CAN I REPORT ENTIRE DEPARTMENTS? The State of Illinois has a new law mandating annual ethics training for all State employees, including those in the state-tolerated universities. The training, as you might surmise, focuses on the receipt of gifts given by citizens seeking to influence a government agency. There is, however, a module explaining that it is unethical to condition employment or promotion on support for a particular candidate or party. The public-consumption version reads

What is "anything of value related to State government"?
For example, job positions or appointments in State government, promotions, salary increases, or the award of a state contract.

I wonder if I can request an investigation of entire departments? Consider, for example, the declaration on the civic responsibility of higher education reported by King at SCSU. It reads like the usual collection of McGovern Democrat talking points. Have any Illinois public university officials that signed this committed an ethics violation? (Apparently not ...)

Consider also the politicization of several disciplines Bill at Atlantic Blog has noted. Is the mere meeting of the English Department's hiring committee ... Modern Language Association priors and all ... conditioning of employment on support for a political position?