There is a nationwide initiative to “honor your professor,” and students at The University of Alabama are joining in.
However, before students decide to honor their professors with gifts, they might want to consider a few laws on the books.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Center for Ethics in Government, the state of Alabama limits and regulates gifts given to public employees, which include professors here at the University.
“No person shall offer or give to a public official or public employee or a member of the household of a public employee or a member of the household of the public official and none of the aforementioned shall solicit or receive anything for the purpose of corruptly influencing official action, regardless of whether or not the thing solicited or received is a thing of value,” according to the Alabama law.
These things of value include any gift, benefit, favor, service, gratuity, tickets or passes to an entertainment, social or sporting event, unsecured loan, other than those loans and forbearances made in the ordinary course of business, reward, promise of future employment or honoraria or other item of monetary value, according to a reading of the law.
According to the Center for Ethics in Government, these certain values do not include “greeting cards, items, services with little intrinsic value which are intended solely for presentation, such as plaques, certificates and trophies, promotional items commonly distributed to the general public.”
Exceptions also include “Hospitality, meals and other food and beverages provided to a public official or public employee and the spouse of the public official or public employee, as an integral part of an educational function, economic development function, work session or widely attended event, such as a luncheon, banquet or reception hosted by a civic club, chamber of commerce, charitable or educational organization, or trade or professional association.”
Louanne Elliott, a senior majoring in public relations, said she doesn’t see a problem with sending thank you notes to professors or peers.
“A professor told me that it’s good to send people thank you notes who have interviewed you for a job, so why not go ahead and get into the habit while you’re in college?” Elliott said.
Katrina Sharpe, a junior majoring in marketing, said she’s given her professor a Starbucks gift card for helping out with her resume.
“Without my professor’s help, I wouldn’t have known how to write a marketable resume,” Sharpe said. “I felt compelled to give.”
Sarah Barry, associate professor of dance, said according to the law, giving a thank you note or even gift cards less than $25 seems to be fine.
Barry said she thoroughly enjoys receiving handwritten thank you notes from students at the end of the semester.
“My favorite aspect of teaching is watching my students grow and change as a result of ideas and discussions and experiences we share in class and rehearsals,” Barry said. “It is very meaningful to me to hear them express gratitude for the time we have shared and to tell me about specific experiences they will remember or that have affected them deeply.”
Barry said she saves her thank you notes in a drawer in her office for keepsake.
“When I’m having a bad day or feeling really frustrated, I pull out a few cards and read them,” Barry said. “They remind me about why I love my job – because I have the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives in some small way. Even if it’s just one student each year, that is enough to keep me going.”
