Online Presence Policy

Social Media Accounts, Online Profiles, & Websites Other Than midmich.edu

Purpose

The purpose of the Mid Michigan College Online Presence Policy is to

  • support and maintain a consistent, cohesive, active online presence for the College,
  • maintain the integrity of College-related accounts and access to those accounts,
  • and ensure a positive experience for all individuals who interact with the College via online channels.

This policy defines ‘accounts’ as all College-related social media accounts, online profiles that may appear on other sites, and websites outside of the College’s main domain midmich.edu.

  • The personal social media accounts or profiles of students, employees, contracted employees, or volunteers are not included in this policy. For guidance on personal accounts and profiles, refer to the Employee Handbook or Student Code of Conduct.

Goals & Objectives

  • To build and maintain relationships with students, community members, and supporters by creating and maintaining welcoming, accessible, engaging, active accounts.
  • To provide relevant, consistent, concise, accurate information.
  • To provide a clear set of regulations regarding authority and responsibility for the oversight and maintenance of accounts.
  • To preserve and complement the College’s brand standards through consistent, cohesive, and aesthetically appropriate content.
  • To eliminate the proliferation of multiple, inconsistent, inactive accounts.
  • To develop better alignment with best practices for content.
  • To ensure that College-related accounts meet compliance standards.

Units & Persons Affected

All College departments, recognized student organizations, faculty, staff, students, volunteers, partnership coordinators, and community members working with the College should review and adhere to this policy.

Responsibilities

Select departments have enhanced responsibilities as stewards of the College’s accounts and related technologies.

Strategic Communications

Strategic Communications acts as the official account administrator for the College, and is responsible for all content and related decisions. Members of the College community who wish to suggest an account or content should connect with Strategic Communications to request consideration. Strategic Communications oversees the creation and administration of all accounts, regularly audits branding and content, provides support to account administrators, and ensures compliance with policies, procedures, and requirements.

Information Technology

The Information Technology department is responsible for ensuring that requests related to accounts are coordinated with Strategic Communications. The department is also responsible for ensuring that Mid’s online, student, or public-facing sites comply with brand and compliance standards by collaborating with Strategic Communications. 

Online & Distance Learning

The Online & Distance Learning department is responsible for ensuring that Mid’s learning management system complies with brand and compliance standards by collaborating with Strategic Communications. 

Policy

The College’s Online Presence Policy applies to all College-related accounts. With the proliferation of software-as-a-service and cloud-based web tools, mobile applications, and social media channels, the delineation of web activity hosted on the College’s official web presence (midmich.edu) and/or externally hosted websites is not always obvious. For the purposes of this policy, all content, digital assets, and/or other forms of digital external publication and accounts presented on behalf of the College and/or any of its programs or units is subject to this and other policies, and the College reserves the right to remove content and accounts that do not conform.

Account Administration & Moderation

  • If a request to create an account is granted, an employee must be designated as an account moderator to serve alongside a Strategic Communications team member(s).
    • Designated employees must sign an Account Moderator Agreement, which states that they have read and understood this policy and best practices, and met with Strategic Communications.
    • In select situations, a community member may be granted moderator access to accounts, but these situations are limited.
  • Account moderators are responsible for keeping the account active, monitoring account activity, and ensuring the accuracy of information.
  • Account moderators are responsible for ensuring that they comply with the College's policies, guidelines, standards, and requirements.
  • If issues related to any policies, standards, requirements, or best practices develop, the following process will be followed.
    • Strategic Communications will meet with the account moderator to review the issues, provide guidance, and develop a plan to move forward.
    • If issues persist, account moderator access may be removed.
  • College employees, students, and guests who create or contribute to accounts must abide by federal, state, and local laws.

Account Creation

Accounts must be requested through Strategic Communications. Accounts must not be created before meeting with Strategic Communications, and notifying Strategic Communications that an account has been created does not qualify as a request.

Requests to create an account should be submitted to Strategic Communications via a Marketing & Communications Help Desk Ticket or by emailing stratcomm@midmich.edu. Requests are reviewed to ensure all impacts are addressed.

