just formal documents—they are foundational tools that help the University of New Mexico function with clarity, fairness, and accountability. Policies protect people, allow for decision-making, and build institutional trust.

Create Consistency and Fairness

Policies ensure that decisions are not made arbitrarily or inconsistently across units, departments, or individuals. They create a common understanding of expectations, so that everyone is treated equitably and knows what to expect.

Support Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Policies help ensure that we comply with laws and regulations—whether related to individual privacy, workplace safety, research integrity, or nondiscrimination.

Reduce Risk and Liability

Policies help us prevent problems, and respond effectively when something goes wrong. They provide a documented, defensible framework that protects the University of New Mexico, our people, and our reputation.

Clarify Roles and Decision-Making

Policies define who is responsible for what, and under what authority. This reduces ambiguity and inconsistency.

Policies protect people, advance our mission, and strengthen institutional integrity.
As a Policy Process Owner, you help to ensure these documents are not just written but are meaningful, current, and followed.

Designated Policy Process Owner

University Administrative Policies (UAP) are owned by a single responsible leader, of director-level position or above. The policy owner works closely with the Policy Office to draft, consult stakeholders, present for comment, submit for approval, and ultimately promulgate, interpret, and maintain their policies.

As the designated Policy Process Owner for one or more policies in the University Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual, you play a vital role in guiding expectations at UNM. Your leadership ensures that our policies remain relevant, clear, and effective.

Here’s what it means to be a Policy Process Owner:

Subject Matter Stewardship/Strategic and Symbolic Importance

You are either the subject matter expert for the policy, or have been designated a policy owner due to the strategic and symbolic importance of your role at the University. You ensure that the policy accurately reflects the practices, standards, regulations, and risks relevant to your area of authority. This may include monitoring changes in laws, regulations, or procedures that require a policy update.

Policy Development & Revision

Lead or delegate the drafting, revision, and review of policies for which you are designated  the “policy owner”.

  • Initiate policy development or updates when needed.
  • Enlist stakeholder engagement and subject matter experts for input.
  • Collaborate with the Policy Office to ensure consistency in formatting, language, and institutional alignment.

Implementation & Communication

When a new or revised policy is approved and published, ensure it is communicated effectively and implemented university-wide, as appropriate.

Ongoing Review & Evaluation

Review the policy every 3 years to assess its continued relevance, clarity, and effectiveness.

To help you become familiar with the policy process, please see UAP 1100: Development and Approval of Administrative Policies.

New Policy Management System Implementation Go-Live

On August 4, 2025, UNM transitioned to PolicyStat, a dynamic new platform that simplifies how we access and manage the Regents' Policy Manual (RPM) and the University Administrative Policies and Procedures Policy Manual (UAPPM). This replaces the existing version of policy.unm.edu and introduces new features to keep policies current and accessible.

What to Do Starting August 4th:

  • Log into the PolicyStat UAP site with your SSO credentials, and explore your dashboard.
  • Select "University Administrative (UAP)" on first login.
  • Review the video tutorials and training guides located on the PolicyStat Support page of the Policy Office website.
  • Fill out and submit the PolicyStat Co-Editor Request Form to designate a Co-Editor for your unit to assist with policy reviews and edits. (https://forms.unm.edu/forms/ps_editor_request).
  • Contact policy@unm.edu for support or additional training.