Duke is required by law to submit detailed quarterly reports on state & federal lobbying activity undertaken by individuals employed, or acting on behalf of, the University and the Health System. In order to capture these various lobbying activities for Duke University, the Office of Government Relations sends out a web-based lobbying questionnaire on a quarterly basis to select individuals on campus.
Certain forms of government interaction on Duke’s behalf by Duke representatives are subject to both federal and state regulations and Duke’s policy on government relations activities. The selected examples below are intended to enable interested Duke personnel to obtain a general understanding of what activities may (or may not) trigger related registration and reporting requirements.
Please note: The following is not intended as legal advice, and does not definitively address every government relations activity to which government regulations or Duke policy might (or might not) apply. Any questions regarding government relations activities or requirements or the Duke government relations policy should be directed to the appropriate office in the Duke system, listed below:
- For federal legislative and regulatory matters of interest to Duke University:
- Office of Government Relations
- 919-668-6270
- https://governmentrelations.duke.edu/
- For health-related issues at the federal level for Duke University Health System:
- Office of Duke Health Government Relations
- 919-416-8910
- https://govrelations.duke.edu/
- For issues and interests with government officials and legislators in Raleigh and throughout the state.
- Office of State Relations
- 919-416-8923
- https://staterelations.duke.edu/
Examples of government interaction and recommendations for action
| Situation | Is there a reporting obligation? | Should I notify Duke Government Relations and/or Duke Health Government Relations? |
|---|---|---|
| Professor Smith sends a research paper to Congressman Wagner regarding her stem cell research. | No | Yes |
| Professor Smith writes as a private citizen to a member of congress asking him/her to support a piece of legislation. | No | No |
| Professor Smith calls a program officer at NSF to check on the status of a grant application. | No | No |
| Professor Smith contacts a program officer to ask for clarification on a regulation regarding new awards. | No | No |
| Congresswoman Wagner invites Professor Smith to testify in front of her committee. | No | Yes |
| Professor Smith writes in response to a new notice of regulation regarding an issue of interest. | No | Yes |
| Professor Smith provides Congresswoman Wagner with legislative analysis which is non-partisan and educational in nature, available to the public and doesn’t advocate for the adoption or rejection of the law. | No | Yes |
| Professor Smith provides Congresswoman Wagner and her staff a copy of a study or research which is non-partisan and educational in nature, available to the public and doesn’t advocate for the adoption or rejection of the law. | No | Yes |
| Professor Smith provides Congresswoman Wagner and her staff with an analysis of legislation and also advocates for the adoption of the law. | Yes | Yes |
| Professor Smith visits with Congresswoman Wagner’s staff when they visit campus, and the Professor asks for support for increased NIH funding. | Yes | Yes |
| Professor Smith contacts a cabinet official regarding a program in their agency and asks for assistance. | Yes | Yes |
| Professor Smith lobbies Congresswoman Wagner as part of a delegation from the Association of Biology Professors for additional funding from NIH. | Yes | Yes |
| Professor Smith writes on university stationary and asks Congresswoman Wagner to vote for/against a particular bill. | Yes | Yes |