Wesleyan College welcomes open discussion on our social media sites – including but not limited to our blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube pages – and look forward to any comments, stories, pictures, and experiences you want to share. That said, we do make reasonable efforts to monitor participation to ensure that you stay on topic, are courteous, and avoid making offensive comments.
The opinions and or views expressed on Wesleyan College’s social media platforms, as outlined above, represent the thoughts of individual bloggers and online communities, and not those of the College or any of their respective employees, or members of its board of directors. The opinions and views expressed on these pages do not in any way reflect the views of the site they are posted on, other sites affiliated with the site, the staff involved with maintaining the site, or any members of the site.
While Wesleyan College makes reasonable efforts to monitor and/or moderate content posted on its social media platforms, we do not moderate all comments and cannot always respond in a timely manner to online requests for information. Wesleyan College reserves the sole right to review, edit and/or delete any comments it deems are inappropriate. Comments including but not limited to the following may be deleted or edited by the moderators:
By submitting content to any of Wesleyan College’s social media sites, you understand and acknowledge that this information is available to the public, and that Wesleyan College may use this information for internal and external purposes. Please note that other participants may use your posted information beyond the control of Wesleyan College. If you do not wish to have the information you have made available via this site used, published, copied and/or reprinted, please do not post.
Approval Authority: Cabinet
Interpreting and Implementing Authority: Director of Communications
Effective: July 17, 2017
Last Revised: July 2017
Next Review Date: July 2022
A college’s social media presence is an extension of the school’s brand. With so many groups engaging in social media, it becomes extremely important for open lines of communication to exist across campus. Opportunities for collaboration are plentiful, but these collaborations can't occur if groups operate individually. By communicating openly, we can share best practices, learn from other people on campus, and observe, practice, and respect the guides set forth in this document.
This policy (1) provides guidance concerning the use of social media through the College’s network, systems or equipment and/or the use of social media to represent or discuss matters related to Wesleyan College and/or members of the Wesleyan College community; and (2) sets forth rules for the administration of Wesleyan social media sites.
Within the last few years, the growing popularity of social media has fundamentally changed the way we communicate as individuals and as an institution. Wesleyan College recognizes and embraces the power of social media, and the opportunity those tools provide to communicate with the Wesleyan College community, including students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and other interested parties.
It is important to recognize, however, that the use of social media at or concerning Wesleyan College is governed by the same laws, policies, rules of conduct, and etiquette that apply to all other activities at or concerning Wesleyan College.
Even activities of a private nature conducted away from the College can subject you to disciplinary action if they reflect poorly on the College or interfere with the conduct of College business
This policy applies to all use of social media by Wesleyan College students, faculty, and staff to represent or discuss matters concerning the College and/or members of the College community, whether or not such use involves the College’s network or other online resources.
Social Media Defined
For the purpose of this policy, social media is defined as Internet or mobile digital tools and systems used to share and/or receive information or conversation. Social media includes, without limitation, texting, blogs, and propriety platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, SnapChat, Google+, YouTube, Flickr, and Yammer.
Pertaining to social media sites CONTAINING THE WORDS WESLEYAN/WESLEYAN COLLEGE already in existence (created prior to 1/1/2017)
Process for Creating a Wesleyan College social media presence (as of 1/1/2017 and in the future)
To ensure that all social media efforts adhere to the design and policy standards of Wesleyan College and that efforts are not tied specifically to a Wesleyan community member’s personal account, all official Wesleyan College social media accounts must hereafter be created by the College’s Office of Communications, who will then grant the appropriate person(s) administrative access to those accounts. To request an account, fill out the form “Social Media Page Request Form” found on the portal.
Usage Guidelines
The Office of Communication may utilize social media to present information and content to the public and receive feedback from the public and the College community. Content and information released on social media is equivalent to content and information released to the press and the public in any other format, including press release, letter to the media, open letter to the public, etc. Care must be taken that content and information released to the public over social media is accurate, does not violate applicable laws (including, but not limited to, copyright, trademark and defamation law) or Wesleyan College policy.
