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Section 2: Guidelines for Institutionally Sponsored and Moderated Social Media Sites

These guidelines apply to institutional accounts that are set up, maintained and moderated by Public Relations or Admissions on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Ning. These guidelines also apply to department-moderated social media sites.

  1. Institution-moderated social networking sites: Berea College has institution-moderated social network sites managed by Public Relations and Admissions staff. These sites can be used by the campus community to disseminate information to various audiences including prospective students, donors, alumni, and visitors of the College. Individual departments may choose to establish a department-moderated site when these institution-moderated sites are not applicable for their needs. Departments are required to contact the Web Team at webteam@berea.edu to register these sites.

    As part of the social media framework, Berea maintains an official presence on YouTube, BlogTalkRadio, Ustream, Vimeo, Flickr, and other similar sites for content sharing. These sites offer content to inform audiences about the mission and activities at the College and are often linked and accessed through our social media sites as well. Berea maintains an institutional presence on these sites with content produced or endorsed by the College. These sites are maintained by the Public Relations Office to reach alumni and friends as well as by the Admissions Office to reach prospective students. They serve as a clearinghouse for content produced and/or endorsed by that College for these audiences. Other departments and offices may contribute content to these official sites when approved by Public Relations or Admissions.

  2. If you operate a department-moderated social networking site: Departments shall consider their particular audience, message and goals and have a strategy for keeping information on their social media site up-to-date. The intention and purpose of the department-moderated sites should be specific in order to protect the College’s institutional voice. Efforts shall be made to cross link to institution-moderated sites managed by Public Relations or Admissions and/or to College content on www.berea.edu when relevant. Use of images, naming conventions, pictures/graphics and posted content must directly relate to the particular department or activity to avoid confusion with institution-moderated sites.

    The web team may also encourage the department to use the College presence to offer an integrated user experience and to take advantage of certain additional features available. For example, content from departments and programs could be published within a playlist on one of the College’s institutional sites operated by Public Relations or Admissions. In addition, the College sites may offer additional benefits to the department in terms of content exposure and the size of videos that could be uploaded and the length of time these videos will remain on the site. “Alternate” accounts that appear to represent our official presence on these sites are not permitted.

  3. Administrative access to Berea sponsored social media sites: A member of the Web Team (typically a PR representative by default) shall be included as an administrator on any social networking site that is moderated and maintained as an official presence of the College. There are several important reasons for this. We are assured that these networks are managed when staff members leave. This practice also allows us to communicate efficiently during an emergency and it allows us to track usage and quickly remove content that violates this policy. Site administrators are still responsible for their social media networks and the PR administrator typically serves as a backup. 

  4. Instructional use of social media sites: Faculty do not need to use our official presence on various social media sites and can use these tools freely to support teaching and learning activities. Departments and programs that want to establish “official” presences on these sites shall register with the web team at webteam@berea.edu. 

  5. Official Clubs and Organizations: may create an official web presence in consultation with the group’s advisor using social media or other web technologies as applicable. Students should consider their particular audience, message and group goals and have a strategy for keeping information on their social media sites up-to-date. These social media sites shall also be registered through webteam@berea.edu so that we can promote them in other media. Use of images, naming conventions, pictures/graphics and posted content must tie back clearly to the particular group or activity to avoid confusion with institution-moderated sites.