Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A)
Policy statement and purpose
To set out the rules and procedures
governing official university interactions with state and federal legislators
and governmental agencies by university employees and students.
(B)
Policy
It is university policy that all
contact with state and federal legislators and governmental agencies be
coordinated through the office of university relations and governmental
affairs. That office, working with the president, is responsible for engaging
in meaningful dialogue and relationships with government officials and agencies
at the local, state and federal levels. Also inherent in those responsibilities
is the task of communicating with members of the community on how employees can
ethically and legally participate in the governmental process if they choose to
do so.
Bowling Green state university
encourages all students, faculty and staff to exercise their rights and duties
as citizens to participate as private citizens and individuals in the
governmental process. Federal and state laws, however, clearly distinguish
between the political activities of individuals and those of tax-exempt
institutions and governmental instrumentalities such as BGSU. Therefore, it is
important for all employees of BGSU to abide by all governing legal principles
in making contact with legislators and governmental agencies. Some policy
guidelines follow:
(1)
Use of university name/letterhead
(These guidelines apply when university
employees contact state and federal officials or agencies for personal, not
official university purposes.)
(a)
BGSU
faculty/staff should not allow their own names to be used in ways that state or
imply university endorsement.
(b)
It should be
clearly understood that opinions expressed by a faculty or staff member are the
opinions of the individual and not an official position of the
university.
(c)
Use of the university letterhead, address, e-mail
system or other identification that might associate the content and conclusion
of the document with the university should be avoided. University/departmental
letterhead and/or e-mail systems should be reserved for correspondence
regarding university affairs.
(d)
You may state in
the body of your message what your affiliation is with BGSU (for identification
purposes only) but you cannot directly state or indirectly imply that you are
writing in your capacity as a BGSU employee. It should be made clear you are
expressing your view as a private citizen
(2)
Political
action/governmental appearances
(a)
The university's relationship with federal, state and
local governments may necessitate that BGSU take an institutional position
regarding legislative or executive action. The purpose of such a position is to
communicate to government officials the effects that a particular law, rule or
regulation may have on the mission of the university. The president has the
authority to determine when such an institutional position will be taken and
the form, content and timing of its release. The office of university relations
and governmental affairs co-ordinates these activities and is the clearinghouse
for requests that BGSU take an institutional position on any governmental
action.
(b)
The aforementioned points on use of the university
name, letterhead and e-mail apply specifically to political activities
(including lobbying efforts to influence legislation or regulations) by any
member of the BGSU community, except in connection with an institutional
position taken by the university.
(c)
All university
employees appearing before congress or the Ohio general assembly, or their
agencies, committees or members, to offer testimony, opinions or commentary
regarding existing or potential laws, rules or regulations, not expressly
authorized by the office of university relations and governmental affairs, of
the sponsored programs and research office (SPAR) on all matters relating to
research, must clearly state in advance that they are appearing in their
individual capacities and that their testimony, opinions and commentary are not
authorized by, and must not be construed as, reflecting on the position of the
university.
(d)
The office of university relations and governmental
affairs does not lobby federal agencies but is the entity notifying our
congressional representatives of specific university proposals and positions
that should be supported at that level to further the university's
mission
(3)
Bill tracking
Those interested in tracking various
pieces of proposed legislation that would affect particular offices or academic
areas should contact the office of university relations and governmental
affairs for assistance.
(4)
Summary
(a)
There are
restrictions placed on university employees by the federal and state
governments, but following the above guidelines should ensure that problems are
avoided.
(b)
The above information is not all-inclusive. Other
questions about any aspects of involvement in the governmental process should
be brought to the attention of the office of university relations and
governmental affairs.
Date: January 1, 2014
