Office of the Provost

Faculty and Unclassified Staff Handbook Chapter 1 -- General Policies

Political Activity of Faculty

The state Board of Regents adopted on February 15, 1985, the following policy regarding political activity on the part of faculty, administration, and others in unclassified service in the institutions within its jurisdiction:

Faculty, administrators, and other unclassified personnel are eligible to accept any public or political party position which does not involve any conflict of interest and does not require substantial time away from assigned duties or in other respects infringe upon them. Such eligibility covers membership on city commissions, school boards, planning groups, and county, state, and national party committees and like organizations, by either appointment or election.

The filing of a declaration of intent to become a candidate shall not affect the status or appointment of an unclassified member of a college or university staff; provided, however, such person at all times while a candidate shall properly and fully perform all of his or her assigned duties; provided further, however, that should such person while he or she is a candidate for office fail to perform all of his or her assigned duties, such person shall not receive any salary or benefits from the date of filing for office.

Leave without salary or other benefits will be granted to those elected or appointed to public office requiring full time or lengthy sustained periods away from assigned duties, such as Congress, the state legislature and state and county offices or appointments to offices falling within this category; effective, as to a person elected or appointed to Congress or the state legislature, from the date such person takes the oath of office or the first day of the legislative session and continuing until the adjournment of Congress or to a date no sooner than the last adjournment in April or sine die adjournment, whichever occurs first, of each regular and special session of the state legislature; effective, as to other state and county offices, during the entire time a person serves as such officer. Leave without salary or other benefits shall not be required for any person serving in the state legislature or for service on any committee during a period when the legislature is not in regular or special session, provided that such person shall decline to accept all legislative compensation for such service, but such person shall be entitled to mileage and other expense allowances as provided by statute and paid by the legislature.

In the interest of the fullest participation in public affairs, personnel are free to express opinions speaking or writing as an individual in signed advertisements, pamphlets, and related material in support of or opposition to parties and causes. There will be the commensurate responsibility of making plain that each person so doing is acting for himself and not in behalf of an institution supported by tax funds drawn from citizens of varying political and economic views.

Kansas Board of Regents: Policies and Procedures Manual (02/15/85).

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