U. of North Carolina president reminds all UNC campuses of legal obligation to remain politically neutral
Winston-Salem Journal
November 5, 2010
UNC President Erskine Bowles has sent a letter to all the UNC campuses reminding school chancellors that they can’t allow the use of the schools to support political candidates or issues.
Bowles sent out the letter to all of the chancellors in the UNC system. The letter was sent in response to an incident at Winston-Salem State University in which the school sent out letters to 6,400 students, staff and faculty encouraging them to support Democratic candidates in the general election.
“Certainly that brought it to light, in terms of making it clear that there had to be a reminder for faculty and staff,” said Joni Worthington, UNC’s vice president for communications. “
WSSU officials said that the letter was sent out by the Michelle Releford, the head of the university’s Division of Student Affairs, on Monday at the request of a student. The school is saying that the mailing was accidental and that Releford did not read its contents before sending it out.