Legislative Session Reminder
As the Utah Legislature’s 2023 General Session has convened, all Student Affairs staff members are encouraged to take a moment to review the university’s policies regarding political activity, particularly legislative communications by university employees:
University of Utah employees are required to comply with the state’s executive order and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) policy on “legislative communications.” In general, the executive order and USHE policy prohibit university employees, while acting in their official capacities, from engaging in “legislative communications” (i.e., communications with a state legislator regarding the passage or defeat of a specific bill, resolution, amendment or other matter pending before the Utah Legislature). The university president may authorize employees to engage in legislative communications for the limited purpose of explaining technical concepts or providing subject-matter expertise.
When engaging policymakers as a private citizen, remember the following:
- Do so on your own time.
- Use your own resources (e.g., personal email instead of UMail; personal letterhead instead of university letterhead; etc.).
- Always make an appropriate disclaimer (e.g., “I am John Smith; I am a Ph.D. trained researcher at the University of Utah in the Department of OBGYN, but I am speaking on my personal behalf and not on behalf of the university.”).
By following these guidelines, University of Utah employees can participate in the legislative process while also complying with state policies and regulations. It is important for employees to be aware of these policies and guidelines in order to navigate the legislative process effectively and make a positive impact on the state.