The Board of Trustees will vote on a proposed revision to its governing policies on Jan 22.

The revision, which is in accordance with a previous statute on the subject, would allow faculty and staff to be allowed to communicate their thoughts about the federal government, as long as it is clear they are not speaking on behalf of the university.

Additionally, staff and faculty members would be allowed to attend partisan political rallies, display political buttons, stickers or patches and display bumper stickers on their vehicles.

“The proposed language reinforces a recent statute regarding the ability of university employees to participate in the political process provided that such participation, with limited exceptions, is not done while on duty at the university,” said Robert Miller, general counsel for the Board of Trustees. The revision is part of a section on academic freedom.

This section states: “Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good and not to further the interest of either the individual faculty member or the institution as a whole.”

Miller said the revision was proposed by the Board of Trustees Regulations Committee and at the next meeting, scheduled for Jan. 22, a majority of the board must vote in favor of the revision for it to pass.

The proposed revision is posted at Booth Library until Jan. 22.

Collin Whitchurch can be reached at 581-7944 or cfwhitchurch@eiu.edu

Sandy Bowman, interim assistant director of human resources, answers questions dealing with the furlough policy during an open forum on Tuesday afternoon in the Physical Science Building. The Council on University Planning and Budget will meet at 3 p.m. t

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