At WashU, faculty members and staff are encouraged to share their expertise and opinions to support the university’s mission for teaching, research, and patient care.

Faculty & Staff Advocacy Methods

  • Writing Op-Eds: Author a short article with expert insights and data on a critical issue important to WashU’s mission.
  • Speaking Engagements: Provide written or oral expert testimony at a public hearing, official address, or meetings with government officials.
  • Media Engagement: Collaborate with Marketing & Communications teams in advance of engagements to share your stories across media channels to highlight innovative research, teaching, and WashU’s impact in the community.
  • Public Commentary: Submit expert comments in response to the Federal Register, or state and local regulations.

Support & Programming for Faculty & Staff

  • Government and Community Relations: Offers consultation and logistical support for faculty and staff advocacy and engagement.
    We invite faculty to attend future Advocacy Workshops hosted by the Office of Government and Community Relations designed to inform participants on how WashU currently advocates on behalf of the university and share best practices to help faculty members who want to advocate on topics of interest.
  • Marketing & Communications: Assists in strategic communications, news and media relations and publicizing research.
  • Office of the Vice Chanceller and General Counsel: Provides legal advice and representation to advance the university’s missions of fostering excellence in education, research, and patient care.

University faculty and employees are often asked by their professional associations to participate in lobbying activities. If university faculty choose to engage in such activities, any lobbying activity on behalf of another organization is not part of university employment. It is the responsibility of faculty members to ensure that others understand they are acting as an individual or on behalf of a professional association, and that you are not acting on behalf of Washington University.