College campuses historically are a place where different opinions are exchanged openly and freely, thereby fostering intellectual development. The following guidance provides clear expectations for The University of Alabama community regarding free speech, civil discourse, institutional neutrality and political activities.
Freedom of Speech and Civil Discourse
The University of Alabama System is committed to the First Amendment rights of free speech and expression for all members of the System community. As a public institution of higher education and member of the System, UA recognizes individuals’ rights to assembly and free speech granted by the U.S. Constitution. This applies even when comments or actions by UA students or employees do not align with UA’s values. UA’s Facility and Grounds Use Policy is consistent with federal and state law.
As members of an incredibly diverse community of learning and higher education, everyone at UA shares the responsibility to promote civil discourse – a respectful exchange of views intended to promote mutual understanding.
UA encourages healthy and respectful dialogue to advance learning and understanding, and opportunities are available for students, faculty and staff to participate in a robust exchange of ideas and perspectives. Official UA communications and the UA Events Calendar often list opportunities to engage. Consistent with applicable laws and UA’s Facility and Grounds Use Policy, UA may reasonably regulate time, place and manner of expression in a viewpoint-neutral manner to ensure free speech and expression are protected and the activity does not disrupt ordinary activities.
A robust exchange of perspectives will sometimes expose individuals to ideas they may find offensive, and the following choices are available in those circumstances:
- Voice opposition in the spirit of civil discourse: Promote your perspective in a civil way that does not impede others’ rights to free speech and assembly. Impeding others’ free speech (e.g., disrupting a registered student organization event) violates the code of conduct. If planning your own event, follow guidance provided by Student Life for student organizations and/or the Facility and Grounds Use Policy.
- Learn from it: Listening to different opinions – particularly those you find offensive – may be hard to do, but trying to understand how and why people think differently may prepare you for future adversity, make you more resilient and help you think of ways to more effectively champion your own personal values.
- Talk about it and support friends, classmates and colleagues: Discuss with friends, family, colleagues, instructors and/or registered student organizations, and consider constructive ways of responding.
- Walk away: If you find an event too disconcerting, go to a place where you are not exposed to it.
- Take advantage of services offered through the UA Student Counseling Center or the Employee Assistance Program.
- Alert authorities: While police will not stop protected free speech, they can be present and monitor to respond if safety is threatened. UAPD has sworn officers and security cameras across campus to promote everyone’s safety.
Institutional Neutrality
As a public institution comprised of almost 50,000 students, faculty and staff with richly different perspectives, characteristics and life experiences, The University of Alabama maintains an intellectually independent environment welcoming to all people of all backgrounds. To maintain such an environment and to safeguard freedom of speech and expression, the institution must remain neutral on political and social issues that do not directly affect the institution’s core operations as determined by the Board of Trustees. The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees has codified UA’s longstanding practice of institutional neutrality.
While members of the UA community may want the University to voice a position on societal, political or global issues, UA will adhere to institutional neutrality. Institutional neutrality promotes academic freedom and freedom of speech by allowing a wide range of ideas and perspectives to be openly exchanged and respectfully debated by campus community members not speaking on behalf of the institution.
Instead of making statements and taking positions on current events and issues, UA focuses on the day-to-day operations of the institution and promoting civil discourse and shared values of collaboration, integrity, respect and excellence. Campus community members struggling with current events may consider taking advantage of available student or employee counseling services and other resources, and/or making appropriate instructors or supervisors aware if concerns may affect studies or work.
Political Activities
The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama has codified The University of Alabama’s long-standing commitment to institutional neutrality. Specifically, the University must remain neutral on political and social issues unless the Board determines the issue directly affects any aspect of the University’s core operations. However, as outlined in greater detail herein, institutional neutrality does not prevent UA employees from engaging in free and open inquiry and expression consistent with the First Amendment, the Employee Handbook, and the Faculty Handbook. As explained in the above-referenced policy and handbook provisions, any faculty or staff member may speak freely as a private citizen but should make reasonably clear the views stated represent personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the position of the institution.
Each situation is unique, but the following points and suggested best practices are offered to provide further clarity on the topic of political activity:
- University employees are welcome to engage in free and open inquiry and expression in a manner consistent with applicable law, the Faculty Handbook, Employee Handbook, and Board Rule 304.
- This includes the concept of academic freedom, which, among other things, allows for freedom in research and publications as specified in the Faculty Handbook.
- UA employees are free to engage in scholarly work and research that may involve political issues.
- UA employees are free to engage in scholarly discussion in their official capacities about political issues that are tied to their research or expertise.
- UA employees should not inject their personal political beliefs into any academic discussion where they are appearing in their official capacities.
- UA employees are free to objectively discuss political issues or debate and discuss the merits of competing ideas in the classroom as part of an appropriate curriculum.
- The Board of Trustees and the University encourage UA employees to fulfill their civic responsibilities as private citizens by engaging in political activity in their individual capacities. This includes, but is not limited to, campaigning for or opposing a candidate, party, or bill.
- Consistent with Board Rule 304 and the Faculty and Employee Handbooks, employees engaging in such political activity should endeavor to make clear that they are acting in a private and individual capacity and that their activities have neither University nor college support or sponsorship. Examples of this include:
- Using your personal/non-UA e-mail to engage in political activity.
- Including a disclaimer similar to the following on personal public, political communications:
- “I am acting in a private and individual capacity and my activities have neither University of Alabama sponsorship nor support.”
- “I am Dr. ABC, a professor at The University of Alabama with expertise in XYZ field of study. These opinions are shared in my personal and individual capacity as a private citizen. I do not speak for the University and my views do not necessarily represent the position of the institution.”
