How many organizations are you affiliated with?
For many, there is a professional connection with an employer. Then there are community or professional organizations like the Rotary or Kiwanis clubs. Some folks are members of a church, temple, synagogue or other religious institution. Then there are volunteer positions with groups like Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts or various youth or adult sports organizations.
So, when you go, for example, to the City Council to express concerns about a proposed ordinance or a rezoning near your house, do you say "Mr. Mayor, I oppose this measure, but first let me make it clear today I'm not representing the views of my employer, the Rotary Club, Seventh United Methodist Church, Boy Scout Troop 381, the George Jefferson Elementary PTO, the Blazing Bouncers kickball team I play on or the Tuesday night book club I joined two weeks ago but haven't really decided to stick with because I'm not sure I'm into 'Fifty-two Shades of Forest Green.'"
People, in my view (and not those of my 1984 Wilbur D. Mills High School Senior Class or my ninth-floor dorm mates in Arkansas State University's Twin Towers) rarely presume one person's perspective represents those of institutions or groups they happen to also be a part of. Well, unless that person happens to be a president or a chairman of the board or dictator of a small nation.
But the University of Arkansas sees things differently, and perhaps with some valid concerns.
The University of Arkansas has sparked a debate with a new policy that requires university employees to "make it clear" opinions they express are their own when speaking publicly on matters of public interest.
Here's what the police actually says: "If employees speak publicly on matters of public interest and are identified by their name and position with the University, they should make every effort to make it clear that the employee's name or opinions are those of the employee and not the University," the revised policy states.
Let's take, as an example, faculty members at the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville. A lot of them are actively engaged in business ventures or advocacy groups on issues or, because of their knowledge in specialty areas, they're often sought out by journalists or others for insights into the issues of modern life. For example, when the U.S. Supreme Court issues a ruling that has some local impact, it's natural for journalists to seek out a law professor who can apply his or her experience and knowledge and give us non-experts a learned analysis.
But the UA has thousands of employees. Who in the world would ever assume they all, unless they disclaim doing so, speak for the university?
Without question, faculty members often identify themselves by their UA position to put their comments into context and to lend them credibility. Why shouldn't they? They've studied and achieved in their areas of expertise. Indeed, most universities and colleges promote interviews with their professors because it, more often than not, helps build the stature of the institution when its experts are quoted, especially in national or international publications.
Does the UA really want those experts interviewed to say "This is my opinion, and it has nothing to do with the University of Arkansas?" That's impressive.
Still, opinions get people into trouble sometime. The UA's policy, as much as anything, is a way to ensure the university's top brass can disavow a connection with statements some folks might not like.
"Oftentimes, people fail to acknowledge that an opinion is their personal opinion, and oftentimes it may be wrongly interpreted as being a statement that's representative of our institution," UA System board chairman Ben Hyneman said. "So this would help clarify that and remind people that when they express an opinion, that they're not empowered to speak for the institution."
Maybe instead of forcing thousands of employees to offer disclaimers, the UA should just clearly identify who does speak for the university. And rather than expecting UA employees to constantly include the caveat "I'm not speaking for the University of Arkansas," perhaps the trustees should just pass a measure that says "We're proud of the high-quality faculty we've assembled at the University of Arkansas and believe they have much to offer in debates over international, national, state and local issues. Their views are not necessarily those of the university."
But as it stands, I'll look forward to hearing the new introduction this fall to "On the Air with Bret Bielema" with an announcer saying "And now, here's Chuck Barrett and Arkansas Head Coach Bret Bielema, neither of whom are authorized to speak publicly on behalf of the University of Arkansas."
Greg Harton is editorial page editor for the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Contact him by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAGreg.
Commentary on 07/06/2015