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

[Karen Medina]

> I think the chilling effect remains.

University property is public property. Restricting free speech anywhere is a 
problem, but especially on public property.

I suppose a business can fire an employee for not abiding by a dress code or for 
offending the clients by wearing political buttons. But it is not an ethics issue 
and not an issue of legality.

And, on another aspect of the issue, surely even employees of a business can be 
politically active after work or drive their personal vehicle to work with bumper 
stickers on it.

Cary is right on all his points too. Thank goodness we have him. 

-karen medina
 
>> 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
>> ti
>> : me.
>> :
>> :
>> : _______________________________________________
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>> : Peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
>> : http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/peace-discuss
>> 
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