The political conduct memo from the University ethics department elicited a memo in response from American Association of University Professors President Cary Nelson.

Nelson, a University English professor, called the cautions against wearing political campaign buttons, displaying partisan bumper stickers and attending political rallies “bullsh*t.”

“As a state agency, the University has the right to develop upon the state’s ethics policy,” said Nelson.

He said he objected to changes made in isolation from the opinions of the campus community.

Nelson said that students and faculty deserve the same freedom of expression, speech and assembly guaranteed in the constitution for the purpose of education.

He said under these guidelines, political science professors would be prevented from utilizing rallies as opportunities for class rhetorical analysis because faculty are not allowed to attend.

“It’s like saying only the student is allowed to read the textbook and excluding faculty and graduate students from the material,” he said.

Nelson said he e-mailed University 5,000 faculty members from all three campuses with a memo about the “concerns and injustices” implied by the ethics code.

He said the association was “not finished” and professors would be issuing another statement soon concerning the effects of the ethics policy on graduate students who work as teaching assistants.

“When we are told something unethical we’re bothered,” said Nelson.