Social Media Policy

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The Rocky Vista University (RVU) social media policy is established to ensure that all social media activity representing the University is conducted in a manner that upholds RVU’s mission, vision, and core values. This policy applies to all members of the RVU Community, including employees, students, alumni, and designated external representatives, who manage or contribute to social media accounts on behalf of the University. The policy is necessary to guide the professional and responsible use of social media, protect the University's brand and reputation, and ensure compliance with applicable laws and University policies. 

For the purpose of this policy, "social media" refers to, but is not limited to, blogs (web-based journals) and microblogs (e.g., Tumblr); collaborative websites (e.g., Wikipedia, etc.); message boards; social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, GroupMe, LinkedIn, X, Snapchat, Pinterest, WhatsApp); social networking features (University Portal); podcasts (multimedia distributed over the internet); video sharing (e.g., YouTube, TikTok); and photo sharing (e.g., Instagram, Facebook).

Policy 

RVU authorizes the creation and use of approved University social media accounts, provided such use is professional (i.e., HIPAA and FERPA compliant), protects the reputation and brand of the University, is owned and operated under RVU or approved by RVU Marketing, and complies with RVU policies, applicable laws, and regulations. 

RVU encourages respectful and constructive interactions among users and with the institution on its social media channels and within comment threads of RVU content. Users are reminded that their posts and comments on RVU's platforms are publicly visible. As such, they should be appropriate for all audiences and reflective of RVU’s values. 

RVU is not responsible for content posted by visitors on its social media channels. RVU reserves the right to screen and remove any content deemed inappropriate, including but not limited to offensive language; political endorsements; content that harasses, abuses, threatens, or otherwise violates the rights of others; advertisements, promotions, or other commercial content that sells products or services; any outside links; or spam. RVU also reserves the right to block and/or remove users and any associated content who violate this policy.

Requirements

The Marketing Department maintains, manages, and owns the official Rocky Vista University social media accounts. RVU is the exclusive owner of all RVU trademarks, branded merchandise, and related logos and imagery. Employees and students may not use the RVU logo without an approval ID from the Marketing Department. Visual identity standards must Page 2 OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY POLICY be properly adhered to by following RVU visual identity guidelines at https://www.rvu.edu/brand/. The RVU Marketing Department will oversee and monitor all RVU owned and approved accounts to ensure the following maintenance and updates are maintained.

Account Maintenance and Updates 

  1. Regular Updates: Official RVU social media accounts will be updated regularly, outlined during the initial setup of the account. Accounts or pages that remain inactive for three months or more may be deactivated or deleted.
  2. Administrator Changes: If there is a change in account or page administrators, the new administrator must notify the Marketing Department within one month. Failure to do so may result in account deactivation.
  3. Content Responsibility: The account or page administrator is responsible for ensuring that posts accurately reflect RVU’s core values. Social media communications must comply with all applicable University policies.
  4. User Access: The account or page administrators are responsible for ensuring the proper review, maintenance, and establishment of user roles and responsibilities within the selected platform; and conducting regular audits that include but are not limited to: datetimestamps of access by user, datetimestamp of content accessed by user, datetimestamp of any data downloaded by user, and/or provisioning/deprovisioning of accounts.

Approval and Branding Requirements

  1. Merchandise Sales: Any merchandise sold via social media accounts or pages must be pre-approved by the RVU Marketing Department.
  2. Naming Conventions: All social media accounts representing RVU must adhere to University naming conventions for consistent branding across platforms.
    1. Handles (Usernames): Accounts on platforms such as Twitter or Instagram should end with "RVU" (e.g., @LibraryRVU).
    2. Full Name Display: Accounts on platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn must start with "Rocky Vista University" (e.g., "Rocky Vista University Founders Library").

Professional Conduct and Content Guidelines

  1. Code of Conduct: Students should refer to the Code of Conduct in the Student Handbook, and employees should consult the Appropriate Conduct and Discipline section of the Employee Handbook to guide decisions about what is and isn’t appropriate to post on social media. Negative or unprofessional behavior online may result in consequences like those for in-person behavior.
  2. Content that violates RVU’s conduct expectations includes but is not limited to:
    1. Evidence of drug use
    2. Evidence of criminal activity
    3. Evidence of medical malpractice
    4. Violation of patients’ rights
    5. Evidence of workplace abuses (such as theft, harassment, or dishonesty)
    6. Evidence of academic fraud or abuses (cheating or dishonesty)
    7. In the interest of collegiality and inclusion, employees and students may not disparage other students, employees, or schools. RVU is a community and encourages everyone to act as such.
  3. Content Focus: Posts must be service- or education-based, supporting the objectives of the student club, interest group, track, or department. Posts about student life or RVU culture are permitted if appropriate. Departments and tracks should avoid engaging in political or sensitive topics through affiliated user sites, as they represent RVU. Student clubs, interest groups, and fellows should exercise good judgment in determining appropriate and professional content and avoiding cultural appropriation.
  4. Copyright: Respect copyright and fair use policies. When posting content, individuals must ensure they have the right to share it, especially if it involves third-party materials. If unsure about posts that may infringe on the copyright and intellectual property rights of others, contact the Marketing Department for further guidance.
    1. The following credits must be included when using photos or videos owned or provided by the Marketing Department: “Photos courtesy of Marketing Department at Rocky Vista University.”

Media Inquiries and Confidentiality

  1. Media Requests: Requests for information or interviews by the media must be referred to the Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment Management. Individual employees or students may not speak to the press on behalf of RVU without prior authorization.
  2. Confidential Information: Do not post proprietary or confidential information about RVU, including student, alumni, employee, contractor, or partner information or RVU proprietary information, including course content and test information. Be mindful of FERPA regulations and ensure that no personally identifiable student education records are disclosed through social media. Information collected in connection with research may be protected under a Nondisclosure Agreement, research protocol, or other applicable law or agreement.
    1. Any student in photographs that will be posted on social media sites must sign a photo release form before the photo may be posted. Copies of the photo release form can be requested from the Marketing Department. 

Authorization and Oversight 

  1. Posting Authority: Authorization is required to post on behalf of RVU or speak on behalf of the University in the social media space. This includes University departments, programs, and student organizations. An approval to post can be rescinded at any time.
    1. Personal testimonials and opinions should be presented in first-person, i.e., “My experience…” or “I think…” For further guidelines, see “Posting on Personal Sites” below.
  2. RVU Marketing or IT Department Access: The RVU Marketing or Information Technology (IT) Department may request access to any official RVU social media site. Administrators must comply with such requests to ensure oversight and adherence to University policies. 

Compliance with Platform Rules 

  1. Platform-Specific Rules: Follow all rules and regulations specific to each social media platform used (e.g., Facebook (TM), X (formerly Twitter) (TM), LinkedIn (TM), etc.).
  2. Compliance with University Policies: Communications on social media sites for University purposes must follow all applicable RVU policies. 

Posting on Personal Sites 

  1. Sharing University News: Employees are encouraged to share RVU news and events that are a matter of public record on their personal social media sites, preferably by linking directly to the source to avoid copyright infringement.
  2. Personal Opinions: When sharing views about RVU, make it clear statements are personal views and not on behalf of the University. A disclaimer, such as "The views expressed on this [blog; website] are my own and do not reflect the views of my employer," may be appropriate.
  3. University Logo Usage: Do not use the RVU logo on personal social media sites.