Social Media Policy
Social media is defined as media disseminated through electronic and web-based social interaction and created using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques. Examples include LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and MySpace. Employees and students of St. Cloud Technical and Community College are reminded that social media platforms can have a significant impact to the reputation of the institution and to the accuracy of information available to the public. Accordingly, employees and students should give full consideration to anything published on these sites.
Employees of SCTCC are bound by the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) – as such we require permission from our students before publishing content about them. Similarly, privacy of employees of the institution and members of the larger SCTCC community must be respected. Confidential or proprietary information about SCTCC, students, employees, or alumni should not be posted.
All content published by the college must be accurate and consistent. Any information distributed via social media must match the official information distributed through SCTCC print materials and website. (Available here: http://www.mnscu.edu/board/procedure/1c0p1.html and http://www.mnscu.edu/board/policy/522.html)
The names “St. Cloud Technical and Community College” and “SCTCC” are the trademarked intellectual properties of the college and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. These names may not be used by third party groups or organization as the names of websites or of account names in any social media websites. Only authorized employees of the college and designated student representatives of clubs and athletic organizations from the college may operate or maintain such pages and accounts.
Copyright and intellectual property rights of others and of the college must be adhered to in any social media connected to the college. Employees and students can not use text or media (video, images, etc.) without the permission of the owner. In addition, sources must be cited. See MnSCU Board Policy 3.26 and 3.27
All social media efforts are subject to MnSCU Policy 1C.0.1 – Conflict of Interest and 5.22 Acceptable Use of Computers and Information Technology Resources.
Employees and students are liable for anything published online. Employees may be held accountable for content published in affiliation with SCTCC that contains content which is defamatory, pornographic, proprietary, harassing, libelous, or that creates a hostile work environment. Students similarly may face disciplinary action for violations of student conduct as outline in Chapter 3 of MnSCU Board Policies.
St. Cloud Technical and Community College will consider the removal of content from its social media presences upon request of individuals affected by content that compromises their privacy or when content is found as inaccurate. The college can make no guarantees that the content will not be cached and preserved online by a third party such as Google.
Employees cannot misrepresent themselves when posting or interacting on social media. All SCTCC employees and students using college resources to use social media platforms are subject to the college’s computer acceptable use policy.
S5.6.1 Social Media Procedure
Social Media Procedures
Any social media endeavor that is published on behalf of the college should follow the procedures outlined below:
- A site or account representing SCTCC may not be created without seeking prior approval from an Administrator at SCTCC. A social media form, located on the SCTCC intranet, must be completed and presented at the time of the request for approval. The form must be completed by the person who is proposing to create a social media page and must be approved by an Administrator prior to launching the site.
- All official presences must have a web link back to SCTCC’s website (www.sctcc.edu) so that those using social media platforms can find their way back to the college website.
- The presence must provide information about who maintains the presence and their contact information. Upon launch of the site, the CIO of SCTCC must be provided with the logon information and passwords in the event the site must be accessed in the absence of the site creator.
- Logos, trademarks or any other images (including photos taken/owned by SCTCC) from the college may not be used without prior approval. The presence should be readily identifiable as being part of the college by adhering to the SCTCC Graphic Identity guide.
- SCTCC’s name shall not be used to promote a product, cause, political party or candidate.
- Media contacts about SCTCC should be referred for coordination and guidance to the President’s Office.
- Employees of SCTCC should strive at all times to be accountable to our audiences which means committing to regular updates, accuracy, and responding promptly when appropriate (whether it be admitting error, correcting misinformation, or taking action on their behalf). Pages or accounts with no posts for one year will be deleted or deemed inactive.
- Only employees of SCTCC and designated leaders of clubs and athletics organizations from SCTCC should have access and responsibility for updating and maintaining social media web pages and sites affiliated with the college.
Resources
- Derek DeVries, Grand Rapids Community College (used with the authors permission)
- Blogger Code of Ethics, Charlene Li (Forrester Research)
- WOMMA Code of Ethics, Word of Mouth Marketing Assoc.
- Wikipedia, Article on Social Media http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media
- Kristine Kaplan, Deputy General Counsel, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities