Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology

University policy on public statements

The Vice-Chancellor, or in appropriate circumstances, the Chancellor, will be the spokesperson for RMIT when any public statements concerning the affairs, plans or policies of the University are required. On such matters no written or verbal statement should be made by a member of staff without the prior approval of the Vice-Chancellor. Staff who are approached on such matters should contact the Director, University Relations, who will ascertain the University's official position and deal with the matter accordingly.

Any member of staff wishing to make a public statement as a private citizen without involving his/her affiliation with RMIT is of course free to do so without restriction of any sort. Nevertheless in these instances, regard should be paid to the official position of the University and its reputation and interest.

Where members of staff are called upon to make statements which fall within their professional competence, they are free to use their RMIT designation and affiliation. In these instances, the Director, University Relations, should be notified. All written statements (media releases) should be released from the University Relations Office.

Professor David Beanland
Vice-Chancellor

May 1994

This replaces the former policy dated July 16 1992.