Prior to account creation, a strategic discussion will take place with the involved parties to discuss the following.

  • Goals & Outcomes
  • Target Audience & Channel Alignment
  • Available Existing Channels vs New Channel Creation
  • Content
  • Standards, Requirements, & Best Practices

If a request is approved, Strategic Communications will proceed with account creation, branding, and assigning moderator access to the designated employee.

If a request is not approved, Strategic Communications will work with the requestor to promote their content on existing accounts or through other means.

URLs

The purchase, selection, or creation of URLs for any College-related accounts, websites, or pages must be requested and approved by the College’s Strategic Communications and Information Technology departments prior to completing the purchase or selection.

Vendor Provided/Managed Sites

Accounts or websites managed by or procured through vendors must still abide by the College’s policies, brand standards, accessibility requirements, and applicable best practices.

Login & Password Information

Some accounts allow users to utilize their personal accounts for account moderation. In this instance, account moderators do not need to provide their login and password information to Strategic Communications as long as a Strategic Communications team member is an account administrator. If that is not the case, a solution will need to be agreed to so that account access credentials are on file with Strategic Communications.

Other accounts use one account-based login and password that all account administrators and moderators share. In this case, the account login and password must be on file with Strategic Communications.

Future Technologies

As new account opportunities emerge and evolve, departments are required to coordinate with Strategic Communications before establishing a College presence. Strategic Communications may pursue, limit, and/or delay consideration for a new account until a strategic decision can be fully considered and sufficiently supported.

Account Management & Maintenance

Accounts must be maintained at an acceptable level, as defined below. Accounts must

  • Comply with brand standards.
  • Be active with a minimum of three posts per week.
  • Show a significant, meaningful audience reach and/or audience growth over time.
  • Responsive to comments, mentions, and messages.
  • Comply with best practices regarding content development, accessibility, etc. Best practices are outlined in the College’s Social Media Best Practices Guide attached to this policy.
  • Retain a minimum of one account moderator and a Strategic Communications team member as account administrator.

Account moderators serve as representatives of the College, and the account must reflect the mission and goals of the institution. Account moderators must maintain accuracy in all published content, not violate copyright policies or laws, protect confidential and proprietary information, and post content that utilizes language, images, video, and other forms of expression (e.g.: gifs, emojis, stickers, etc.) that positively represent the College and that align with the institution’s mission, values, and goals.

Strategic Communications monitors social media accounts and content related to the organization on a daily basis. Any content and/or accounts that do not align with this policy will be reviewed and either corrected or discontinued.

Annual Audit

Strategic Communications performs an annual audit of accounts, including the identification of new accounts, in order to maintain the College’s online presence. Once the audit is complete, outreach is conducted to support account moderators, align accounts with this policy, and, if necessary, discontinue existing accounts.

  • Accounts are evaluated based on the account maintenance items listed above.
  • Strategic Communications will make three attempts to contact moderators of accounts or websites created outside of this policy to request that the account meet policy requirements. After three attempts, Strategic Communications will request, either to the moderator or a third-party vendor, that the account be removed. If the account moderator can be identified, Strategic Communications will reach out to that moderator to explain why this action was taken and offer alternative solutions.

Adherence to Graphic Standards

Consistent adherence to graphic standards is vital in establishing the Mid Michigan College brand. Therefore, all accounts must adhere to Mid Michigan College’s Brand Standards as maintained by Strategic Communications, which include graphics, logos, and writing standards.

Use of Logo and Seal

Permission from Strategic Communications must be obtained before the use of the College seal or logo is permitted on any accounts. The Strategic Communications team is available to assist students, faculty, and staff with these requests and similar projects. Request assistance via a Marketing & Communications Help Desk Ticket or email stratcomm@midmich.edu.

