Frequently Asked Questions
Policies are governance documents that state what the college wants to achieve. A policy usually contains principles to assist with decision-making and guidelines for achieving intended outcomes. A policy designates and authorizes individuals or departments to implement the policy. Policies also establish scope, which means to whom or in what situations a policy does and does not apply.
Procedures are narrower in focus; they set out specific steps to carry out the policy. They state acceptable practice, set boundaries, and establish who is responsible for each step of the process. Procedures may be updated and reviewed more often, without always needing a review of the related policy and its underlying principles.
Procedures are not the same as an instruction manual or guide. Instead, procedures give high-level steps for how to follow the policy. Instruction manuals or guides may also be written to give more detailed instructions or advice to employees or students.
- Board of Governors
- Education Council (EdCo)
- Executive Committee
The BC College & Institute Act sets out the areas of responsibility for each of these three bodies, but generally, academic policies are approved by EdCo, operational policies by the Executive Committee, and governance policies by the Board of Governors.
Policies have different methods of development depending on whether they are Executive Committee, EdCo, or Board-approved policies. For more information, see our Policy Development Overview page.
Policies under development or review are listed online along with the contact information of the policy developer(s). The policy developer(s) may also connect directly with key CNC community members, send email requests for feedback, host presentations or focus group sessions, or use surveys and other methods of engagement. CNC aims to include multiple perspectives in all policy work and, in particular, seeks input from regional campuses, Indigenous communities, international students, and students with disabilities.
Please visit Policy Work Underway to see policies that are currently under development or review, and who to contact with any feedback.
Please submit a Minor Edits Request (sign in to view the form in the top-right corner) to the Policy, Planning & Strategy department if you notice any minor housekeeping changes. This could include title changes, department name changes, broken links, or typos.
If the policy is currently under review or development, contact the appropriate individual listed on the Policy Work Underway page.
To provide feedback on how a policy and its related procedures are working, you may either contact the Administrator Responsible listed in the policy box on the policy or email the Policy, Planning & Strategy team at policy@cnc.bc.ca.