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Faculty Affairs

California Oath Of Allegiance

As a prospective new California State University employee, you will need to sign an oath of allegiance before you begin your employment.  This oath is required of all California State employees of U.S. Citizenship [California Constitution, Article XX, Section 3; California Government Code sections 3100-3109.] Because it is mandated by the California Constitution, no alterations or interlineations may be made to the text of the oath.

 

At California State University, Fresno, the California Loyalty Oath is part of the Employee File Forms that you complete as part of your New Hire Onboarding process. For an example of the form, please click here!

 

Questions have been raised that, by signing the oath, CSU employees might be deemed to have obligated themselves to bear arms, in contravention of any personal religious beliefs they may have.  You should know that signing the oath does not carry with it any obligation or requirement that public employees bear arms or otherwise engage in violence.  This has been confirmed by both the United States Supreme Court (Girouard v. United States (1946) 328 U.S. 61) and the California Attorney General's Office.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

No. Courts have found that the oath does not require a person to bear arms or engage in violence, and a pacifist may take the oath.

No, changes to the words of the oath are not legally permitted. The language employees are being asked to sign has been challenged in court and was found to be constitutional.