Federal Relations

Herky at the US Capitol

University of Iowa engagement with the federal government is coordinated by the UI's Director of Federal Relations.  This employee reports directly to the Chief of Staff of the President and is the primary contact for federal relations activities.

The expertise or viewpoints of individual faculty, staff, and students are frequently essential in developing assessments of the potential impact on the university of proposed legislation. In this context, when consistent with institutional objectives, the staff of the Office of Governmental Relations may facilitate direct communication to elected officials by University faculty, staff, and students. (see Operations Manual II-34 Lobbying Restrictions)

While faculty, staff, and students are also free to communicate individually with elected representatives about their personal views, it is important that any communication which is not coordinated through the Office of Governmental Relations be carefully framed so as not to imply that the individual is communicating an institutional position or viewpoint on behalf of the University (see Operations Manual II-33 Use of University Name).