UK’s rules on campaigns, donations & employees in politics

The University of Kentucky has no formal policy on accepting donations from political figures, a spokesperson said, following a multi-million dollar donation from a candidate for governor.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Craft and husband Joe Craft donated $7.5 million to UK to be used toward the renovation of the football program’s indoor practice field and the construction of a new indoor track facility. The donation was announced just over a week after Kelly Craft launched her campaign for governor.

The Crafts “have been long-time donors to the institution and discussions regarding this gift started long before an announced candidacy,” spokesperson Jay Blanton said.

The athletics facilities project was approved by the Board of Trustees earlier this year, and total costs are estimated at $25 million.

As part of the donation, the new track facility will be named after Jim Green, a former UK track star and the first African-American athlete to graduate from the university in 1971.

The Crafts are previous donors to the university, and the most prominent donors to the athletics department. The basketball and football training centers at UK are already named after Joe Craft, who also led donations for the Wildcat Coal Lodge, the dorm that houses members of the men’s basketball team. Kelly Craft was previously a U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations for President Donald Trump and is a former member of the UK Board of Trustees.

The Crafts’ donation is not the first from a politician to UK. Gray, Inc., a construction and engineering company owned by the Gray family, donated more than $5 million earlier this year for the renovation of the Reynolds Building on campus. Jim Gray is the former Lexington mayor and current secretary of Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet.

Former and future politicians have also served on the board of trustees, the governing board of the university. Former Kentucky Governor Albert B. “Happy” Chandler served on the board in the 1980s, and former Governor Edward “Ned” Breathitt Jr. served as board chair in the 1990s.

Policies for employees engaging in politics

UK does have a policy for employees who wish to engage in political activities or run for office.

“The University of Kentucky respects the right and responsibility of employees as individual citizens to engage in local, state and national politics,” the policy says. “However, because the university is a public entity, its faculty, staff and administrators may only engage in political activities or hold public office if they are able to do so within the applicable law and University regulations, and while meeting the obligations of their position at the University.”

Employees cannot engage in political activities on UK property during normal working hours or at official university functions, according to the policy. They are also not allowed to “depict their personal views as representing the university when engaged in political activities.”

UK’s policy on demonstrations and “other assemblies” allows “all members of the university community” to engage in peaceful protests and advocacy. There are some restrictions on where protests can take place, but are allowed “in those appropriate areas of the campus that are regularly available to the public,” according to the policy.

Employees who run for public office or who are appointed to a public office also have guidelines they must follow. If an employee is able to campaign and hold office without it interfering with their job responsibilities at UK, they may do so. However, if campaigning or holding office affects their job or work schedule, they may be asked to take an unpaid special leave of absence, according to the policy.

If the political office is a full-time position, the employee has to take a leave of absence or resign.

Herald-Leader reporter Jon Hale contributed to this story.