Introduction
As governed by SFCC Social Media Policy 8-7, this social media procedure covers the management, development and dissemination of the social media presence of the College and its programs, departments, employees and student groups.
Accountability
Employees or students of the college are personally responsible for and accountable for social media content that represents the college.
Removal of Objectionable Content
All social media use must comply with existing college policy and federal/state privacy laws.
SFCC has the right to block or remove any social media content on accounts that represent the College. Concerns can be reported to the Marketing and Public Relations Department.
Use of Copyrighted Material
When creating social media content, be aware and respectful of copyright and intellectual property rights. Give people proper credit for their work and acquire the rights or permission from license holder if you want to use copyright protected material. Questions about use can be directed to the Marketing and Public Relations Department.
Disclaimer
The College does not take any responsibility for pages or social media content purported to represent SFCC on unofficial or unapproved social media sites.
Use of College Branding Material
Employees and students using SFCC logos and representations in an official capacity must adhere to the procedures described herein for the development of social media and must not deviate from acceptable logo usage standards as established by the Marketing and Public Relations Department.
Use of the SFCC name, logos, or any other College image or iconography on personal social media sites that promote a product, cause or political party or candidate of any kind is prohibited.
Use of College photographs and videos on personal websites and social media is allowable with consent from the administrator of the site or media property from which the content has originated.
Respect College Time and Property
College computers and time on the job are reserved for SFCC-related business as approved by supervisors and in accordance with existing SFCC policies and procedures.
Oversight
Oversight of all SFCC-affiliated sites is the responsibility of the Marketing and Public Relations Department, who is the primary administrator for SFCC’s main social media presence. Those who wish to contribute information or make suggestions for SFCC social media sites can contact the Marketing and Public Relations Department.
Social Media for Instructional Purposes
College values and policies associated with academic freedom and the rights and responsibilities of instructional staff shall extend into social media content and participation. Except for the general provisions above and within boundaries of employee standards and instructional professionalism and ethics, full and adjunct teaching faculty member use of social media for instructional purposes is an approved College use. Faculty members are encouraged to engage in professional development surrounding the use of social media and social networks in instruction.
Creating a Social Media Presence for Non-Instructional Purposes
Offices/Departments/Student Groups
College groups and departments are encouraged to consider how social media and social networks might be used to pursue objectives and college mission. Social media sites that are produced by groups of the College and represent the college are considered College-affiliated sites.
Planning Social Media Sites
All social media sites that represent the College must have a designated sponsor. This sponsor must be an employee of the College and must be willing to administer and maintain a social media presence. The sponsor must also designate a second employee to serve as backup.
These sponsors must work collaboratively with Marketing and Public Relations at SFCC prior to development. Contacting the Marketing and Public Relations Department before any development will ensure proper steps will be taken when developing social media sites. Once the departmental sites are ready, the sponsor is responsible for maintenance and content development.
The Marketing and Public Relations Department reserves the right to edit and alter content if necessary.
Building Social Media Sites
A sponsor must describe an organizational purpose for the social media presence and a plan with employee accountability for monitoring content. Sponsors should consider their messages, audiences and goals, as well as a strategy for keeping information on social media sites up-to-date. All content placed on SFCC-affiliated sites must relate directly to College business, programs and/or services. Content cannot promote individual opinions or causes that are not directly related to SFCC’s mission and goals.
Sponsors should take care that content representing the College is grammatically correct, free of spelling errors and presented in an appropriate tone. Posts on social media sites should be professional in tone and in good taste. No individual College-related social media site should construe its platform as representing the College as a whole. Consider this when naming pages or accounts, selecting a profile picture or icon, and selecting content to post.
Fair Use
The policies of SFCC related to branding, copyright and intellectual apply to online publication, as well as in print. When using photos of people, there are several important factors to remember: Prior to posting a photo, written permission must be obtained from individuals who are identifiable in photos. The Marketing and Public Relations Department has photos and videos available for use, which have been pre-approved.
Sponsoring unit administrators should monitor sites closely and frequently to supervise user conduct. Any questionable conduct should be reported to Marketing and Public Relations.
Student Clubs and Organization Social Media Sites
Student clubs and organizations are encouraged to develop a social media presence. When associated with the College, these sites must adhere to SFCC policies. Clubs and organizations may establish a social media presence with the assistance of a designated staff member from the SFCC Office of Student Development. Oversight of all social media affiliated with student clubs and organizations is the responsibility of the Office of Student Development, who will work closely with Marketing and Public Relations. Approved student organization sites are considered extensions of the College educational environment. Contributors to student club and organization social media are accountable under established employee and student policies.
Contact: Todd Eric Lovato
Executive Director of Marketing and Public Relations
505-428-1217, todd.lovato@sfcc.edu
Updated: 4/17/2017
