With great power comes great responsibility.
Social media platforms can be powerful tools for getting the word out to the community and connecting with students. With a social media presence spanning 130 accounts (and we’re still counting), UMW developed a policy to keep its social savvy community thriving. More than words on paper, the policy keeps our brand strong and brings our accounts into compliance with state and federal laws.
Read the policy below to see what’s included, or view the full policy. If you have questions, our door is open! Let Paige Shiplett know if you need clarification.
UMW Affiliated Accounts
This policy applies to any social media account representing the University of Mary Washington in an official capacity.
Obtaining Approval for a UMW Affiliated Account
UMW-affiliated social media accounts are authorized through UMW’s Department of University Relations, and are the sole property of UMW. UMW’s standard intellectual property policies will apply to all content created for another purpose, but distributed using a UMW-affiliated social media account. Here are some simple steps to get your account approved:
- Submit a Social Media Account Approval Form
- Use an official UMW email address when setting up accounts, such as the email address for employees, departments, divisions or programs recognized by the university.
- Designate at least two community administrators, one of whom should be a full-time faculty/staff member, for each social media account. Community administrators must be aware of this policy’s requirements, and adhere to them.
*Remember to renew the Social Media Account Approval Form whenever administrators or account information changes (i.e. responsibilities shift to a new manager, an employee with access leaves employment, etc.)
Adding a Disclaimer
While some social sites – like Twitter – don’t leave room for our legal disclaimer, add the copy below to any platform that allows for an “about” section.
This page is designed to promote the University of Mary Washington and will not be used for third-party solicitation of sales and/or the promotion of goods and/or services. Postings or comments made by individuals on this page do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UMW or any of the university’s divisions. Individuals are encouraged to share comments, photos, videos and links that are respectful and meaningful on the wall and within comment threads, but are fully responsible for the content they share. Postings and comments that include sensitive data, obscenity, threatening language, material for which a complaint of copyright infringement has been reported, or advocates illegal activity, may be removed from this page. The account administrators reserve the right to block users who violate these posting standards.
Branding Requirements
Make yourself familiar with our UMW Brand Standards and Visual Identity Guidelines. Pay special attention to the use of our official logos, as it will need to appear properly on any of your social platforms.
Naming Standards
Use “UMW” or “University of Mary Washington” with the official name of your college, school, department or organization when naming University accounts on social media.
To see more details, or to learn more about crisis or reporting procedures, view the full Social Media Policy.