Instructions Regarding Procedures To Be Followed by University Employees Who Intend To Become Candidates for or Holders of Political Offices
These instructions pertain to University employees exempt from the State Personnel Act who intend to be candidates for election or appointment to or to hold (a) full-time public offices, (b) membership in the General Assembly or (c) major part-time offices for which compensation is more than nominal (if the employee is a senior academic or administrative officer of the University). Questions concerning candidacy for or holding of all other public offices are to be addressed through procedures established by the boards of trustees of the constituent institutions, consistent with policies of the Board of Governors. Attached is a copy of the policies of the Board of Governors to which these instructions pertain.
1. An affected employee must use the forms/format prescribed herein.
2. Contact the office of the Chancellor for advice and assistance. All questions regarding a petition required by these instructions should be addressed to the chancellor. Questions to be considered by the President or the Board of Governors are to be transmitted through the chancellor.
3. Any petitions required by these instructions should be submitted as early as possible, but no later than the following:
For affected academic
periods beginning: | Completed petition to be
received by Chancellor: | Completed petition to be
received by Board: |
January (e.g., for a
May primary contest) | October 15 of preceding year | November 1 of preceding year |
| May/June (e.g., for fall elections affecting summer employment) | March 15 | April 1 |
| August/September (e.g., for fall general election) | June 15 | July 1 |
| Other periods | 90 days prior to
beginning of period | 60 days prior to beginning of period
|
4. An employee submitting a petition must present it and all accompanying information to supervisors designated by the Chancellor and to the Chancellor, in a timely manner, as the basic information upon which they may rely in reaching conclusions required of them as part of the petition process. Any such official may require additional information or explanation from the petitioner, to aid their evaluation of the petition.
5. A separate petition is required for action by the governing board with respect to each stage of involvement in political candidacy and officeholding. For example, an employee who proposes to become a candidate for election to the General Assembly must: (1) present an initial petition to the Board of Governors by no later than November 1 if he intends to be a candidate in the forthcoming May primary; (2) if successful in the primary, present a petition by no later than July 1 if he intends to be a candidate in the November general election; (3) in anticipation of success in the general election, present a petition by no later than November 1 of the election year, with respect to service in the General Assembly during the following year, and thereafter for each succeeding year of service. With respect to a member of the faculty who is elected to the General Assembly, it would be necessary to submit a timely petition for each semester of University employment during which he held such office.
6. Whether the petition relates to candidacy or officeholding, the petition form accords the employee more than one option that could be used to resolve the presumed conflict with university employment, e.g., (a) to rebut the presumption, (b) to seek a partial leave of absence, or (c) to seek a full leave of absence. Typically, an employee may prefer to avoid a leave of absence by seeking to demonstrate that his candidacy or officeholding, contrary to the presumption, in fact will not conflict with university employment. If his petition as initially submitted is limited to that choice, and it is not successful, there may not be sufficient time within the schedule established by the Board of Governors to file a followup petition seeking a leave of absence. Thus, every petitioner is advised to submit a petition that anticipates all contingencies by requesting all of the relevant outcomes alternatively, viz., first choice, a demonstration of grounds for rebutting the presumption that there is a conflict; but failing that, a request for a partial leave of absence and corresponding reduction in pay; and, failing that, a request for a full leave of absence without pay.
