This policy specifies when and by whom public position statements may be issued on behalf of the University of Wisconsin—Madison or any of its constituent units. It reflects the University’s enduring conviction that the “continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found” is best advanced by the unimpeded exercise of academic freedom and individual freedom of expression. Unless the core mission or ongoing operations of the university are at stake, the articulation of official institutional positions on matters of public concern and controversy is neither necessary to nor helpful for the lively exchange of ideas. Individuals within the university may take positions on such issues, and indeed, drawing upon scholarly and creative research and expertise for such purposes is one of the functions of a research university like ours. But in order to best support free and open debate, the production of knowledge, and the pursuit of the Wisconsin Idea, it is best for the university itself, as well as any unit within it, to refrain from taking positions on matters of public controversy or concern unless the issue is one that directly and significantly concerns the university’s (or the given unit’s) core functions of education, research, and public service or its operation and mission.
This policy applies to all units within the University of Wisconsin—Madison, including schools, colleges, departments, divisions, centers, institutes, and programs. It also applies to any UW–Madison faculty or staff member seeking to issue public position statements on behalf of the institution in their capacity as an employee, or who could be reasonably perceived as issuing a public position statement on behalf of the institution or unit under their purview.
It does not apply to UW-Madison faculty, staff, or students making statements as private citizens or as individual scholars, nor does it infringe upon academic freedom with respect to scholarship, teaching, and intellectual debate. Indeed, one central purpose of this policy of institutional restraint is to ensure that institutional statements do not inadvertently chill the ability of the university to be a site of robust intellectual engagement and debate.
Depending on the nature of an individual’s position on campus, this distinction between personal and institutional role may not always be apparent and university leaders and employees at all levels should therefore endeavor to be clear about when they are speaking personally, when they are speaking as an expert on a particular subject, or when they are speaking in their institutional role. Most public facing statements made in the course of performing one’s job duties, particularly those that are written and those from administrators (from chairs to chancellors, among others), risk being seen as “official” and thus may be attributed to the university.
UW-Madison's officially recognized shared governance groups are not covered by this policy but as organizations they, too, should be mindful of the policy’s intent. If they choose to publicly opine on a matter of public interest, they should make clear that they are speaking on behalf of their shared governance groups and not on behalf of the institution.
UW System Administrative Policy 100-Interim 10 Interim: Institutional Statements
