609 - Social Media Policy and Procedure

Responsible Office: Information Technology
Responsible Officer: Chief Information Officer
Related Minnesota State Board Policy: n/a
Related Minnesota State Board Procedure: n/a 

PART 1. POLICY 

Minnesota State College Southeast uses social media accounts in its marketing and communications strategies to convey accurate and timely information that reinforces the college's mission and brand identity. Social media accounts include, but are not limited to, outlets such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  

Social media accounts are owned and administered by the college and reflect the institutional, not the individual's, point of view. College social media accounts may not be used to promote or endorse political causes, non-college related products, or personal beliefs. 

Personal online presences, where the individual is not representing the institution, are not considered the purview of the college. Examples include personal LinkedIn accounts, personal Twitter accounts, or personal blogs where the individual, rather than the college, is the subject. The college does not monitor accounts that do not explicitly represent the institution.  

PART 2. PROCEDURE  

1. Ownership and maintenance of accounts 

a. Any social media presence representing the college as an entity or institution must be under the administration of marketing, communications, and IT staff in order to ensure proper messaging, branding, and continuity through staffing changes. Marketing/ communications/IT staff will create and maintain logins and passwords. At any given time at least two staff members must have access at the administrative level.
b. If a department or club wishes to have its own social media account, a request can be made to marketing/communications. Secondary social media accounts are created by marketing/communications and IT staff; content editing rights are conferred to department or club representatives upon approval from the dean or supervisor. Editors must adhere to college policy and procedure.
c. If an individual creates an account representing the college or any department, division, or club within the college, account administration must be transferred to marketing/communications and IT staff. If appropriate, editing rights can be continued by the original creator.
d. Once launched, departments are responsible for posting new material, monitoring their accounts, and responding to inquiries and comments.
e. The marketing/communications team may suspend or close accounts that are not accurate, not in adherence to college brand standards, in violation of college policy and procedure, or no longer maintained.
f. If an account administrator or editor is no longer employed by or enrolled at the college, their editing privileges to college social accounts must be promptly reassigned.

3. Engagement and comments

a. By its nature, social media is open to comments. The opinions of individual commentors will be allowed, even if critical of the college, provided they do not violate conditions listed below.
b. Comments that are bullying, threatening, harassing, discriminatory, or defamatory may be deleted. Accounts which continue to post such comments may be blocked. 
     i. Student comments that violate the Student Code of Conduct (Policy 113) will be referred to the Dean of Students office and may result in disciplinary action.
     ii. Inappropriate employee comments will be referred to the human resources department for action. 
c. Comments which are off-topic, or inserted for the purpose of selling products, may be removed. 
d. Concerns about postings made in individual student or employee accounts may be reported to the Dean of Students or Human Resources. 

Adopted: March 22, 2021
Reviewed: May 10, 2023 – no revisions
Revised: May 10, 2021