The Office of University Policy and Procedures (UPP) is located within the Office of the Provost. This office provides a centralized hub for efficient management of University policies and procedures on campus.

UMB Office of University Policy and Procedures

What is the difference between a policy and a procedure? ▾

A policy is a principle or protocol to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes, and is stated as intent. The policies included in the Library are intended to regulate and control organizational actions. They flow from policy at the University System of Maryland level, using a similar content organization and numbering system.

Procedures are customary methods of handling business. Procedures in the Library are routine business processes on campus that involve two or more departments working together to complete University goals. Documenting these separately from a policy allows for increased flexibility and responsiveness.

View the filterable, sortable Policies and Procedures Index.

Browse the Policies and Procedures Library

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Policy Process

View the steps involved in developing or revising a policy, from the initial proposal to the final rollout. 

All policy and procedure proposals must be submitted through the UMB Policy Administration System for review and processing by the UMB Office of Policy and Procedures.

Please use the Policy App link to submit all proposals or revisions.

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Policy App

The Policy Administration System (Policy App), is the online platform utilized for processing University policy creation and revision requests propose a new policy or a revision of a current policy. To access the system to submit a policy request or review your dashboard,  please click here to access The Policy App 

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Policies and Procedures Templates

 

UMB Policy Template

UMB Procedure Template

UMB Procedure Style Guide

UMB Editorial Style Guide

 

 

News and Noteworthy

Policy and Procedure Updates

August 2024

UMB Policy on Sponsored Award Cost Sharing

Cost Sharing is when UMB is required to use resources other than the award itself for completion of the award objectives. In other words, a certain portion of the costs of an award are not paid by the sponsor, but are paid using resources from a UMB department, or a third party. Cost Sharing is a commitment included in the award document, either required by the sponsor or offered by UMB. Cost Sharing can be Mandatory Cost Sharing, Voluntary Committed Cost Sharing, or Voluntary Uncommitted Cost Sharing, and can take the form of either Cash Contributions or In-Kind Contributions.

UMB will agree to Cost Sharing in a proposal only when Cost Sharing is a requirement of the sponsor's request for proposal or program announcement, whether the proposal is a new proposal or a non- competing continuation. Cost Sharing should not be offered by UMB on federal contracts, corporate agreements, or other contracts.

UMB Policy on Effort Reporting

Effort reporting encompasses many processes, including committing effort, charging and cost sharing salary expense for effort, and certifying effort to support commitments and salary charges. As a recipient of significant sponsored funds, UMB must assure federal and other sponsors that the assignment of effort and associated salary and fringe benefit costs to sponsored projects is fair, consistent, and timely. The UMB effort reporting policies — along with related definitions, procedures, forms, data, and technology — are the means by which this responsibility is fulfilled. Financial penalties, expenditure disallowances, and harm to UMB’s reputation and competitive position in seeking grants could result from an inadequate effort reporting process and supporting systems, or from failure to comply with effort reporting policies and requirements.

UMB Policy on Cost Transfers

This cost transfer policy is in accordance with 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards), which provides that costs must be allowable, allocable, reasonable, and timely. The principles related to cost transfers on federal awards are applied in general to other funding sources for consistency in application of this policy.

Cost transfers should be minimized. All attempts should be made to charge costs correctly with the original posting, as required by Federal regulations, generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and sound management practices. Posted transactions, charged to sponsored awards, should be reviewed monthly to identify corrective actions to be taken. 

UMB Policy on Participant Support Costs

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that funding for Participant Support Costs (PSC) is accounted for properly in UMB’s financial system and expended for the intended objectives in compliance with sponsor requirements. 

Some extramural sponsors of research projects include a category in their budget forms called participant support costs, which encompass costs for participants or trainees (but not employees) in connection with relevant conferences, meetings, symposia, training activities, and workshops. Costs associated with an individual’s participation in these activities may be allowable under the sponsoring agency’s program guidelines as participant support costs.