Employees Who Are Candidates for Public Office

Policy Administrator: Chief Officer for Diversity and Inclusion

Authority: N.J.A.C. 19:61-5.9

Effective Date: December 4, 1975; May 30, 2009; August 10, 2010; February 16, 2011; October 8, 2020; February 24, 2021

Index Cross-References:

Policy File Number: VI-11.4

Approved By: Board of Trustees

Stockton University’s Chief Officer for Diversity and Inclusion serves as the University’s Ethics Liaison Officer.

I. POLICY:

A. Any full-time University employee or officer who plans to qualify and run for a public office shall notify the University’s Ethics Liaison Officer and their Divisional Executive in writing ten days prior to qualifying for public office. This notification allows for the Divisional Executive and the Ethics Liaison Officer to screen for conflicts of interest. The employee is not required to identify their political party when giving such notification.

B. State employees are prohibited from serving as campaign treasurers due to the reporting and representation requirements of that position. Service in any other campaign position that requires filing reports with, or representation before, a State agency is also prohibited.

C. State time, resources, and materials may not be used for political activity.

Before qualifying for a public office, University employees should review their plans as a potential candidate with the employee’s Divisional Executive to determine if the requirements for conducting the campaign or the requirements of the position, if elected, will interfere with the employee’s duties. If such a determination is made, the employee should either resign from employment or request a leave of absence without pay for such period of time as is determined by the employee’s Divisional Executive to be in the best interest of the University.

Review History:

Policy Administrator 07/17/2020

Divisional Executive 08/21/2020

General Counsel 08/24/2020

Cabinet 10/08/2020

President 10/08/2020

Board of Trustees 02/24/2021

*Minor changes were made on September 9th, 2024, after the Board of Trustees approval, to remove references to the Hatch Act as individuals employed by educational or research institutions are not covered under the Act.