X-15.15 - Policy on Social Media

I. Overview 

This policy establishes standards of operation for Bowie State University (BSU) staff and faculty who create and distribute social media content as official representatives of the university or any of its units. Standards applicable to BSU students are outlined in the BSU Policy on Student Social Media Privacy. Social media content (written or visual) significantly impacts external perceptions of BSU and its brand. The guidelines within this policy are put in place to ensure the alignment of published social media content with the University’s mission, values, and brand identity.  

This policy does not apply to personal social media use of University faculty or staff. This policy is not intended to restrict communications or actions required by state or federal law. 

II. Purpose 

The purpose of this social media policy is to protect Bowie State University’s reputation, ensure legal compliance, and provide guidance to employees, faculty, and students on how to use social media effectively and responsibly while representing the institution positively. It helps strike a balance between free expression and protecting the interests of the University. 

III. Definitions 

  1. Institutional Accounts: Official BSU social media accounts and pages representing specific divisions, departments, offices, or programs within Bowie State University. 
  2. Affiliated – University Recognized Accounts: BSU-affiliated social media accounts and pages representing organizations, committees, student groups, and student resources officially recognized by Bowie State University. These accounts adhere to BSU standards and guidelines. 
  3. Unaffiliated: Groups of users or student accounts with a common interest and identification with Bowie State University, such as residence halls, clubs, etc. These accounts are not officially recognized or affiliated with BSU departments or programs. 

IV. Policy 

The Office of University Relations & Marketing (URM) serves as the primary administrator of the University’s official social media presence. As such, University departments, divisions, and offices may consult with URM to share relevant promotional information from the University’s main social media accounts. In certain circumstances, the establishment of social media accounts outside of the University’s main presence may be appropriate. In such cases, the user must first seek approval from URM to become a recognized account and must follow the standards established in this policy. 

A. BSU SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS OWNERSHIP | SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTORY   

Ownership of official Bowie State University social media accounts and content resides with Bowie State University. Separation of a particular account user from University employment does not change the University’s right, title, or interest in any official social media account. Any content an employee posts on an official social media account remains the sole property of the University as work for hire. By using any official University social media account, the user expressly assigns all rights, titles, and interests in the account and all content therein to Bowie State University. 

Recognized accounts are located within the Bowie State social media directory. This directory serves as the official record of social accounts for the University. Within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this policy, all BSU social media account administrators are required to ensure that their account is duly registered with URM.

    1. New Accounts

BSU divisions, departments, offices, and programs seeking to establish a new institutional or affiliated social media account after the effective date of this policy must seek approval from URM by completing the social media request form and meet the following requirements:

      1. Justify the need for extending the University’s social media presence by demonstrating effectively how the audience of the department, division, office, or falls outside of the audience coverage of the official BSU Account.
      2. Identify two permanent staff roles to serve as account administrators. If the account is approved by URM, the assigned account administrators must: 
      3. Create an account name using the approved naming conventions.

        @BSUDepartment/Division/Office Name | Twitter 

        Bowie State Department/Program/Office Name | LinkedIn 

        Bowie State Department/Program/Office Name | Facebook 

        @BSU Department/Program/Office Name | Instagram 

      4. Provide account access information, including staff administrators’ names, titles, account usernames, and passwords to the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) to ensure account security and preservation.
      5. Provide a quarterly report to URM inclusive of reach, engagement, and growth metrics to monitor account health and assess the impact on the University’s brand. 

                2. Established Accounts

Departments, divisions, and offices that manage social media accounts or pages established before the effective date of this policy must:

      1. Rename the account to align with the approved naming conventions (see New Accounts)
      2. Provide account access information including staff administrators’ names, titles, account usernames, and passwords to DoIT to ensure account security and preservation. 
      3. Provide a quarterly report to URM inclusive of reach, engagement, and growth metrics to monitor account health and assess the impact on the University’s brand.

