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Academic unit guidance for issuing statements on university websites

• University of Colorado Boulder leadership will not suppress free speech and will abide by the principles of academic freedom.
• Statements issued in the name of an academic unit should reflect the opinion of the entire unit, rather than the views of an individual or a small subset of unit members, and should be adopted in accordance with the unit’s established shared governance procedures.
• While those who do not want to sign onto statements and are concerned about retaliation have protections under existing university policies such as the PRR and university discrimination and harassment policies, authors of a statement should also recognize the potential for power dynamics and social pressure to affect unit members’ perceptions of being free to choose whether or not to endorse statements.
• A statement from an academic unit should be based on academic expertise, not personal opinion.   
• Per university policy, university IT resources must not be used for political campaigning, to harass and/or for commercial purposes.
• Consider that all public statements affect individuals and communities differently.  Additionally, students may be impacted, and it is strongly advised that you consult with the Division of Student Affairs as a part of this process to gauge and prepare for possible impacts of a public statement. Student Affairs can be reached at studentaffairs@colorado.edu.
•  Include a disclaimer that states: The statement does not reflect the viewpoint of the University of Colorado Boulder.
• To facilitate administrative awareness and advice before you issue a statement, consult with Strategic Relations and Communications and your dean’s office. Strategic Relations and Communications can be reached at cunews@colorado.edu.