Social Media General Policy
All employees and all students, including but not limited to student organizations, student groups, and athletic teams, are specifically prohibited from using the College’s network, computers, email accounts, the YHC App, College-affiliated social media accounts, or any other form of technology owned or provided by the College for the purpose of, or in connection with, any form of violence, threatening behavior, organizing lawless action, harassment, sexual misconduct, hazing, or bullying.
Social Media Impact
While social media can be an important and useful means of communication, it can also:
- Distort the lines of professional relationships
- Confuse the opinions and voice of Young Harris College with the opinions and voice of individuals affiliated with the College and
- Affect organizational, professional, and personal reputations
Guidelines and Best Practices When Using Social Media
Ask yourself before posting:
- Is it legal?
- Is it responsible?
- Is it respectful?
- Does it reflect the values I live by and those of my place of employment?
Exercise respect, discretion, and professionalism when posting, especially when posting about Young Harris College or an individual member of the College community.
Identify personal views as your own, not as the views of the College.
Do not disclose confidential information about the College or about any individual. Do not use copyrighted or proprietary information or materials without permission.
Avoid posting any information on social media that could jeopardize your job, your future job prospects, or would otherwise reflect poorly on you or on the College.
College-sponsored Social Media Accounts: Account Passwords and Permissions
All social media accounts that are sponsored by or represent a department, division, or an organization and use the Young Harris College name or branding must provide the following information to the next level supervisor of the department or division, to the advisor of the organization, and to the Office of Communications.
- The name of the account’s primary administrator
- Email of the account’s primary administrator
- Student or Employee ID of the account’s primary administrator
- Password to account
- Name and email of back-up administrator
- Access to all administrative functions on the account
- Strategy and purpose for account
Accessibility of Content
When social media content is broadly used by Young Harris College’s students, employees, and/or the general public to carry out or participate in its core educational programs and activities, all available accessibility-supported features of the platform should be used. For more information on how to make your social media content accessible, please consult: Social Media Accessibility Guidelines.
Social Media / Social Networking Policy Definitions
For purposes of this policy, social media and social networking means communication and interaction through the internet and web-based technology, and includes personal web pages, and accounts or profiles created on the YHC App and any other external social media outlet.
YHC App
Young Harris College App User Policy User content and behavior on the Young Harris College app is governed by the YHC Code of Conduct in the Guide to Student Life for students and the Young Harris College Employee Handbook.
As stated in the Code of Conduct located in the Guide to Student Life:
The privilege of being a member of the YHC community carries responsibilities. Your words and actions should bring credit to you, your family, your community, and Young Harris College. One individual’s actions will have an impact on the community, positively or negatively. Whether inside or outside of class, on or off campus, as a member of a group or team or as an individual, your decisions affect those within your community. Respect, honor and integrity should guide both your actions and words. YHC is committed to teaching students to be responsible citizens and to pursue lives consistent with the core values of the institution. As a community, YHC expects the behavior of all members of the community to be:
- Legal
- Responsible
- Respectful of persons and property
- Reflective of our institutional values
Being a responsible member of this community compels you to consider not only your actions but also the actions of others and the effects on the community. Do not simply point out problems but help find solutions. Intervene to help someone else in need. Ask for assistance for yourself or others. Do not stand by silently but become active and engaged. Keeping YHC a safe and enjoyable environment in which to learn, work and live is the responsibility of every member of this community.
YHC App user content and behavior is governed by multiple standards within the Code of Conduct and in the Employee Handbook. A student or recognized student organization may be disciplined for misconduct, including:
- Acts of dishonesty
- Threats, intimidation, causing physical harm to any person; endangering the health or safety of any person; engaging in conduct that causes a reasonable person to fear harm for their health or safety; or making an oral or written statement (including electronically) that a reasonable person hearing or reading the statement would interpret as a serious expression of an intent to commit an act of violence to a particular individual or group of individuals, regardless of the intent to carry out the act of violence.
- Harassment, which is defined as conduct that is so severe or pervasive or objectively offensive that it substantially interferes with the ability of a person to work, learn, live or participate in or benefit from the services, activities or privileges provided by the College.
- Engaging in disorderly, lewd, indecent, or obscene conduct or breach of peace.
- Engaging in speech-either orally or in writing-that is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action or is likely to incite or produce such action.
- Theft, misuse, or unauthorized use of information technology facilities, resources, or access codes, or conduct that violates the College’s Acceptable IT Use Policy.
- Violating a College policy or rule including, but not limited to those published in the Guide to Student Life, the College Catalog, the College web site, email notice, posted signage, or any other written communication.
The College prohibits posts on the YHC App that contain:
- Profane and vulgar language, including curse words or portions of curse words such that the profanity is recognizable
- Pornographic material or photos
- Symbols of hate or speech that denigrates individuals or groups of individuals
- Bullying, intimidation, and threats
- Distribution of misinformation, disinformation, and information that is not credible
All members of the YHC community who have a yhc.edu email address and agree to the terms and conditions of using the YHC app in order to have access to its content. This means administrators, faculty, staff, and students who are using the app have a responsibility to report illegal, irresponsible, disrespectful, and misleading user content and behavior. A user may report a post or inappropriate use in one of the following ways:
- User posts can be flagged as inappropriate by other users.
- A user may email (website@yhc.edu) if the content requires immediate attention such as bullying, threatening, harassing, profane, or determines that a danger to any persons or property exists.
- Contact the YHC Police Department in the case of imminent danger.
Flagged or reported posts will be reviewed by a YHC app administrator who will:
- Determine if the post is in conflict with the Social Media Policy, the Student Code of Conduct or the Employee Handbook.
- Remove posts temporarily or permanently if the post is in conflict with the Social Media Policy, the Student Code of Conduct or the Employee Handbook.
- Refer the offending user to the Student Conduct Administrator, if a student or the Supervisor, if an employee.
If the post does not violate the Social Media Policy, the YHC App administrator will unhide the post if it was automatically hidden. Multiple breaches of Social Media policy on the YHC app may result in the offending user being muted on or removed from the app. An employee who uses the YHC App inappropriately will be referred to their supervisor and/or to Human Resources.
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