A&M System's ethics policy -Faculty letter

[RPB]

See attached Eagle%20Article.pdf
(For those who don't know, The Eagle is the CITY Newspaper, not the school's newspaper.)
I can't take credit for this research, etc., but I can't say who can. If that person wants to be known, he/she is certainly able to. ... I'm just passing on information



Attached letter refers to: Texas A&M University - Commerce apparently breaking their own rule (07.03.01.R1), as well as possibly violating the Texas Government Code Sec. 556.006

Texas A&M has started an investigation for 2 members of their faculty .
The argument that faculty are against it is dubious because those who are for it may be remaining silent and neutral if they are abiding by college and state laws and regulations. Most of the staff could be in support of this.
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(Just a "side-note" below)
My cousin is on Staff at UTEP, and not in a position to really exercise freedom of speech either, so yes, I totally see how many who are for the bills are having to remain silent.

Besides, some FACULTY or STAFF who are CONCEALED handgun licensees may not want to ADVERTISE that she/he keeps a gun in the car currently for burglars to target ...or get a surprise carjacker visit, like happened at University of Houston when they are about to get into their car later? "Carjack a car, get a gun free special," until the bill passes.

When the "BOSS" is so vocal on a position, it's hard for "underlings" who disagree, to have freedom of expression.

So yes of course many are silent, especially when those "above them" take an opposing position. (Which isn't supposed to happen according to the rules and laws.)

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Also ..... I"d like to see more of "people being investigated for breaking laws and violating rules"
(Personally, I'd like to see reprimands or terminations, and Attorney General involved and TV News reports)


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PROHIBITED ACTS OF AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUALS
Government Code
Sec. 556.006. LEGISLATIVE LOBBYING.
(a) A state agency may not use appropriated money to attempt to influence the passage or defeat of a legislative measure.
(b) This section does not prohibit a state officer or employee from using state resources to provide public information or to provide information responsive to a request.
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University of Texas Arlington


Spaniolo’s messages may be a violation of the UTA Employee Ethics & Standards of Conduct stating, “Employees are not allowed to support or oppose legislation (orally or in writing) as representatives of UT Arlington.” as well as possibly violating the Texas Government Code Sec. 556.006

On Feb. 24, UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa sent a letter, expressing his opposition to concealed carry on campus, to Gov. Rick Perry.

President James Spaniolo joined the discourse on Thursday, March 3, sending an e-mail to the UTA community voicing strong disapproval of concealed carry.

President James Spaniolo on Thursday, March 3 Posted opinions on legislation on the University's website

Additionally, Spaniolo’s message appears to also be a violation of the UTA Employee Ethics & Standards of Conduct which states that, “Employees are not allowed to support or oppose legislation (orally or in writing) as representatives of UT Arlington.”

The university, a "state agency", pays Spaniolo, Lamas, and Cigarroa salaries with "appropriated money". So by them taking an official position opposing the legislative measure and writing to influence the defeat of it, aren't they in violation of Texas Government Code? Not only does that put their jobs at risk, it also jeopardizes state funding for the university.

Also, besides just salaries .... misusing/appropriating Taxpayer/State Funded Resources such as ...
Using the University’s website .... email spam he sent etc,
Computers, Servers, Bandwidth, etc etc etc.
March 03, 2011

Letterhead and postage+envelope to mail to Rick Perry, plus the University's resources and time spent, how about secretarial time we pay for? Or did he type it himself? On "Company time"?

People who violate laws, and policies, are the often biggest opponents of concealed carry and safe secure storage by responsible law abiding citizens ...

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In a nutshell, please stop stealing my tax money to promote your agendas, and intimidate freedom of speech of those Faculty and Staff who disagree.

[Thomas]

In a nutshell, please stop stealing my tax money to promote your agendas, and intimidate freedom of speech of those Faculty and Staff who disagree.

[gigag04]

I might take accounting all over just so I can carry in Strawser's class...

So far I've carried every day in class and I haven't gone nuts and started a shooting rampage...

[flintknapper]

I might take accounting all over just so I can carry in Strawser's class...
.

Thats.....bad.

[mikeintexas]

I might take accounting all over just so I can carry in Strawser's class...

So far I've carried every day in class and I haven't gone nuts and started a shooting rampage...

You haven't twisted off and gone crazy and started shooting in class? I don't understand that. Sarcasm off now...

