Policy
A. Outside the classroom the faculty member has the same right as any other individual to participate in political activities. Faculty members have a special obligation to refrain from political partisanship in their instructional duties.
In accordance with the State of Illinois State Officials and Employees Ethics Act ("Ethics Act"), political activities are prohibited during any University compensated time. The basic definition of prohibited political activity includes activities that are in support of, or in connection with, any campaign for elective office or any political organization, or those activities that are either in support of or in opposition to a referendum question.
Faculty shall not intentionally perform any prohibited political activities during any University compensated time, other than while using benefit time other than sick time. Further, Faculty may 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.
Prohibited political activities are defined to include planning or holding a political meeting, rally, etc.; distributing campaign literature; soliciting or making campaign contributions; managing or working on a campaign; campaigning itself; conducting political polls or surveys for a specific campaign or political organization; and soliciting vote on behalf of a candidate, political organization, or referendum question.
Questions regarding prohibited political activity should be directed to the University Ethics Office.
B. A faculty member who becomes a candidate for a political office should notify the President in writing of this decision. If the office sought is local, no other action is necessary except assurance to the President that the contemplated activity will not interfere with the faculty member’s academic responsibilities. When the office sought is state or national, then the President may request the faculty member to apply for a leave of absence without pay during the period of the campaign or later, when such activity would be expected to take a substantial amount of the faculty member’s time. When necessary, on timely application, and for a reasonable period of time, leaves of absence may be given for the duration of an election campaign or a term of office. The terms of such a leave shall be set forth in writing, and the leave will not affect unfavorably the tenure or promotion status of a faculty member, except that time spent on such leave will not count as probationary service unless otherwise agreed to.