UO Advocates
UO Advocates are volunteers working in collaboration with the UO Alumni Association and university staff to ensure affordability and access for our students, deliver a rich, excellent educational experience, build our faculty, and promote scholarship and scientific research. Advocates come from the ranks of alumni, faculty, friends, staff, and students of the University of Oregon, who all strive to represent the UO and advance its legislative priorities. Anyone who is interested can be a UO Advocate. As an advocate, YOU can help make the University of Oregon more accessible and affordable for current and future students by adding your voice.
Joe Erickson is the director of advocacy and policy.
To join, visit uoadvocates.com
Engaging with elected officials
Federal and state laws place restrictions on providing public officials with items of value, including food, event tickets, gifts, and mementos. Those restrictions apply to elected and volunteer officials and also to public employees.
Government and Community Relations works closely with local, state, and federal elected officials. If you are interested in engaging with a federal official or inviting an official to an event, please call us first. We can help! Call us at (541) 346-5381 or e-mail gcr@uoregon.edu.
The Oregon Government Ethics Commission provides more information on state law governing gifts to and engagement with state and local officials.
Visit the UO Ethics page for more guidance on inviting public officials to a UO event or trip.
Federal Lobbying Disclosure
The Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, amended by Congress in 2007, is a federal law requiring disclosure of lobbying efforts, including those of the University of Oregon, directed at Congress and the federal executive branch. The act does not prohibit such efforts. The UO must report quarterly the issues lobbied upon, and its lobbying expenses. Any questions should be directed to Associate Vice President for Federal Affairs Betsy Boyd. Please email eaboyd@uoregon.edu or phone (541) 346-0946.
More information on Federal lobbying disclosure
State Lobbying Disclosure
Oregon law requires individuals to register if they spend more than $100 or 24 hours during a calendar quarter on lobbying activities. Lobbyists are required to file a registration statement for each person, business, or organization they represent. Government and Community Relations coordinates reporting and registration for the university.
The Oregon Government Ethics Commission provides more information on state law governing lobbyist registration and restrictions.
Restrictions on campaigning by public employees
The state also places certain restrictions on campaigning by public employees. The quick card provides a summary of rules governing employee activity. Human Resources provides more details about using UO resources for political activities.
The American Council on Education (ACE) provides guidance on the "do's" and "don'ts" of political campaign-related actvities of and at colleges and universities and has provided an update for 2020 with a focus on student voting and college politcal campaign activities.
Visit the UO Ethics page for more guidance on political activities and use of UO resources.