[Peace-discuss] U of I ethics says employees cannot wearpoliticalbuttons

[John W.]

Does this new rule apply to YOU personally, Stuart?



On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 2:02 PM, Stuart Levy <slevy at ncsa.uiuc.edu> wrote:

On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 01:32:59PM -0500, Randall Cotton wrote:
> > DI Editorial follows
> >
> > It seems everyone feels many will disregard the ludicrous, over-reaching
> > restrictions and that there will be no enforcement. But as long as the
> > original memo is not revoked or amended, I think the chilling effect
> > remains.
> >
> > R
>
> Yes, absolutely.  And an unenforced rule is worse, as it opens the way for
> selective enforcement.  If enforced, there'd be more focused opposition to
> this
> thing, and it would likely be overturned.  But as it stands, it might stay
> on
> the books indefinitely, and get exercised only against people for whom
> there's
> little public sympathy, while chilling the rest of us, as you say.
>

> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Randall Cotton" <recotton at earthlink.net>
> > To: <peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
> > Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 12:52 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] U of I ethics says employees cannot
> > wearpoliticalbuttons
> >
> >
> > :
> >
> http://news-gazette.com/news/2008/09/25/restrictions_on_politicking_upset_ui_faculty
> > :
> > : Restrictions on politicking upset UI faculty
> > : By Christine Des Garennes
> > : Thursday September 25, 2008
> > :
> > : Got a new Obama or McCain button you want to wear around the University
> > of
> > : Illinois campus?
> > :
> > : Want to circulate Democratic or Republican fliers on the Quad?
> > :
> > : If you're a university employee, both of those activities are a no-no.
> > :
> > : A memo sent to UI employees last week has raised the ire of some
> faculty
> > : members. The message cautions faculty and staff against wearing
> > political
> > : campaign buttons, attending a candidate or party-specific rally on
> > campus
> > : or participating in other political activity.
> > :
> > : "I wouldn't put a campaign notice on the door of my office, but I don't
> > : see my body as university property," said Cary Nelson, about wearing
> > : buttons or T-shirts favoring a candidate or political party.
> > :
> > : Nelson, a UI emeritus English professor and president of the American
> > : Association of University Professors, e-mailed faculty Wednesday about
> > the
> > : university's guidelines, pointing out that as the guidelines read,
> > : students can attend political rallies on campus, but faculty cannot.
> > : Nelson said the rules interfere with the educational process and can
> > : infringe on an employee's extramural political speech.
> > :
> > : In light of the hotly contested presidential election, UI President B.
> > : Joseph White said the message was sent out "to remind people not to use
> > : university resources for political purposes."
> > :
> > : "I think that we have a well-intended law on the books that had, as a
> > : goal, preventing abuses, and I'm supportive of that," said White,
> > : referring to the 2003 State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.
> > :
> > : According to that statute, state employees "shall not intentionally
> > : misappropriate any state property or resources by engaging in any
> > : prohibited political activity for the benefit of any campaign for
> > elective
> > : office or any political organization."
> > :
> > : "The law doesn't talk about attending rallies, wearing a button or
> > putting
> > : a bumper sticker on your car. So the university basically issued a
> > rather
> > : silly statement," Nelson said.
> > :
> > : "But it's worrisome. It's in writing and official policy."
> > :
> > : The message to employees stated that the ethics office does not intend
> > to
> > : police them, but Nelson asked, "What does it mean about selective
> > : enforcement, about five years from now?"
> > :
> > : Using a jaywalking analogy, White admitted that although jaywalking is
> > : prohibited in some towns, sometimes he does it.
> > :
> > : His take on the issue? "Let common sense prevail."
> > :
> > : "The university has no desire to hinder anyone's freedom of
> expression,"
> > : White said.
> > :
> > :
> > :
> > : Restrictions on political activity
> > :
> > : Excerpts from a University of Illinois e-mail to show what is and is
> not
> > : banned on campus:
> > :
> > : Prohibited political activity
> > :
> > : - Wearing a pin or T-shirt in support of the Democratic Party or
> > : Republican Party, or a Democratic/Republican candidate.
> > :
> > : - A supervisor requiring an employee to engage in political activity
> > : outside of work.
> > :
> > : - Distributing, producing or posting fliers or other campaign
> literature
> > : on campus during lunch or break time.
> > :
> > : - Registering employees to vote in a booth that is clearly designated
> to
> > : one political party or candidate.
> > :
> > : Acceptable political activity
> > :
> > : - Wearing a pin encouraging others to vote that is not specific to any
> > : particular party or candidate.
> > :
> > : - An employee independently choosing to engage in political activities
> > : outside of work.
> > :
> > : - Distributing, producing or posting fliers or other campaign
> literature
> > : at an off-campus location during lunch or break time.
> > :
> > : - Registering employees to vote while on their lunch or other
> designated
> > : breaks in a party-neutral booth.
> > :
> > : Specific examples of things that are expressly prohibited include:
> > :
> > : - Placing a collection jar on your desk or even in a break room to
> > solicit
> > : funds for a specific political candidate or party.
> > :
> > : - Attending a rally on university property specific to a political
> > : candidate or party - regardless of whether or not you are on university
> > time.
>
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