The Board of Trustees for the University of Maine System has proposed a policy for political advocacy among UMS faculty that has proven controversial since faculty members received drafts of the policy.  The proposal specifies that statewide legislative advocacy must run through the office of the Chancellor.

According to UMS administrators, the policy will be helpful in protecting the nonprofit status (as well as the funding) of the University of Maine System.  Faculty are concerned that the policy, as written, will interfere with their ability to use the results of their research either in the classroom or in the community.

The new policy will likely receive a vote in March.

This controversy has been covered by the Bangor Daily News and InsideHigherEd, for those interested in further information.