To: All Faculty & All Academic Professionals & All Civil Service Staff
           <everybody@illinois.edu> 
    From: "Donna McNeely" <ethicsofficer@uillinois.edu>

Reply-To: mmazz02@uillinois.edu
 Subject: MASSMAIL - Message on Political Activity

Dear Colleagues,

With primary elections approaching and an election year busy with 
campaigning, fund raising and other political activities, it may be 
helpful to highlight policies that relate to political activities and the 
State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.  All University of Illinois 
employees should be aware of these guidelines.

An integral part of the U of I is opportunity for open expression and 
working in an environment conducive to all types of learning.  As an 
informed affiliate of the University, you should know and understand the 
law about political activity. I encourage you to communicate the 
following to others in your department. The goal is to maintain freedom 
without overstepping the boundaries as laid out by the law.

University employees, as employees of the State of Illinois, may-of 
course-participate in political activities and events, but cannot do so 
on University time or using University resources.  Time spent at work or 
on official University business should be dedicated to fulfilling the 
responsibilities associated with the employee's appointment.  As defined 
in the law, political activity is any activity that is in support of or 
on behalf of any candidate, political organization or political office.  
If employees choose to participate in political activities, they must do 
so when they are not being compensated by the University, or they must 
use personal benefit time.  As many employees have non-standard workdays, 
the law should be considered at any time one is in class, holding office 
hours or working as a representative of the University.  It is important 
to remember that University resources (e.g., e-mail, computers, photocopy 
machines, fax machines, bulletin boards and University-issued cell 
phones) may not be used for political purposes at any time. 

The State Officials and Employees Act provides the following examples of 
prohibited political activity:
*	campaigning or working on a campaign
*	preparing or distributing campaign literature
*	making or soliciting contributions
*	attending or organizing political events
*	preparing or circulating petitions
*	assisting at the polls

Political contributions -- which include gifts, donations and loans of 
money or anything of value, in addition to fundraising tickets in 
connection with a campaign or the election -- may not be solicited on 
University property.  

The law does not intend to interfere in any way with the educational 
mission of the U. of I.  Political campaigning and the elections are 
often great tools for educating the student body and it is not expected 
that such content will be arbitrarily removed from teaching curriculum, 
but instead, the purpose of that content should be considered.  On the 
same note, political speakers who visit our campuses for education 
purposes are also welcomed within the limits of the law.  

For more information related to prohibited political activities, please 
reference the following:
1.	State Officials and Employees Ethics Act at: 
http://www.ethics.uillinois.edu/policies/soeea.html.
2.	The Illinois Executive Ethics Commission website at: 
www.eec.illinois.gov.
3.	The University Ethics Office at: 866-758-2146 or via e-mail at: 
ethicsofficer@uillinois.edu or on the website at: 
www.ethics.uillinois.edu.

Donna McNeely
University Ethics Officer
This mailing approved by:
The Office of the President

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