Petition Regarding Political Activity
FROM: Name:
Institution:
Position held:
TO: Committee on University Governance
UNC Board of Governors
c/o Office of the President
The University of North Carolina
Post Office Box 2688
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27515-2688
SUBJECT: Request for review of proposed political candidacy or officeholding
A. In accordance with the University of North Carolina policy regarding political activities of its employees, this petition concerns:
( ) My intention to campaign for election to a full-time or major part-time political office
Title of office:
Primary or general election date:
Period of proposed campaign activity:
( ) My intention to occupy a full-time or major part-time political office, either elective or appointive
Title of office:
Term of office:
Period of employment affected:
B. With respect to my candidacy for election to political office, I request permission:
( ) To maintain my full-time University employment while campaigning; in support of my request I have provided/attached:
1. A detailed account of my anticipated normal employment responsibilities during the affected period of employment (Attachment A)
2. An explanation of proposed campaign activity, demonstrating how such activity will be limited to available personal time, so as not to interfere with the satisfactory performance of full-time employment responsibilities (Attachment B)
3. The written concurrence of my supervisors and the Chancellor in the conclusion that engagement in campaign activities will not interfere with the satisfactory performance of my full-time employment responsibilities
( ) If my request to maintain full-time employment is denied, to take a partial leave of absence, with corresponding reduction in pay, for the period ______________ (dates of leave); in support of my request I have provided/attached:
1. A detailed account of my anticipated normal employment responsibilities during the affected period of employment (Attachment A)
2. An explanation of proposed campaign activity (Attached B)
3. Identification of those employment responsibilities that I propose not to meet, consistent with such a partial leave of absence, and calculation of percentage reduction in employment time (Attachment C)
4. Assurances by my supervisors and the Chancellor that granting such a leave is practicable and that alternative arrangements can be made to insure performance by others of the employment responsibilities for which I otherwise would be responsible.
( ) If my request to maintain full-time employment or to be granted a partial leave is denied, to take a full leave of absence, without pay, for the period _____________ (dates of leave); in support of my request I have provided/attached:
1. A detailed account of my anticipated normal employment responsibilities during the affected period of employment (Attachment A)
2. Assurances by my supervisors and the Chancellor that granting such a leave is practicable and that alternative arrangements can be made to insure performance by others of the employment responsibilities for which I otherwise would be responsible.
C. With respect to my occupancy of a full-time public office:
( ) I request permission to be granted a full leave of absence, without pay, as distinguished from resigning my University employment; I understand that the maximum period of such leave allowed by University policy is two years; in support of my request, I have provided/attached:
1. A detailed account of my anticipated normal employment responsibilities during the affected period of employment (Attachment A)
2. Assurances by my supervisors and the Chancellor that granting such a leave is practicable and that alternative arrangements can be made to assure performance by others of the employment responsibilities for which I otherwise would be responsible.
D. With respect to my occupancy of a major part-time office, I request permission:
( ) To maintain my full-time University employment while holding office; in support of my request I have provided/attached:
1. A detailed account of my anticipated normal employment responsibilities during the affected period of employment (Attachment A)
2. An explanation of the time requirements associated with holding the public office, demonstrating how such activity will be limited to available personal time, so as not to interfere with the satisfactory performance of my full-time employment responsibilities (Attachment D)
3. The written concurrence of my supervisors and the Chancellor in the conclusion that the time requirements associated with holding the public office will not interfere with the satisfactory performance of my full-time employment responsibilities.
( ) If my request to maintain full-time employment is denied, to take a partial leave of absence, with corresponding reduction in pay, for the period of officeholding; in support of my request I have provided/attached:
1. A detailed account of my anticipated normal employment responsibilities during the affected period of employment (Attachment A)
2. An explanation of the time requirements associated with holding the public office (Attachment D)
3. Identification of those employment responsibilities that I propose not to meet, consistent with such a partial leave of absence, and calculation of percentage reduction in employment time (Attachment C)
4. Assurances by my supervisors and the Chancellor that granting such a leave is practicable and that alternative arrangements can be made to insure performance by others of the employment responsibilities for which I otherwise would be responsible.
( ) If my request to maintain full-time employment or to be granted a partial leave is denied, to take a full leave of absence, without pay, for the period _____________ (dates of leave); in support of my request I have provided/attached:
1. A detailed account of my anticipated normal employment responsibilities during the affected period of employment (Attachment A).
2. Assurances by my supervisors and the Chancellor that granting such a leave is practicable and that alternative arrangements can be made to insure performance by others of the employment responsibilities for which I otherwise would be responsible.
E. With respect to any request embodied in this petition, the petitioner should offer any additional written explanation or information that in his or her judgment would assist supervisors, the Chancellor or the Board of Governors in making a decision whether to grant the request.
Signature of Petitioner
Date Submitted
Signature of Chancellor
Date received by Chancellor
Date submitted to Office of the President
Signature of Secretary of the University
Date received by Secretary
