Political Activity

A faculty member is entitled to engage freely in political activity consistent with obligations as a teacher and scholar. The political positions assumed by members of the faculty are personal ones, and faculty members must ensure that they do not necessarily, nor even inferentially, imply that such positions are endorsed by the University. For this reason, a faculty member should avoid expressing such political positions on University letterhead.

Many kinds of political activity are consistent with effective public service and the University encourages such service. Some activities may involve so much time as to affect adversely the faculty member's ability to perform expected academic responsibilities. In that situation a faculty member should seek a leave of absence. The deans and vice presidents are responsible for determining whether a given kind of public service will require modification of a faculty member's full-time employment status or will require some form of leave of absence. Such a leave of absence, should it be required, shall not affect unfavorably the tenure status of a faculty member.

The Board of Visitors has established a policy on campaigning for and serving in an elected public office. A faculty member who becomes a candidate for the General Assembly must take a leave of absence without pay during both primary campaigns and general elections, and, if elected, during the time that the General Assembly is in session. Any other time devoted to legislative business must conform to the limits on consulting activity. A faculty member who holds an administrative position is governed by the same policy, except that leave of absence must be taken from the administrative position during any election campaign, and, if elected, the administrative position must be relinquished at the beginning of the elective office.