UW-Green Bay Guidance on University Public Statements

MICHAEL ALEXANDER

Chancellor

UW-Green Bay Guidance on

University Public Statements

This guidance was reviewed and confirmed by the Chancellor’s Cabinet July 2, 2024

Preamble:

This guidance provides advisement to university leaders in consideration of making any public statement which may be perceived to be on behalf of the university, a college, or an academic or administrative unit.

Nothing in this guidance is intended to limit or restrict any individual’s ability to make statements or public comments on their own behalf.   The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay states its pledge to the principle of academic freedom and affirms its commitment to the freedom of expression of all individuals. UW-Green Bay’s commitment to the engagement in civil discourse is guided by its internal polices and those established by the Board of Regents through RPD 4-21; UW-Green Bay’s Civility and Inclusivity Statement; and UW-Green Bay Harassment and Discrimination Policy.  All members of the University community carry the responsibility for maintaining civility and a climate of mutual respect. While all individuals have the freedom to criticize and contest the views expressed on campus, an individual may be held accountable for their actions.

Public Statement 

A public statement is any form of communication by a university leader to students, faculty, staff, alumni, the press, the public, or other institutional stakeholders from a university-owned channel (email, website, social media feed, etc.) regarding a local, state, national, or international issue.

Generally, statements made in the scope of an employee’s duties may be attributed to the university. Such statements are usually characterized by:

• The use of university resources (such as the email system).
• Identification of the speaker as a university employee by title.
• A clear connection between the subject matter of the statement and the speaker’s university role.

Guidance

All university leaders including the Chancellor, Cabinet, the Provost, Associate Provosts, Deans, Dean of Students, and Director-level positions, when if communicating in their official capacity, must consider that they are likely to be perceived as speaking on behalf of the institution and shall apply this guidance prior to making any statement, noting the following:

1. In all cases, statements must adhere to the Board of Regents and UW-Green Bay policy.
2. Only the Chancellor or a designee of the Chancellor can make a statement on behalf of UW-Green Bay.
3. UW-Green Bay will generally only make public statements or take a position on matters external to UW-Green Bay when the issue effects the University or the region it serves.
4. In the event of situations that arise that may cause stress to members of the University community, UW-Green Bay will provide support to students, faculty, and staff that are affected through all available resources.
5. UW-Green Bay is not a political organization and does not support any political entity. UW-Green Bay encourages the discussion and consideration of viewpoints that are contrary to an individual’s perspective regarding issues in the world.
6. When expressing views publicly, employees should endeavor to clarify that the statement made is not reflective of the Board of Regents of the Universities of Wisconsin or UW-Green Bay and should avoid the use of University Resources (email, social media, webpages etc.) in making such statements.

 Conclusion:

In the event a public statement has been made by the Chancellor or designee, all employees are encouraged to make reference to this statement as opposed to making their own. Employees are encouraged to seek guidance from Marketing & University Communication and approval from the Office of the Chancellor before issuing any statement which may be perceived as being made on behalf of UW-Green Bay.

The above guidance applies to all employees of UW-Green Bay.