With the Nebraska Legislature in session, University of Nebraska employees are reminded of some guiding principles regarding communication with state representatives.
University employees can engage with elected officials as private individuals, offer their personal expertise on policy issues and make their personal opinions publicly known. However, unless directed by the University of Nebraska senior leadership team to engage policymakers on a specific matter, employees should explicitly state that they are acting as an individual, not representing the official position of the University of Nebraska and not engaging with state officials while in an official capacity.
Additionally, unless acting at the request of the president and chancellors, employees engaging in advocacy should do so on their own time and should not use university resources (i.e. letterhead or university email account or phone) to do so. University personnel should inform and coordinate with campus legislative liaisons on requests to visit the governor and state senators and members of their staffs.
If you have questions, contact UNMC's Vice Chancellor for External Affairs Bob Bartee or UNMC's Director of Government Relations Mark Bowen. Learn more at the Office of Government Relations website.