[aggiedev]

I had quite a bit of fun "debating" in the comments sections of the recent articles in The Eagle. I just can't let uninformed opinions go unchallenged, I guess.

[The Annoyed Man]

Not commenting on the issue itself, because I stand firmly in support of Campus Carry, but I wouldn't want to deny a UT professor his or her constitutional right to political speech - even if I disagree with that person. The question for me isn't that they are exercising that right; it is that they are doing it on the job. There is a REASON that they have a code of ethics to which they are required to adhere. It is part of their terms of employment.

As a Texas taxpayer, and therefore sort of an employer, I would prefer that they do not exercise their right to political speech on the job, any more than any other employer would want their employees to spend their work hours talking politics instead of doing what they're being paid to do. I don't want them taking tap dancing lessons or holding Bible studies on "company time" either. They should be warned to stick to their paid duties while on campus, and then if they persisted, they should be fired.

[jordanmills]

I can't hardly read that with all the colors and size changes.

[jordanmills]

Not commenting on the issue itself, because I stand firmly in support of Campus Carry, but I wouldn't want to deny a UT professor his or her constitutional right to political speech - even if I disagree with that person. The question for me isn't that they are exercising that right; it is that they are doing it on the job. There is a REASON that they have a code of ethics to which they are required to adhere. It is part of their terms of employment.

As a Texas taxpayer, and therefore sort of an employer, I would prefer that they do not exercise their right to political speech on the job, any more than any other employer would want their employees to spend their work hours talking politics instead of doing what they're being paid to do. I don't want them taking tap dancing lessons or holding Bible studies on "company time" either. They should be warned to stick to their paid duties while on campus, and then if they persisted, they should be fired.

Yep. The problem is not him expressing his opinion. The problem is him expressing his opinion on state time, and expressing his opinion as a representative of the state.

[OldCannon]

I can't hardly read that with all the colors and size changes.

It was painful, for sure. For a while, I thought it was some kind of eye chart

[srothstein]

Not commenting on the issue itself, because I stand firmly in support of Campus Carry, but I wouldn't want to deny a UT professor his or her constitutional right to political speech - even if I disagree with that person. The question for me isn't that they are exercising that right; it is that they are doing it on the job. There is a REASON that they have a code of ethics to which they are required to adhere. It is part of their terms of employment.

As a state employee, this same law applies to me. It was made very clear to us in ethics classes we are required to take. I always have my rights to freedom of speech and to express political opinions. I just cannot use any state property (including pay meaning not on state time) to do so. Nor can I use my title in such a way as to give any impression of it being an official opinion.

So, Where the professors went wrong is using their position to make the opinion look official, not in expressing their opinion. The professors who just said that they were professors and would be afraid of students carrying concealed stayed within the law.

[aggiedev]

So, Where the professors went wrong is using their position to make the opinion look official, not in expressing their opinion. The professors who just said that they were professors and would be afraid of students carrying concealed stayed within the law.

Right you are.

The second issue in question here, ethically speaking, is that the personal opinions were expressed, hosted, and therefore distributed from a webserver that is owned and operated by Texas A&M. This is also unethical because it is state property and resources.

Where the line blurs, is that the faculty members do and should discuss the effect this legislation will have on their jobs. In my opinion this is job related and therefore can be conducted on "state time" and utilize other state resources. However, it is my opinion that any such conversations must happen privately so as to not confuse whether the, for example, Dean of Faculties is against the bills or if Dr. Cepeda-Benito the individual is against the bill. That is the question the ethics inquiry will attempt to answer.

[baldeagle]

There's nothing wrong with us speaking our political minds or even lobbying the legislature. We just can't do it as official representatives of our institution. We can't use official stationary to publish position papers or post our letter to the governor on the institution's website for all to see. It's the use of state resources to promote a personal agenda and/or give the appearance of the institution officially supporting a particular position.

[RPB]

I can't hardly read that with all the colors and size changes.

It was painful, for sure. For a while, I thought it was some kind of eye chart

I cleaned it up a bit, it was a little bright ... sorry about that.

[RPB]

UTA

The Tarrant County Republican Party accused university President James Spaniolo of violating state and employee conduct codes in his statement last week regarding the concealed carry on campus bill.

http://www.theshorthorn.com/index.php/n ... e-statutes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Local republican party accuses Spaniolo of violating state statutes.
Wednesday, 09 March 2011 21:38
Ali Amir Mustansir, The Shorthorn senior staff
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