Content Requirements

  • Mid Michigan College does not tolerate discrimination, defamation, derogatory statements, libel, use of obscene language, political, product, cause, personal opinion, or religious belief endorsements, posts that constitute spam, speech that promotes or threatens acts of violence, sexual harassment, threatening or intimidating others, unlawful stalking or harassing of others, or any violation of privacy policies or laws on any account.
  • No confidential information concerning students, staff, alumni, or the College may be posted to an account, and all FERPA and College policies governing privacy must be followed.
  • College employees, students, and guests who create or contribute to accounts must abide by federal, state, and local laws, as well as College policies.
  • Prior to publication, account moderators must verify information for accuracy (including spelling, grammar, correct contact information, etc.); if a retraction or correction needs to be made, it should be done promptly.
  • Reviewing Mid Michigan College’s Style Guide is recommended.
    • The College can be referred to as Mid Michigan College, Mid, or the College. The abbreviations of MMC and MID are not utilized.
    • If referring to students or sharing student stories, use the student’s first name only.
  • Individuals and third-party entities may not advertise non-Mid Michigan College events, classes, student programs, or opportunities without approval from Strategic Communications.

Copyright

Content on social media sites is subject to copyright laws. Any reproductions, adaptations, or communications without the written permission of the copyright owner may not be posted. This includes sharing content without the permission of the content owner.

Account moderators are strongly encouraged to connect with Strategic Communications for guidance on sourcing images, using/creating graphics, etc.

Emergency & Crisis Situations

In an emergency or crisis situation, if the College’s official accounts post a message, it may be shared on other College-connected accounts. If a situation occurs and is not posted to the College’s main accounts, account moderators should refrain from posting or responding to questions. If a response is required, clearance from Strategic Communications must be obtained before posting.

Mental health and security matters, such as suicide threats, shootings, and bombings, are taken seriously. All such cases must be reported to the appropriate internal teams and local authorities immediately.

Photo Release

If account administrators are using images they captured themselves a photo release may be necessary. Refer to Mid’s Multimedia Recording & Release Policy for complete details.

Content Accessibility

College web-based content must be made accessible in accordance with federal law. Refer to Mid’s Accessibility Policy for more information.

For guidance on creating accessible social media content, contact Strategic Communications.

Monitoring Account Engagement

Account moderators should adhere to the best practices outlined below.

  • Respond or acknowledge engagement on the account in a timely manner.
  • The following steps are a guideline to help you monitor account engagement. When a post, article, message, mention, comment, share, review, or message is discovered, listen, breathe, assess, and then act.
    • If the content is positive.
      • If you cannot add value, acknowledge the post by liking or sharing it.
      • If you can add value, respond to the user, and then like or share the post.
      • If facts are not correct, acknowledge the post with thanks and gently correct the facts.
    • If the content is negative, some general guidelines are provided below, and moderators are strongly encouraged to seek guidance from Strategic Communications before responding.
      • In most cases, it is best not to engage with negative content.
      • If you can offer assistance or constructive criticism, thank the submitter, acknowledge the issue, and invite further discussion privately.
        • “Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear about your experience and would like to learn more so we can help. Contact us at [insert contact] for further information.”
      • If misinformation is present, correct the information calmly and professionally, while providing reliable sources or contact information when needed. You can also invite further discussion privately.
        • “Thank you for your feedback. We would like to clarify that the information shared is incorrect. [Insert correct information] You can learn more at [insert source]. Contact us at [insert contact] for further information or any questions you may have.”
      • If the content is offensive or inappropriate, notify Strategic Communications. 
      • If the content appears to be spam, do not engage. Hide or report the content based on the platform specific procedure.
    • Some circumstances may require additional action. If content falls into the categories listed below, contact Strategic Communications.
      • Threats, Harassment, & Discrimination
      • Emotionally-Charged Content
        • This might be a student who is upset, parent(s) who are concerned, or individuals reporting an issue with a Mid team member, etc.
      • Media Inquiries or Public Controversy
      • Legal Issues or Defamation

Questions regarding this policy can be directed to Strategic Communications.

Account Moderator Agreement - Coming Soon!

Last Reviewed: March 2024