2.8 Social Media
To present a consistent look and feel across a wide variety of social media channels we use to represent Limestone University, we have created the following guidelines.
We recommend that every official Limestone University account use the same avatar (profile photo) to clearly identify each account's affiliation with Limestone University. You can further idenify your department, school, and program when selecting a name for each account and when choosing the cover photo.
Social Media Presence
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube have completely changed the world, and with it, the way Limestone University connects with our students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, prospective students, fans, community members, and others about timely topics.
Limestone University encourages the use of social media by our institution to join in dialogue with students, faculty and staff, alumni, and prospective students.
If you manage social media for your department or program, or you are considering starting a social media account, for any area within Limestone University, familiarize yourself with the guidelines below, and contact the Department of Communications & Marketing with any questions.
Social Media Guidelines
Limestone University understands the necessity of a digital presence to authentically engage with students and community members and inform the campus and surrounding community of important news, achievements, and events. While social media platforms often prove to be effective and efficient means of communication and great tools for engagement, improper social media usage can lead to significant issues, lasting legal implications, and other complications.
When using social media or electronic communication in professional and institutional roles, Limestone University employees must follow the same behavioral standards on these platforms and online as they would normally. In their usage and interactions, employees, departments, colleges, and campus organizations are subject to the same laws, professional expectations and guidelines as they would be in in-person interactions with students, parents, affiliates, alumni, donors, media, faculty/staff, and other University constitutes. Employees will be held accountable for any institutionally-related content they post to social media site designed for Limestone University purposes (e.g. departmental, organizational or institutional accounts, profiles, or pages).
All new Limestone University-related social media pages must be approved in advance by the Department of Communications & Marketing prior to going live. All social media pages should adhere to all Limestone logo and branding guidelines. The Limestone University “shield” should be the primary identifier of all social media pages.
The Limestone University Department of Communications & Marketing provides members of the media and the public with University and departmental news. Do not be the first to announce University news unless you have prior approval from the Department of Communications & Marketing.
While the Department of Communications & Marketing maintains the official Limestone University accounts, you may find that your department, organization, or program is equipped to maintain its own social media account(s). Creating an official social media account requires approval from your Supervisor, Director, or Dean, and from the Department of Marketing & Communications before creating an official social media account. You must provide access to appropriate University officials.
The Department of Communications should be granted administrative access to all Limestone University social media sites. If an official social media account already exists, it should be registered with the Department of Communications & Marketing, and credentials/administrative access must be provided.
Content and overall presence should reflect the University’s brand identity and respect all institutional wordmarks, logos, and entities. Posts should not be used in any way to promote a personal or political agenda.
Social media page administrators should monitor postings on all social media sites on a regular basis. Limestone supports free speech and expression, but does not support posts or social media usage that incites discrimination, violence, harassment, or is defamatory or obscene. If you encounter inappropriate posts, please respond when appropriate, but never engage in hostile exchanges. Remove comments that are vulgar, obscene, defamatory, or libelous. The University reserves the right to remove from its official social media properties any and all posts or comments that: conflict with relevant Limestone University policies; incite discrimination, violence, harassment, or are defamatory or obscene; are irrelevant to the topic of the posting. Failure to properly maintain social media profiles will be cause for removal by the Department of Communications & Marketing. If you no longer want to operate your site, please disable or delete it.
