Policy 810 - Employee Social Media Management

810.1 Introduction

The purpose of this policy is to define the terms and circumstances under which Lower Columbia College employees, including faculty, staff, and student employees, may use social media to represent LCC, communicate college policy, or represent an official college position.

The term "social media" refers to any Web-based and mobile technologies that enable individuals or entities to disseminate or receive information, communicate, or otherwise interact. The term includes email, texting, messaging, social networking, blogging, micro-blogging, photo/video/multi-media file sharing, bulletin boards, and so on, through providers including but not limited to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

Washington State laws and regulations pertaining to records retention apply to all social media sites and/or pages posted on behalf of a college unit, department, or division.

810.2 For All Employees

As an employee of the college, you are personally responsible for any social media activity you conduct using a college email address or on a college website, and/or which can be traced back to a college domain, and/or which uses the college's Information Systems.

You must observe and follow (i) existing college policies and procedures, (ii) applicable employee handbooks and collective bargaining agreements, (iii) the college's Acceptable Use of Information Systems and Services Policy, (iv) the college's Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy, (v) the college's Mission, Vision, and Core Values (Board) Policy (vi) the policies of the particular online/social networking venue governing the use and activity conducted on their sites, which are sometimes referred to as "Terms of Use," and (vii) applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations including but not limited to FERPA, RCW 42.52 regarding ethics in public service, and WAC 292-110-010 regarding use of state resources.

When posting to social media sites, you must honor the copyright and intellectual property rights of others, including the college. For guidance, consult LCC's Copyright Compliance Resources.

810.3 For Employees Posting on Behalf of a College Unit, Department or Division

If you are creating, managing, or posting to a social media site on behalf of a Lower Columbia College division, department, or unit, you are considered to be acting in an official capacity, and the following rules apply:

• Social media accounts representing an official Lower Columbia College entity (e.g., a department or unit) are considered college-sponsored social media. Creating a college-sponsored social media site requires approval from the senior administrator in that area (e.g., president, vice president, or dean).
• Departments or college units with a social media presence or would like to start one must notify the Office of Effectiveness & College Relations (ECR). ECR will maintain a list of college-sponsored social media pages and sites on the LCC website. ECR must have administrative rights to all official LCC social media platforms, and will maintain a database of user access.
• All college-sponsored social media sites must designate an employee responsible for monitoring the site. Sites must be monitored to ensure that content is current and accurate and that posted comments are addressed in a timely fashion. Out-of-date or unmonitored social media sites should be removed.
• Aside from ECR, no individual Lower Columbia College unit should construe its social media site as representing the college as a whole. Consider this when naming college-sponsored pages or accounts, selecting a profile picture or icon, and selecting content to post. Names, profile images, and posts for college-sponsored social media should be clearly linked to the particular department or unit rather than the institution as a whole. Reposts of other official college-sponsored posts are strongly encouraged.
• Units that wish to use the college logo or other graphics in college-sponsored social media must consult with and obtain permission from ECR prior to use.
• All social media sites and content created by college employees on behalf of the college remain the property of Lower Columbia College.

810.4 Managing Visitor Posts and Comments

The purpose of the college’s official social media accounts is to provide students, fans, followers, and friends with information about our programs, departments, groups, and events.

The college is dedicated to providing a meaningful educational experience for all our students and we value diversity and inclusion within our community. Visitor posts and comments that are shared on our official accounts do not necessarily represent the school’s views, but we recognize that a thriving academic community is not possible without our students, fans, followers, and friends sharing their thoughts freely with one another on our official social media accounts.

To ensure the interactions on our official social media accounts further meaningful dialogue, we reserve the right to monitor the conversations by hiding comments and/or posts that are or contain:

• Off-topic content, including, but not limited to, spam and similar comments promoting a product, service, or entity unrelated to the discussion;
• Personal attacks on individuals, threats, or discriminatory harassment;
• Illegal activity or encouragement of illegal activity;
• Information that could compromise the safety of the college’s staff or students;
• Political statements, including comments that endorse or oppose political candidates or ballot propositions;
• Profanity and/or obscenity. 

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Historic Information

• Reviewed by the Executive Leadership Team: January 15, 2025
• Approved: March 24, 2021
• Campus Review: March 9-23, 2021
• Reviewed by UMCC: February 16, 2021
• Reviewed by the Governance Council: February 3, 2021
• Reviewed by the Executive Leadership Team: January 20, 2021
• Approved: May 22, 2017
• Campus Review: May 5-19, 2017
• Reviewed by the Governance Council: May 3, 2017
• Reviewed by the Leadership Team: April 24, 2017
• Reviewed by the Cabinet: January - March 22, 2017
• Reviewed by UMCC: March 21, 2017
• Reviewed by the Leadership Team: March 16, 2017
• Reviewed by the Governance Council: February 1, 2017
• Reviewed by the Cabinet: April – December, 2016
• Reviewed by the Leadership Team: April 25, 2016; May 23, 2016; October 31, 2016
• Campus Review: November 28 – December 12, 2016