As a social media administrator, you agree to:
Rules for Posting to Social Media Sites
When posting to any Wesleyan College social media site, communicating with members of the Wesleyan community, or discussing the College on any site, even through your own personal account or using your own phone, computer or other device without using the College network or equipment:
DO
DO NOT
For your personal safety, remember potential employers often consult social media during the hiring process, so it is always in your best interest to carefully consider every post you make and to keep all comments respectful.
Note: Wesleyan is not responsible for monitoring or pre-screening content posted on its social media sites. Notwithstanding the foregoing, reserves the right to monitor its sites and remove, without notice, any content that Wesleyan determines to be harmful, offensive, commercial in nature, or otherwise in violation of law or this Policy.
If you become aware of objectionable content posted on a Wesleyan social media -- or objectionable comments concerning the College that are posted on an unaffiliated site – please notify the Office of Communications promptly. Do not reply on behalf of the College. The Office of Communications Social Media Coordinators will work with the appropriate department(s) as necessary to address the objectionable content.
Posting to Social Media Sites Not Administered by Wesleyan College
Wesleyan College is aware that members of the Wesleyan community may wish to express their personal ideas and opinions through private social media that are not administered by the College.
Nevertheless, Wesleyan reserves the right, under circumstances it deems appropriate and subject to applicable laws and regulations, to impose disciplinary measures, up to and including dismissal from the College or termination of employment, upon students, faculty, or staff who use private social media sites or communications resources in violation of the Usage Guidelines in this policy or in ways that reflect poorly on the College or are deemed to interfere with the conduct of College business.
In appropriate cases, such conduct may also be reported to law enforcement authorities.
Site Approval, Administration and Requirements
Unless specifically authorized by the Office of Communications, no Wesleyan College employee or student may create an “official” Wesleyan College presence on any form of social media, now in existence, or created in the future, or represent themselves as a spokesperson or authorized representative of Wesleyan College. Some employees may be required to use social media as part of their employment responsibilities. If so, such status will be clearly stated in an employee’s work responsibilities.
With appropriate authorization, Wesleyan College social media sites may be administered on behalf of (a) Wesleyan College as an institution; (b) individual programs or departments; (c) members of the faculty, in connection with a specific course; or (d) student organizations. Unauthorized use of the Wesleyan College name, logo, or trademarks without the express permission of an authorized official of the College is strictly prohibited.
Authorization of Social Media Sites
Any person or organization who seeks authorization for a new site will be expected to articulate an appropriate purpose of the site and a reasonable plan for managing its content. All new sites require approval from the Office of Communications.
Site Administrators
In addition to an authorized faculty or staff member, every authorized Wesleyan College social media site must make the Office of Communications a designated administrator. The Office of Communications must be notified of any changes or additions to designated administrators.
Site Registration
Site Requirements: Required Terms of Use, Privacy Policies, and Disclaimers
Acknowledgement and Agreement
Every Wesleyan College social media site shall also include the following:
Disclaimer
Every Wesleyan College social media site shall also include the following:
“Content posted to this site represents the views of the individuals who post it and, unless stated otherwise, neither represent the views of nor are endorsed by Wesleyan College.”
Wesleyan reserves the right, under circumstances it deems appropriate and subject to applicable laws and regulations, to impose disciplinary measures, up to and including dismissal from the College or termination of employment, upon students, faculty, or staff who use private social media sites or communications resources in violation of the Usage Guidelines in this policy or in ways that reflect poorly on the College or are deemed to interfere with the conduct of College business. In appropriate cases, such conduct may also be reported to law enforcement authorities.
The Director of Communications is responsible for informing the campus of this policy, updating the policy as needed and informing the appropriate supervisor if there has been a violation of the policy.
Note: These social media guidelines were originally developed by the Berkeley College and have been edited and revised for the Wesleyan College community. We thank our colleagues at Berkeley College for sharing them with us and giving us permission to adopt and modify them for Wesleyan.
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