Political Activity and Endorsements
EMU is committed to building and maintaining a campus environment that is conducive to academic inquiry, engaged campus life, thoughtful and respectful study and discourse and is invested in protecting freedom of speech, academic freedom and engaged dialogue both in and beyond the classroom. This policy and procedures is intended to offer guidance for EMU Clubs and Organizations. Questions about this policy and procedures may be addressed to the Director of Student Programs in the office of the Dean of Students.
Policy
As an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, EMU is barred from engaging in or supporting any partisan political activity. EMU Clubs and Orgs fall under this guidance.
Procedures
Appropriate Notification of EMU Authorities
Only officially registered EMU student clubs and organizations may host events of a political nature on campus. EMU reserves the right to regulate on-campus extracurricular lecturers and guest speakers. The elected leader(s) of any EMU student club must secure official approval from their advisor prior to initiating the following activities:
- Any and all invitations to outside speakers or campus guests
- Planning any event of an overtly political nature
The amount of time that an advisor will require in order to approve any action is dependent on the preferences of the advisor themselves. Please be respectful of your advisor and their time. In the midst of busy semesters these decisions can take some time to process. Plan in advance accordingly.
Political Lobbying
As a charitable organization and an organization receiving federal grants, restrictions apply to EMU’s activities of a lobbying nature. Lobbying means communicating directly or soliciting others for the purpose of influencing any legislative or administrative action or to attempt to influence another’s political belief. Any lobbying activities will be conducted in a manner that ensures equal access for all candidates in an attempt to secure balance.
Political signage endorsing a single candidate will not be permitted to be displayed on EMU property including office spaces. Private vehicles (eg. bumper stickers), EMU owned residence halls and apartments are exempt spaces as community members are entitled to their freedom of expression.
When candidates are on campus, the events must be educational in nature. They may address issues in an educational manner, or talk broadly about public service and engagement, but they should avoid any kind of "vote for me" stump speech.
Voter registration
Federal legislation requires colleges and universities to make voter registration information available to degree-seeking students studying on their campuses and recognizes the responsibility of each student to decide whether to register to vote. Accordingly, a link to the official online voter registration form will be provided on myEMU Academics by the University Registrar’s Office in order for students to meet state filing deadlines.
While students who are a citizen of any state may use this form to register to vote in their home state, persons who are not U.S. citizens must not submit this form – doing so may cause serious difficulties with visa status.
Students who wish to register should keep in mind that an individual states’ deadline to register to vote may fall far in advance of election day, and should submit their registration forms in time to meet these deadlines.
Voter registration activities will be non-partisan and collaborative in nature between various party groups of campus. Specifically, while ideally clubs representing the two major parties will be involved in organizing and being present at on campus voter registration events, it is allowable to have just one group leading the event as long as they have reached out to the other group so that efforts are not duplicated on campus. Voter registration events should be staffed by local representatives of the two major parties and by EMU students who have received voter registration training. If the two local parties do not have volunteers available to come to campus, other non-profit political groups can be engaged to do this work with the bi-partisan support of both EMU student clubs on campus.
Sponsoring Speakers and Demonstrations
EMU reserves the right to regulate the on-campus appearance of extra-curricular lecturers and guest speakers. EMU student leaders are expected to secure official approval from their advisor prior to initiating an invitation or planning an event. Proposed invitations to speakers whose presence at EMU may pose a risk to student safety or institutional reputation should be processed at least two weeks in advance in accordance with EMU’s academic freedom policy and procedures document.
All students have a right to lawful and peaceful demonstrations, provided they do not disrupt class work or other university business or create substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others.
Use of University Resources and Communication Mediums
The university provides a variety of communication mediums (primarily email, official group websites and approved social media outlets) to the university community and its associated and sponsored groups (such as clubs and organizations). When university communication mediums are used for political communications, care must be exercised to avoid any appearance, implication or impression that the item is an official communication of the university. At the same time, officially registered EMU clubs and orgs must register all social media platforms with the university through the Director of Student Programs every year. Clubs and orgs may not maintain independent email addresses but must communicate broadly with the campus and local community through their adviser and with their adviser’s knowledge.
Use of any EMU mediums for partisan political purposes, for comments about any candidate for public office or any positions taken by such candidates or for lobbying activities are strictly prohibited unless expressly approved by the president of the university.
Email accounts associated with clubs and organizations, letterhead and the EMU logo are to be used exclusively for official university purposes. They should not be used or attached in any way to communications of a personal or partisan political nature. Likewise, titles and club and org names are to be used only for official university purposes. When using email for personal communications, care should be exercised to remove all official identifiers such as a “signature” with an official EMU title or department.
Political Speech and Messages
The messages and actions of EMU clubs and orgs, particularly those affiliated with political causes, will be perceived as having political agenda. Members of our learning community are global citizens and representatives of EMU. When they speak or write as citizens, they will be free from censorship or discipline from EMU. Leaders of EMU clubs and orgs, however, should be cognizant of the obligations imposed by their special position in the community. They should remember that the public may judge their conduct and EMU by what they say, write, or display. The expectation, then, is for leaders and members of EMU clubs and orgs to express themselves with accuracy, clarity, and vigor; to practice appropriate restraint; to show respect for others’ opinions; and to make every effort to indicate that they are not speaking for the institution.
Because debates regarding traditional wisdom can be perceived as threatening and may often involve trial and error, community members shall exercise academic freedom responsibly in a spirit of civility, humility, respect, and care for the common good. When so exercised, academic freedom reflects and extends EMU’s core Christian values of discipleship, community, and service. For more please see EMU’s Academic Freedom Policy.
Donations from/to Political Campaigns, Candidates Political Parties
Clubs and orgs may not accept monetary or in-kind donations from political campaigns, candidates or local/national political parties.
Clubs and orgs may also not make donations to political campaigns, candidates or local/national political parties
Adherence to University Policies
All leadership and activity offered through EMU club and orgs will comply with the expectations of the Standards of Conduct and are subject to procedures of student accountability when violated.
While the university is equally invested in protecting freedom of speech, academic freedom and the widest, possible dialogue in the classroom and research, Eastern Mennonite University does not condone acts of discrimination towards individuals or groups based on the following classifications listed below.
Bias is a preformed negative opinion or attitude toward a group of persons. Bias can be based on race, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin. Incidents may involve bias or hate as a result of age, ancestry, color, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, perceived gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, national origin, creed, sex, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, club affiliation, organizational membership or perceived political ideas.
Bias prevention, as highlighted in our university policy, is also included in the expectations of leadership of EMU clubs and orgs.
