Northern Illinois University Announcement

NIU Advocacy Guidance
April 10, 2025

Northern Illinois University (NIU) is committed to upholding freedom of expression while ensuring compliance with ethical conduct regulations for state employees. NIU encourages members of the university community to engage with elected officials on issues that matter to them and provides the following guidance for interacting with officials at the federal, state and local levels.

The director of Federal Relations and the director of State Relations serve as NIU’s official liaisons to the federal government and the State of Illinois. They represent the university in governmental matters and coordinate interactions between elected officials and NIU.

Faculty and staff can request briefings from Federal and State Relations on current legislative and regulatory matters affecting their units and NIU. Please contact the director of Federal Relations or director of State Relations directly to arrange a briefing.

This memo outlines best practice for engaging with elected officials and when to coordinate with NIU Government Relations.

Ways to Engage with Elected Officials

Signing petitions and letters: Faculty and staff can sign petitions and group letters in their personal compacity. When signing petitions or letters, faculty and staff can use their university affiliation and credentials only if it is clear that they are expressing personal views and not speaking on behalf of NIU.

If you would like NIU to support a sign-on letter, please contact Government Relations.

Advocacy Day Participation: Faculty and staff can participate in advocacy days or grassroots advocacy as a part of professional organizations, conferences, societies or other meetings in Springfield, IL, or Washington, D.C., within their professional capacities. If you plan to participate in these activities, please contact Government Relations, as that office might need to approve your involvement and also can provide NIU-specific information.

State of Illinois Witness Slips: Faculty and staff can submit witness slips to express support or opposition to specific legislation. When completing a witness slip, they can include NIU as their employer and list their job titles in the Contact Information section. Under the Representation section, however, they must indicate they are representing themselves and not NIU. There is no need to share your plans to support or oppose legislation with NIU Government Relations.

When to Contact Government Relations

Testimony or Witness Requests: Faculty and staff should notify Government Relations if they have been contacted by elected officials to provide testimony, background information or to otherwise appear before any government or administrative body. Government Relations can also help interested faculty to find opportunities to testify.
Elected Officials on Campus: Faculty and staff should contact Government Relations if they would like to invite elected officials to campus for a visit, speech or any other kind of appearance. Student organizations do not need to contact Government Relations but should work through Student Affairs for all campus activities.
Visits to Springfield, IL, or Washington, D.C.: If you are traveling to Springfield, IL, or Washington, D.C., for a conference, Advocacy Day, legislative or other professional purposes on behalf of NIU, Government Relations can support your efforts by assisting with scheduling meetings and providing background information.
Interest in meeting with elected officials on behalf of NIU: If you are interested in meeting with elected officials on behalf of NIU, please contact Federal or State Relations to find potential opportunities for engagement aligned with NIU priorities.

How to Write to Elected Officials

Elected officials highly value hearing from their constituents. Letters and email are the most direct way to contact them. If you are writing to an elected official, please remember that you are expressing your personal views and not those of NIU.

Important tips for your letter:

Ensure you are contacting the appropriate elected official who has jurisdiction over the issue at hand.
Clearly state the specific action you are requesting (e.g., cosponsor a bill, voting position on legislation or a nominee, funding for a program or introduce new legislation).
Use concrete examples to demonstrate the impact of the requested action will have on you, their district and/or the State of Illinois.
Be concise and clear about your request and the outcome you seek.

For further guidance, please contact:

Julia Rowe, director of Federal Relations
jrowe@niu.edu

Katie Davison, director of State Relations
kdavison@niu.edu
815-262-6078

This message is approved for distribution by the appropriate NIU party and is distributed by the Division of Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications. NIU Mass Email Policy.

Northern Illinois University's vision is to be an engine for innovation to advance social mobility; promote personal, professional and intellectual growth; and transform the world through research, artistry, teaching and outreach. Learn more about NIU’s vision, mission and values.