Social Media Use Policy

• To provide best-practice expectations and limitations concerning the personal and professional use of social media where an affiliation or relationship to Cambrian College (‘the College’) is known, identified, or presumed.
• To ensure the use of social media is done in a manner that accurately portrays, promotes, and protects the College’s interests, activities, values, and reputation.
• To mitigate and respond to risks posed by the inappropriate use of social media.

All College employees, students, and volunteers (‘Persons’).

Institutional Social Media Account: A corporate social media account (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) managed by the Communications and Marketing Department which represents the institution as a whole. It is an official social media account of the College.

Affiliated Social Media Account: A social media account with a clear connection or affiliation to a Cambrian College program, department or unit, but does not represent the institution as a whole.

Personal Social Media Account: A social media account, controlled by an employee or volunteer, and that is not affiliated with nor represents the College in any capacity.

Account Holder: An employee or student representative who is responsible for Affiliated Social Account access and maintenance, including the posting of content and engaging with stakeholders on behalf of the College or their program, department, or unit though social media.

Volunteer: A person who freely offers themselves to perform a service without pay.

• College Brand
  • ‘Persons’ are responsible for what may be communicated, downloaded or accessed via their participation in Social Media.
  • Any ‘Persons’ posting content on either the Institutional Social Media Accounts or Affiliated Social Media Accounts, must ensure the content positively reflects the College’s brand reputation and adheres to all relevant College policies.
  • The official Cambrian College logo must only be used on Affiliated Social Media Accounts with the express written permission of the Marketing Department. No alteration of the logo or other official branding materials is permitted. The use of official College logo and other branding materials is not permitted on personal accounts, unless they are a part of content being shared from Institutional or affiliated accounts.
  • Cambrian College encourages its employees to use social media as a means of engaging with stakeholders and broader community. Social media engagement allows the College to build or maintain relationships, and strengthen public trust and brand reputation. As such, Cambrian’s various Institutional and Affiliated Social Media Accounts at all times represent the brand of Cambrian College. Therefore, employees should refrain from using the College’s Institutional and Affiliated Social Media Accounts to legitimize personal opinions, particularly on matters that could negatively impact Cambrian’s interests and reputation, or alienate, offend or negatively impact the reputations and interests of our stakeholders.
  • Account Holders for all Affiliated Social Media Accounts must ensure that they are maintained and reviewed on a regular basis to confirm that all content meets the expectations set out in this policy.
• Permission
  • Departments or units of the College seeking to create an Institutional or Affiliated Social Media Account must have the prior written approval of the Communications Manager. The Communications Manager (and/or designate) must also be included as an administrator on all College Institutional and Affiliated Social Media Accounts, with full rights and privileges.
  • ‘Persons’ are not permitted to post personal information about College employees, students, volunteers, or community unless the parties involved expressly permit it.
  • ‘Persons’, who are also College employees, are not permitted to post marketing or promotional pictures and videos, in which ‘Persons’, and community partners are clearly the focus of the picture or video, on Institutional, Affiliated, or Personal Social Media Accounts without the express permission of the ‘Persons’ involved. Photos or videos may be posted when the person(s) portrayed are incidental to the photo (not the subject of the photo, such as a crowd scene) or the person is part of a legitimate public event (news conference, convocation). Excepted from this paragraph are students who are posting images of their friends.
  • ‘Persons’ are not permitted to post individual student and colleague work (work not meant for public display) on Institutional, Affiliated, or Personal Social Media Accounts without express permission of the author. All copyright and privacy legislation must be respected, and sources cited, as appropriate.
  • No advertising or commercial endorsements is permitted on the College’s Institutional or Affiliated Social Media Accounts. Special exceptions are only made with the express approval of the Marketing and Communications departments.
  • ‘Persons’ posting content on Institutional or Affiliated Social Media Accounts, and who wish to tag other accounts, must only do so with the permission of those Account Holders.
• Personal Social Media Accounts
  • When using their own Personal Social Media Accounts, College employees must indicate that they are not speaking on behalf of the College. When identifying themselves as an employee of the College, they must include a disclaimer, easily visible on their personal accounts, indicating that the opinions expressed are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employer (Cambrian College). This pertains as well to comments they make on other social media sites and accounts which are not their own.
  • Notwithstanding this disclaimer, employees using personal social media are accountable for content that compromises the College’s reputation and interests. Employees using Personal Social Media Accounts must continue to follow the guidelines and rules included in the appropriate College policies. The College reserves the right to take corrective or disciplinary measures when violations of this policy occur.
• Emergency Events
  • In an emergency, (e.g., natural disaster, dangerous situation), ‘Persons’ are advised to refrain from posting updates or comments of the unfolding situation, for the purposes of confidentiality and safety of all involved. Official updates will come via the College’s Institutional Social Media Accounts and the website.
• Media Inquiries
  • Employees and volunteers of the College must refer all media inquiries and requests for comments/interviews to the Communications Department when approached for comment about comments they have, in a professional capacity, posted publicly.

Communications and Marketing are responsible for:

• Inform the College community about this policy and provide any additional materials and training to ensure policy is applied appropriately.
• Approve all Institutional and Affiliated Social Media Accounts.
• Manage all Institutional Social Media Accounts.
• Ensure all Institutional and Affiliated Social Media Accounts adhere to College branding and design standards.
• Approve use of all College branding materials on Institutional and Affiliated Social Media Accounts.

Administrators are responsible for:

• Ensure direct reports are aware of and adhere to this policy.
• Investigate potential breaches of this policy and take the necessary actions to mitigate the associated risks.

‘Persons’ are responsible for:

• Be familiar with this policy.
• Ensure compliancy to this policy when using social media.

College employees who fail to follow any of the guidelines set out in this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.