As we begin the fall semester, the following is a reminder of employee rights as a citizen and commitments as a team member. As a citizen of North Carolina, you have the right to express your opinions and are encouraged to participate in election and legislative processes.
Be mindful of the following policies (depending on your employer):
- UNC Hospitals Policy
- UNC-Chapel Hill policy on political activities
- UNC Chapel Hill policy on acceptable technology use
- Free Speech at Carolina
- UNC System policy governing political activities by University employees
- UNC System policy on institutional neutrality
Media Requests
The UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health media relations team is available to help with questions about news media.
If you receive a request from a journalist for official UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC School of Medicine or UNC Health responses:
- Requests for official University responses should be forwarded to mediarelations@unc.edu.
- Requests for official UNC School of Medicine or UNC Health responses should be forwarded to phil.bridges@unchealth.unc.edu and alan.wolf@unchealth.unc.edu.
If you receive a request from a journalist for your professional and/or personal reaction:
- You are free to offer personal and/or professional reaction to news media.
- Specify in your interview that you are sharing your personal beliefs or professional perspective.
- Specify that you are not speaking on behalf of UNC-Chapel Hill, the UNC School of Medicine or UNC Health.
- Refer the journalist to UNC-Chapel Hill media relations for official University responses or to Phil Bridges and Alan Wolf for questions specific to the UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health.
Clarity on Personal vs. Professional News Media Responses
Only authorized personnel, in consultation with University, School of Medicine and UNC Health leadership, may issue official statements on behalf of the organizations.
SOM and University units should not issue statements on either organization’s behalf through social media, news media, internal messages, or other platforms.
If you are asked to speak on behalf of the University, school or health system, contact the appropriate teammates listed above.
Example of an organizational response
- UNC-Chapel Hill believes…
- UNC Health takes XYZ seriously…
- The UNC School of Medicine prioritizes….
Example of a professional perspective response
- My research shows XYZ…
- Scientific consensus on XYZ topic is XYZ…
- My study, published in XYZ journal, outlined results of a trial that….
Example of a personal perspective response
- I believe XYZ…
- My personal reaction to X news was XYZ…
- I believe XYZ should focus on ABCD…
Additional Communications
For more on free speech and political activity, please review the policy information listed here.
Official communications on UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health websites, social media channels and other communications channels are to be used for business communications and are distinct from personal opinions and personal communications shared on personal communications channels.
Employees may share their personal opinions through personal platforms, personal email or conversations, and can share their professional opinions through professional association spaces and other professional communications channels.
Communications that are political in nature should follow appropriate policies on political activity.
When appropriate, employees should clarify that they are sharing personal or professional opinions, not official statements on behalf of UNC-Chapel Hill, the UNC School of Medicine, a University unit or UNC Health.