Formulation and Issuance of Institution Policy : Institution Policy

On January 1, 2004, Robert B. Gagosian, President and Director of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, signed a new policy entitled “Formulation and Issuance of Institution Policy”.

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution formally approves and issues all policies in a prescribed format using a standardized and consistent procedure. Individuals responsible for writing, updating, or distributing policies must comply with the procedures described in this document. The standardized format, steps for formulating, gaining approval, and issuing policies and procedures, and the roles of the Editorial, Policy Advisory, and Executive Policy Review groups are described.

The creation of a policy and procedure for formulating Institution policies will provide direction and clarification for members of the WHOI community who wish to recommend a new or up-dated policy and for individuals involved in the writing of policies. This policy will heighten the general awareness of the entire WHOI community with regard to policy development and will establish consistency in policy management. Additionally, this policy will serve as a template in the development of all subsequent Institution policies.

An Institution policy is an integral component in communicating the Institution’s formal position on a variety of subjects to both internal and external communities. The consistency enabled by this policy will ensure that the Institution’s policies are understandable and managed in an equitable manner.