Proposal to prevent faculty from running for office
By: Maria Spicketts
Issue date: 5/13/08 Section: News
Central Michigan University has proposed a policy restricting the option of faculty members running for political office.
The proposal will take effect July 1, 2008, pending approval and amendments from the Board of Trustees and alterations by faculty members.
In an e-mail dated April 30 to the faculty LISTSERV, Associate Vice President of Human Resources Maxine Kent attached the proposal and requested feedback to the policy by May 16.
The policy states that full-time employees of the university are required to either resign or take an unpaid leave of absence when they comply with candidacy filing requirements, 60 days prior to the date set forth for the election relating to the sought-after public office, whichever date is closer to the elections.
Steve Smith, CMU director of media relations, said the proposal is simply a draft.
"It's a political year and questions were raised about political candidates (on campus)," Smith said.
This is a result of the Gary Peters controversy, Smith said
"That's when the questions began, in relation to the Gary Peters reaction, but it goes deeper than that," Smith said. "The university realized the need for a policy."
The policy does include some allowances for candidacy.
It does not apply to employees who are candidates for unpaid or temporary offices, such as service on a municipal charter revision commission, delegate to a constitutional convention, or service on a city or county board where the service is unpaid. The policy also does not apply to employees who are candidates for part-time local offices, whether paid or unpaid, that do not require service during the employee's normal working hours.
The policy is still in draft stages, according to Smith.
"We are still waiting on input from the on-campus community," Smith said.
The policy also states that all employees who are members of "a collective bargaining unit" like the faculty union are subject to this policy as well.
"I think it's a great proposal that should have been implemented months ago," said former Student's Against Gary Peters spokesman Dennis Lennox. "This is a victory for students and tax payers who wanted to hold Gary Peters accountable."
The Topinabee junior explained 4 p.m. Tuesday was the deadline to file to run for a Congressional position, and those who filed have until 4 p.m. May 16 to withdraw their name.
"It's a huge vindication," Lennox said.
"It's just unfortunate it took 10 months and a whole host of horrible events for this resolution to occur."
news@cm-life.com
The proposal will take effect July 1, 2008, pending approval and amendments from the Board of Trustees and alterations by faculty members.
In an e-mail dated April 30 to the faculty LISTSERV, Associate Vice President of Human Resources Maxine Kent attached the proposal and requested feedback to the policy by May 16.
The policy states that full-time employees of the university are required to either resign or take an unpaid leave of absence when they comply with candidacy filing requirements, 60 days prior to the date set forth for the election relating to the sought-after public office, whichever date is closer to the elections.
Steve Smith, CMU director of media relations, said the proposal is simply a draft.
"It's a political year and questions were raised about political candidates (on campus)," Smith said.
This is a result of the Gary Peters controversy, Smith said
"That's when the questions began, in relation to the Gary Peters reaction, but it goes deeper than that," Smith said. "The university realized the need for a policy."
The policy does include some allowances for candidacy.
It does not apply to employees who are candidates for unpaid or temporary offices, such as service on a municipal charter revision commission, delegate to a constitutional convention, or service on a city or county board where the service is unpaid. The policy also does not apply to employees who are candidates for part-time local offices, whether paid or unpaid, that do not require service during the employee's normal working hours.
The policy is still in draft stages, according to Smith.
"We are still waiting on input from the on-campus community," Smith said.
The policy also states that all employees who are members of "a collective bargaining unit" like the faculty union are subject to this policy as well.
"I think it's a great proposal that should have been implemented months ago," said former Student's Against Gary Peters spokesman Dennis Lennox. "This is a victory for students and tax payers who wanted to hold Gary Peters accountable."
The Topinabee junior explained 4 p.m. Tuesday was the deadline to file to run for a Congressional position, and those who filed have until 4 p.m. May 16 to withdraw their name.
"It's a huge vindication," Lennox said.
"It's just unfortunate it took 10 months and a whole host of horrible events for this resolution to occur."
news@cm-life.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 17
Journalist
posted 5/14/08 @ 1:17 AM EST
Besides the typos in the story, it's good to see CM Life taking a look at the mess involving Gary Peters. It's interesting the deadline to change the policy is also the deadline for Peters to take his name off the ballot. (Continued…)
Finally
posted 5/14/08 @ 10:03 AM EST
Finally, Gary Peters is being ousted. What took CMU so long to realize its major blunder?
mike
posted 5/14/08 @ 2:31 PM EST
Contrary to some short sighted individuals, this is NOT a good policy as it is explained in CM Life. It is a grat idea to have a policy in place, but to declare that candidates aren't welcome could both hinder CMU's ability to attract highly qualified individuals with experiences to share with students, but also will likely sour individuals who may set our budget against us. (Continued…)
Rob Hayes
posted 5/14/08 @ 9:48 PM EST
I don't know why lennox feels so "vindicated," Gary Peters is PART TIME FACULTY, therefore this proposal would not affect him.
I have said it before and I will say it again, lennox is a partisan hack and would not have raised such a stink had peters been a republican running for office. (Continued…)
Nick Locke
posted 5/15/08 @ 9:46 PM EST
Gary Peters' contract says he is full-time.
For the record
posted 5/15/08 @ 9:53 PM EST
There are federal and states laws that regulate the ability of public employees, particularly ones whose job receives any federal funding, from running for elective office. (Continued…)
Anonymous Name That is Supposed to Sound Important
posted 5/16/08 @ 2:24 PM EST
I am very tired of all of the "pro-Lennoxism" comments that are left by these anonymous posters (Journalist, The One Who Knows,etc).
If Lennox, or his cronies, want to be taken seriously they should own up to their own comments. (Continued…)
Tired of the B.S.
posted 5/19/08 @ 9:06 PM EST
Ok, first off Dennis...can I call you Denny? Ok, Denny, I'm pretty sure you are the only one who comments on this thing under about 10 different names. (Continued…)
Allison West
posted 5/21/08 @ 12:41 PM EST
It looks like the policy would apply, according to the quotes by Steve Smith. I took a look at Gary Peters contract, and it repeatedly states he's a full-time temporary assistant professor of political science with the same restrictions and regulations that any professor on campus has to abide by. (Continued…)
Tired of the B.S.
posted 5/21/08 @ 2:35 PM EST
Please specify what "taxpayer benefits and perks" he receives... Also, no surprise that a John Engler appointee is against a partisan Democrat running for office. (Continued…)
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