Social Media Policy

Social media helps to make our Post University communications both PERSONAL and FUN!

It is an important part of keeping our vibrant Post community authentic and informed, while providing a means to share information, images and video, celebrate our students, associates, and community successes, as well as diverse points-of-view.

The University recognizes the importance of building and maintaining a strong presence on several social media channels, as it provides the opportunity for the Post community to engage proactively and responsibly in dialogue that can influence our conversations, student and associate recruitment and retention, alumni relations, as well as our personal and institutional branding and credibility.  As a result, Post encourages its faculty, staff, and students to actively engage and share their experiences in a positive, sensible, personal, and fun way.

The following guidelines are designed to help users of social media do so responsibly and appropriately. Additionally, the guidelines are intended to provide clarity to Post users on how to balance personal use of social media on their personal accounts with their affiliation with the University.

POST COMMUNITY STANDARDS

Social media is a public forum. This may seem obvious to most but remember, if you choose to post, or in any way engage on Post social media outlets understand that your postings, as well as information publicly shared on your social media profile(s), may be viewed and/or shared by all participants within that social network.  Please adhere to the following standards and expectations when using or posting on any of Post’s social media outlets:

• Behave in a manner that promotes and encourages a positive social and academic environment,
• Respect faculty, staff, students, guests, and all Post property, policies, rules, and regulations,
• Promote the exchange of ideas and diverse opinions through tolerance, integrity, dignity, and respect while upholding academic integrity to the highest standard,
• Communicate in a professional and courteous manner,
• Abstain from actions that are harassing, discriminatory, intimidating, bullying, demeaning, or hostile to another person,
• Respect the copyrights and intellectual property rights of others,
• Don’t disseminate confidential information that is prohibited from disclosure under the University’s Confidential Information policy, or any other policy or applicable law, including, e.g., FERPA, HIPAA, privacy laws and NCAA regulations. Maintain the confidentiality of proprietary and protected information of Post, its faculty, staff and students,
• Take personal responsibility for your choices and actions and understand that there may be consequences resulting from the failure to comply with these basic community standards, and
• Know that Post reserves the right to delete any content posted on its social media accounts that violates University policies, including these community standards. If the post is from a student, faculty member, or staff member, the issue may be escalated to Post administration and may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.  Think before you post.

Guidelines for Associate and Student Use of Social Media on Behalf of Post University

These guidelines apply to social media operated on behalf of Post University by authorized users (“Post users”). In operating Post social media, Post users must abide by the following:

• Adhere to Post’s Privacy Policy. https://post.edu/privacy-policy/
• Do not disclose Personal Information (as outlined in Post’s Privacy Policy) or otherwise violate the Privacy Policy.
• Do not create or develop social media accounts, profiles, or initiatives bearing Post’s name without prior approval from the University Director of Communications.
• Avoid engaging in behavior that could raise actual or apparent conflict of interest and conflicts of commitment on social networks. Examples include using Post resources or property for personal gain, using confidential or privileged information acquired in connection with your Post-supported activities for personal gain, accepting gratuities or unsolicited gifts from private or public organizations, and using Post resources for any purpose other than the Post user’s employment related or authorized purposes.
• Do not use Post social media accounts to post content containing your personal views or opinions. Ensure that all posts made using the Post social media accounts reflect the content you have been asked to post to the social media page.
  Do not express political opinions that are purported to be those of Post or otherwise engage in activity that creates the appearance that you are speaking or acting for Post on political matters.
• Do not endorse commercial partners. This includes a prohibition on ad placement for commercial partners on social media and use of Post’s name or mark for corporate promotion.
• Maintain the confidentiality of proprietary and protected information of Post, its faculty, staff and students.
• Obtain the prior written permission of others of whom you wish to cite, reference, and/or post a picture.
• Do not violate intellectual property rights and laws. More specifically, use of third-party copyrighted or trademarked material or use of a person’s likeness without permission in digital content is prohibited. Doing so may be illegal and may expose Post and/or the Post user to legal liability and reputational damage.
• Maintain appropriate security safeguards to social media accounts and profiles.
• Use good judgment. Your actions have the ability to affect not only yourself, but also others at Post and the University as a whole. It is important to keep in mind that social media posts can be replicated, taken out of context, and will remain in the public for an indeterminate amount of time.

Guidelines for Associate and Student Personal Use of Social Media

These guidelines apply to social media utilized by associates and students in their personal capacity. The line between professional (or academic) and personal sometimes seems blurred. There are many concerns that may arise from your use of social media. Most importantly, the information you post on social media can be permanently connected to you and duplicated by others. Your posts can be found by anyone, including Post, current or perspective employers, graduate school admissions offices, and many more. As such, associates and students are encouraged to follow the below Guidelines when using personal social media:

• Do not create or develop Post social media accounts or profiles without prior approval from the Director of University Communications,
• Be thoughtful in decisions to “friend,” “like,” “link,” “follow,” or “accept” a request from another person. It is important to recognize that there is a great potential for misinterpretation of matters on social media.
• Review the content of your communications before posting. If the content of your communication would not be acceptable for an in-person conversation, over the phone, or another personal medium, it is likely inappropriate for social media.
• Social media is not private. Think before you post in the public domain as these posts may be permanently connected to you, copied, or forwarded to others.
• Be civil and respectful to others and their comments.
• Understand and use privacy settings on social media. If you fail to use privacy settings, your information may be available to the whole world.
• Think twice before publishing your personal information, such as your address, telephone number, or date of birth, on social media.
• When using personal social media or speaking with the media and identifying yourself as an associate or student of Post, you should indicate that any views you express are your own and not necessarily those of Post. Unless specifically authorized, you are not permitted to speak on behalf of Post, must avoid doing so, and must avoid giving the impression you are doing so. Do not use the Post name, logo, image or other intellectual property on your personal social media in a manner that would create the appearance that you are speaking or acting on the behalf of Post.
• Immediately direct any inquiries from the media seeking Post’s position on a particular issue to the Director of University Communications,
• You are responsible for any content you publish on social media and may be held liable for activity that violates the law.

We Are Serious About the Enforcement of These Guidelines

Any associate or student found to have violated these Guidelines may be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.