B. BEST PRACTICES 

Bowie State University is committed to maintaining a positive and inclusive online presence through its official social media accounts. As such, all content shared on these platforms must align with the University's mission, values, and brand identity as outlined in the University’s Policy on the Use of University Name, Logo, and Brand Elements. It is the responsibility of the administrators of official University accounts to follow the procedures set forth in the Social Media Community Guidelines.

C. NON-COMPLIANCE

Any social media account or page operating outside of the official guidance of this policy is not acknowledged by Bowie State University and may not use any mark or language that insinuates a relationship to the University. 

Failure to comply with this policy's operation and administration guidelines may result in the account being closed.  The following guidelines have been outlined to manage the non-compliance review process. 

    1. Account Manager Notification and Rectification (Step 1)
      1. Notification: When URM identifies content on a University-recognized social media account that does not comply with the social media policy, the account representative responsible for the content will be notified promptly. The notification will clearly specify the issue, the content in question, and the policy violation.
      2. Response Time: The account representative will have a maximum of 48 hours from the date and time of the notice to rectify the issue and bring the content into compliance with the social media policy. During this time, the URM team may provide guidance and support to help the representative address the issue effectively.
      3. After the 48-hour period, the URM team will review the changes made to the content. If the correction is satisfactory and the content now adheres to the policy, no further action will be taken. However, if the content remains non-compliant or the representative fails to rectify the issue within the specified time frame, the case will be escalated to the next step.
    2. Supervisor Notification (Step 2)
      1. Supervisor Involvement: In the case of a failure to rectify an offense or a second offense by the same account representative, the URM team will notify the supervisor of the account representative about the non-compliance issue. The supervisor will be informed of the previous offense and the subsequent notification process.
      2. Supervisor's Role: The supervisor will work with the account representative to ensure that the issue is addressed promptly and in accordance with the policy. The supervisor may provide additional guidance, resources, or training to help the representative avoid further violations.
      3. Documentation: Both the URM team and the supervisor will maintain records of the notification and the steps taken to address the non-compliance issue. If the content is rectified within the stipulated timeframe, the process ends here. If a third offense occurs, the process proceeds to the final step.
    3. Access Removal (Step 3)
      1. Collaboration with IT: If a third offense occurs, the URM team will collaborate with DoIT to temporarily remove the account manager's access to the University-recognized social media account. This action is taken to prevent further non-compliance and protect the University's reputation.
      2. Access Suspension: The account manager's access to the social media account will be suspended until a formal review is conducted. During this period, the URM team, DoIT, and relevant supervisors will assess the situation, review past violations, and determine appropriate measures to prevent future violations.
      3. Reinstatement or Further Actions: Depending on the outcome of the review, the account manager's access may be reinstated with additional training, oversight, and monitoring. Alternatively, if the violations are deemed severe or persistent, the result may be the termination of privileges to operate an institutional or affiliated BSU social media account.

This three-step action plan ensures a systematic approach to handling non-compliance with the social media policy, aiming to address issues promptly, provide guidance for improvement, and implement escalating consequences if violations persist.

D. HANDLING EMERGING SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS 

    1. University Relations & Marketing will thoroughly research and evaluate emerging social media platforms before considering their adoption for use as official university channels and by university entities. Factors such as user demographics, engagement levels, content trends, and alignment with the University's communication objectives will be considered to ensure that it will be a valuable addition to the social media strategy. Privacy considerations and compliance with relevant laws and regulations will also be assessed. 
    2. All requirements for establishing and managing official and affiliated social media accounts also apply to emerging media platforms. Divisions, departments, offices, and programs must seek approval from URM through the protocols established in this policy before creating an account on an emerging platform.

V. Responsible Official

Vice President for Marketing & Communications

VI. Related Policies

V – 1.20 Policy on Student Social Media Privacy

X – 15.13 Policy on Acceptable Use

 Approval date: May 22, 2024