Political Campaign Activity

Frequently Asked Questions

These FAQs are intended to assist in the application of the Guidelines on Political Campaign Activity (“Guidelines”) to particular situations.  This document will be updated periodically to address additional questions or concerns raised by faculty, staff or students.  If you have questions that are not answered in this document, please direct your questions to Richard Jacob at 203-432-4949.

Student Organizations

1. May a student organization engage in Campaign Activities? 

Yes, Yale student organizations may engage in Campaign Activity on campus, provided the members make clear they are doing so without the support or endorsement of the university by using the disclaimer provided in the Guidelines. The planning or conduct of any such activity may not involve the use of university funds or resources (as defined in the Guidelines). If such activity involves the use of a campus space or facility, the student organization must determine whether that use requires obtaining permission and, if so, must obtain permission from the relevant Yale office and observe all university policies regarding the use of campus spaces and facilities.

2. May a student organization whose name contains the word “Yale” use its official name in connection with Campaign Activities?

Yes, a Yale student organization whose name contains “Yale” may use its approved name in connection with Campaign Activities provided the organization makes clear that it is a student organization and that the Campaign Activity does not have the support or endorsement of Yale University by using the disclaimer provided in the Guidelines. The planning or conduct of any such activity may not involve the use of university funds or resources (as defined in the Guidelines).  If such activity involves the use of a campus space or facility, the student organization must determine whether that use requires obtaining permission and, if so, must obtain permission from the relevant university office and observe all university policies regarding the use of campus spaces and facilities.

3. May a student organization host an on-campus voter registration drive that encourages people to register to vote for a Candidate?

Yes, a student organization may host on campus a voter registration drive that encourages people to register to vote for a Candidate provided the organization makes clear the Campaign Activity does not have the support or endorsement of Yale University by using the disclaimer provided in the Guidelines. The planning or conduct of any such activity may not involve the use of university funds or resources (as defined in the Guidelines).  If such activity involves the use of a campus space or facility, the student organization must determine whether that use requires obtaining permission and, if so, must obtain permission from the relevant university office and must observe all university policies regarding the use of campus spaces and facilities.

4. May Undergraduate Organizations Committee funds be used to pay for expenses related to Campaign Activities, such as food or flyers for an event?

No, a student organization engaging in Campaign Activities must pay for any related costs with non-university funds.

5. May a student organization conduct fundraising activities on behalf of a Candidate?

Yes, a student organization may conduct fundraising activities on behalf of a Candidate, provided that while engaged in such activities, students make clear Yale University does not support or endorse the Candidate by using the disclaimer provided in the Guidelines on printed material and oral presentations. The planning and conduct of any such activity must not use university funds or resources (as defined in the Guidelines). If such fundraising activity involves the use of a campus space or facility, the student organization must determine whether that use requires obtaining permission and, if so, must obtain permission from the relevant Yale office and observe all university policies regarding the use of campus spaces and facilities. Student organizations that solicit donations online may do so only on websites outside of the yale.edu domain.

6. May an individual student or a group of students unaffiliated with a student organization engage in Campaign Activities?

Yes, individual students and groups of students unaffiliated with a student organization may engage in Campaign Activity, provided the individual student or group of students do not state or imply the support or endorsement of Yale University by using the disclaimer provided in the Guidelines on printed materials and in oral presentations. The planning and conduct of such activity must not use any university funds or resources (as defined in the Guidelines). If such activity involves the use of a campus space or facility, the student or group of students must determine whether that use requires obtaining permission and, if so, must obtain permission from the relevant Yale office and observe all university policies regarding the use of campus spaces and facilities.

7. May student organizations, individual students and groups of students unaffiliated with a student organization put up posters on campus regarding Campaign Activities?

Yes, student organizations, individual students and groups of students unaffiliated with a student organization may put up posters on campus regarding Campaign Activities provided no university funds are used in the production or distribution of the posters, the posters comply with university policies regarding such postings, and the posters contain the following disclaimer:

“This poster is sponsored solely by the [name of student organization] without support or endorsement of Yale University. Yale University does not participate in political campaigns on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.”

8. May students or student organizations hang banners, posters, flags or other campaign related material from their dorm or office window?

Students are free to post banners or posters on the interior walls of their dorm rooms, in accordance with all other applicable university policies.  No campaign-related materials may be displayed externally on a university facility or in any university office or work space.

Rev. 8/23/2016