- “We are members of the faculty at The University of Alabama. We are sharing our views in our personal capacities as private citizens. We do not speak for our college or the University and our views do not necessarily represent the position of the college or institution.”
- UA employees should not use University resources, including UA letterhead, their UA email, UA email listservs, or UA equipment such as telephones and computers to engage in political activity in their individual capacities as private citizens.
- UA employees must be mindful that their personal political activity, if lacking appropriate disclaimers, can easily be misunderstood or misinterpreted to be the official position of the University or Board.
- The UA System Office of External Affairs serves as the liaison between the Board/University and the legislative and executive branches of state and federal government.
- Pursuant to Board Rules, all official governmental affairs activities for the Board and University must be coordinated through that Office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When do I need to include a disclaimer that I am speaking as a private citizen and not as a representative of The University of Alabama?
Answer: When communicating with non-UA individuals (including via the press, in online or print publications, and with members of the media) regarding political and social issues when those communications are likely to be disseminated or made known to the public. To avoid the potential for confusion, faculty are encouraged to err on the side of caution and provide the disclaimer that they are not speaking on behalf of the institution whenever there is any potential that their statements on political and social issues will be publicized.
Q: Is there any specific guidance for engaging with the news media?
Answer: See previous answer. Also, the Division of Strategic Communications can assist UA employees engaging with the media within the scope of their employment with media strategy and help with navigating issues or questions related to the media or sensitive issues.
Q: Should UA faculty who engage with the media as experts consider including disclaimer language on their faculty website?
Answer: Yes. In addition to including the above-referenced disclaimer language in written and oral communications with the media, faculty who engage with the media as experts in their field of expertise may wish to consider including language on their faculty website to emphasize that they are not speaking on behalf of the University during such communications. A sample website disclaimer is below:
“As a faculty member at The University of Alabama, I may occasionally communicate with members of the media and other third parties about my fields of scholarship, expertise, and/or research. When engaging in such communications, I do not speak for the University and my views do not necessarily represent the position of the University.”
Q: I would like to write an op-ed or opinion piece. Does the institutional neutrality policy impact my ability to do that?
Answer: No. UA employees remain free to publicly express their personal opinions on political and social issues in their individual capacities. In doing so, employees should use their personal (non-UA) email to correspond and include a statement making clear that they are speaking in their individual capacity and not on behalf of the University.
Q: May a group of faculty or a faculty organization write a collective statement or letter?
Answer: Yes. In doing so, faculty are advised to include the disclaimer language referenced above and to send such communications through personal email accounts rather than using a UA email account or any UA marks (e.g., UA letterhead, etc.).
Q: What is UA’s guidance on employee engagement on social media?
Answer: If faculty and staff identify themselves as an employee of the University on their social media profiles, they are encouraged to clarify that content posted on their social media accounts is representative of their personal views and/or opinions and not necessarily the views/opinions of The University of Alabama. When using these accounts, University faculty and staff should comply with Board Rule 304 and consider their commitment to the University’s Code of Ethics and the Capstone Creed.
Employees who identify themselves as UA employees on their personal social media account are encouraged to use the disclaimers provided below.
Disclaimer for account bios or comments: The views expressed on this [post/page/profile/website/blog] are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The University of Alabama.
Disclaimer for restrictive word counts: Opinions/views my own.
The University respects the ability of employees to comment on matters of public concern, including through social media. However, employees should bear in mind that not all speech is protected by the First Amendment. Examples of unprotected speech include, but are not limited to, incitement to violence or lawless action, true threats, obscenity, defamation, illegal harassment, and child pornography.
Employees should also be mindful of whether their personal social media activity may adversely affect UA’s operations or their ability to perform their job duties. Depending on the context and time/place/manner of the speech, UA may discipline employees when their speech could impede UA’s ability to operate efficiently and effectively. Examples of relevant considerations include whether the speech may impair harmony among co-workers, have a detrimental impact on close working relationships, impede the performance of the speaker’s duties (including, but not limited to, impeding the performance of the speaker’s duties in the classroom), or interfere with the regular operation of the University.
Q: My professional organization advocates for my sharing information about my field of expertise and advocating for issues related to it. Can I do that under the institutional neutrality policy?
Answer: Yes. In doing so, faculty are advised to include the disclaimer language referenced above and to send such communications through personal email accounts rather than a UA email account.
Q: Are there limitations on my use of my UA email address?
Answer: Yes. Any email communications expressing or advocating for your personal opinions or beliefs on political or social issues should be sent using a personal email account rather than your UA account. For additional information, refer to the Terms of Use of University Technology Resources policy.
Q: Do department or college administrators have greater responsibilities for maintaining institutional neutrality?
Answer: Yes. University administrators should be especially vigilant about maintaining institutional neutrality because there is an enhanced risk that statements of an administrator’s opinions on political or social issues will be attributed to the University.
Q: Can an academic unit issue public statements on a political or social topic?
Answer: No. Any statement regarding a political or social issue by any University college, department, component, or unit must first be approved by the Board of Trustees. Information can be shared related to services, resources and policies available on the campus. If there are any questions about whether a message or statement is appropriate, consult the Office of Academic Affairs.
Q: Can an academic unit acknowledge or commend a faculty member’s academic or scholarly work that relates to their area of study and addresses political or social topics?
Answer: Yes, if the work was created within the scope of their employment as a UA faculty member. For example, a college or school may acknowledge a faculty member who has authored a scholarly publication or who has received an award or other form of acclaim from their academic pursuits, even if it arguably involves political or social topics. However, in doing so, the academic unit should not suggest that the University or any component thereof endorses the position(s) or perspective(s) taken by the faculty member in their scholarly work. The unit’s use of a disclaimer similar to the ones referenced herein would address this need.