Communicating policy-practice orientations: the case of sexual violence response among college students

How organizational members subjectively understand the characteristics of policy design processes can generate different policy outcomes. This case study of a multidisciplinary university team charged with designing and implementing sexual violence response policy articulates two policy-practice orientations: (a) unidirectional orientation (policy -> practice); and (b) bi-directional orientation (practice <- -> policy). These orientations suggest that how members discursively construct the relationship between policy and practice is subject to interpretations that impact policy implementation. The tension between these orientations amplifies dilemmas of communication and agency that influence what policy text can do and who can do policy. This study offers practical guidance for universities working through policy-practice challenges.