Policy Overview
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish a University-wide standard for the use, creation, operation and management of official branded social media accounts and communities. Regular review of this policy is expected; failure to do so is not justification for noncompliance.
Scope
Compliance with this standard is necessary for collaboration and recognition by the Truman Social Media Team. Provisions apply to all authorized social media accounts; accounts utilizing the Truman logo or official university branding, representing a University department, program or organization; and any site created for the purpose of conducting official business.
The policy does not apply to student organizations. Student organizations should follow the guidance of their governing bodies and, when necessary, the direction of the division of Student Affairs. Those student organizations that use the University’s logo must not manipulate it in any way. In addition, the University reserves the right to monitor and restrict how its logo and name are used.
Definitions
Social Media: Internet-based systems designed to facilitate social interaction using easily accessible and scalable communication techniques.
Official Account: A social media account that uses the Truman State University brand.
Repercussions
Official Truman social media accounts that don’t follow the guidelines set forth in this policy will face the following repercussions and continued violation may be elevated to University administration.
- The account will be taken down from the social media wall.
- The main account will not share posts from the account that is in violation.
- The account that violates will no longer be allowed to represent the Truman brand on social media.
Account Development & Maintenance
Creation
All proposals to create an official account must be presented to the Truman Social Media Team, by emailing socialmedia@truman.edu, before creation of account. In addition to following the guidelines and best practices set forth by the Truman Social Media Team, all social media accounts, both new and existing, must follow University branding and accessibility standards. The Truman Social Media Team reserves all rights to deny account creation that violates best practice guidelines, further fractures the brand voice or presents an increased opportunity for institutional risk.
Account Registration
Accounts created prior to September 1, 2020 must register with Truman Social Media Team by September 1, 2020. After September 1, 2020, social media managers must register new accounts with Truman Social Media Team prior to being created. This policy applies to every social media platform.
Click here to registerAccounts must report all account administrators’ contact information to the Truman Social Media Team every six months to ensure continuity.
Administration Responsibilities
Social communications and community management are serious duties that frequently require monitoring and maintenance outside of normal business hours. It is the expectation of the Truman Social Media Team that content will be updated weekly and customer service will be provided on all requests or concerns within a timely manner.
Departments are accountable for all content on and use of their University social media accounts. Departments must immediately report any social media activity that appears inappropriate or illegal, as well as accounts that may be impersonating an official University account.
Administrator rights must be held by 2 or more full-time staff or faculty at any given time. Passwords and logins should be known and maintained by account administrators as well as their direct leadership when possible.
Guidelines
Truman State University advocates for departments and programs to minimize fracturing of the brand presence, reputation and voice. It is strongly advised that not everyone has a social media account on every social media platform. Social media is a tool, not a solution. It is important to know that not everyone lives online, or on a single platform, and that platforms and communities evolve quickly. For these reasons, regular re-evaluation of strategy is vital.
Pre-determined content frequency thresholds establish an expectation for community members that accounts are actively responding and engaging. Departments and programs that feel they do not have content to sustain a presence, but desire an outlet, should work with the Truman Social Media Team to explore options and best practices. The Truman Social Media Team monitors account activity on all official University accounts. When an account is inactive or not maintained, the Truman Social Media Team will request the account be shut down and/or consolidated into a larger, more active account.
Official Truman Social Media Accounts and Administrators are required to:
- Outline goals and objectives to properly track the return on investment.
- Leverage social media platforms to tell stories of impact, student success and historical milestones
- Have dialogue and build community.
Official Truman Social Media Accounts and Administrators are prohibited from:
- Posting content that violates city, state or federal laws and regulations.
- Commenting on or posting anything related to existing or potential legal matters or litigation without appropriateapproval.
- Using the University brand or name to endorse any view, product, private business, cause or political candidate.
- Representing personal opinions as University-endorsed views or policies.
- Sharing content that is profane, violates copyright or does not properly credit the original content source.
- Deleting or moderating content beyond the best practices and policy outlined in University guidelines.
Community Guidelines
Social media usage by Truman State University is intended to extend traditional channels of engagement and transparency, as well as to provide informational and educational opportunities that elevate the perception of the University.
Communication on social platforms is a two-way conversation; however, when necessary, page administrations reserve the right to remove user-generated content or comments in accordance with this policy for the safety and security of our audiences.
Truman State University respects a diversity of opinions, however, all comments should remain on topic. Any comments viewed as profane, offensive or disrespectful will be deleted.
Crisis Communications and Major Announcements
In the event of a crisis situation, all official posts and tweets will come from the @TrumanState twitter and/or Truman State University Facebook page. All other accounts are required to remain silent otherwise and direct all inquiries to appropriate resources or personnel. During a crisis, never post unapproved information or messages that are not issued by University administration. Doing so could jeopardize the safety of individuals or result in false information being attributed or disseminated.
Branding
All official Truman State University social media accounts must follow Truman’s identity standards.
Profile Pictures
Truman programs and departments must use official Truman social media icons on official social media sites to visually connect with the University; differentiate from competing accounts; and establish uniform quality, credibility and user experiences. Program and Department profile pictures will include the purple Truman T on a white background and the name of the program underneath the Truman T. The main University accounts are the only accounts that will use the full Truman logo on a purple background. To request social icons or to request a waiver in special cases please contact the Truman Social Media Team for approval at socialmedia@truman.edu.
Page Name: Pages must be titled “Truman State University Name of Department or Organization.” This will indicate the site is officially associated with Truman, enhancing its credibility. It will also help users find the page more easily and narrow the search. The page name should be consistent with the Twitter username if it exists.
Cover photo: Cover photos can be customized by department or area. If it’s a school, it is suggested to use a “beauty shot” that represents that division, as those are often instantly recognized. Every time a cover photo is updated, the new photo appears in the newsfeed of those who like the page, which can be a great way to promote an event. Photographs of individuals should be used with permission; photographs owned by Truman State University may be used at any time. Copyrighted material can be used only with permission. (Note: Cover photos are 851 pixels wide and 315 pixels tall.)
Twitter Handle: Official Truman Twitter handles should be named @TSU_ followed by the name of the department or organization (or its acronym). Twitter has a 15-character limit for handles, so you will have to abbreviate longer department names for example the Communication Department could do, @TSU_CommDept.
Twitter Username (50-character limits): The username must be “Truman State University Name of Department or Organization” and should be consistent with the Facebook page name.
Twitter Bio: The bio should include the phrase “Official twitter for Truman State University Name of Department or Organization,” a link to the department website, hashtag used (if any), information about the department and/or reasons to follow.
Header Photo: The header photo must appear behind the profile photo, as with the Facebook cover photo. If the account is for a school or college, it is suggested to use a “beauty shot” of the building that represents that department, but the department may choose to use this space as they wish.
Instagram Handle: Official Truman Instagram handles should be named @TSU_ followed by the name of the department or organization (or its acronym). Truman’s main Instagram account is the only one titled @TrumanState.
Instagram Username: The username must be “Truman State University Name of Department or Organization” and should be consistent with the Facebook fan page name.
Instagram Bio: The bio should include the phrase “Official instagram for Truman State University _______”, a link to the department website, hashtag used (if any), information about the department, and/or reasons to follow.
Branding guidelines for other platforms, including Snapchat or TikTok, can be provided upon request.
Questions
With questions, comments or concerns, please contact the Truman Social Media Team at socialmedia@truman.edu. Truman Social Media Team assists departments to become familiar with content quality standards, acceptable use of the Truman brand, key messages and related issues.