1.1 Â鶹ÊÓƵ is committed to making the best use of all available technology and innovation. This includes using all reasonable and cost-effective means to improve communication and interaction with the individuals and communities we serve.
1.2 Social media is a general term used to reference sites and activity on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube or any other virtual hub where users interact.
1.3 Students and employees are encouraged to embrace social media sites as easy-access venues for streamlining and enriching engagement and communication.
1.4 To avoid major mistakes that could lead to reputational, legal, or ethical issues, social media use should be guided by common sense, clear guidelines, and proactive monitoring.
1.5 These guidelines must be read and adhered to in conjunction with all other information provided by Â鶹ÊÓƵ on the use of social media.
2.1 For the purposes of these guidelines, social media refers to digital platforms and applications that allow people and organizations to create and interact with content to communicate with others online.
2.2 There are many more forms of social media
3.1 The use of social media must follow all applicable federal and state laws as well as system and university regulations and policies. Laws such as
3.2 FERPA: "The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education." ()
3.3 Employees and contractors of Â鶹ÊÓƵ may not engage in course correspondence or post any information regarding student records on social media. Examples of student records include, but are not limited to, names, admission status, GPA, Social Security number, Student ID number, and any/all other information that would be covered by FERPA. All such communications with students or prospective students must be conducted using secure discussion platforms, such as email, as outlined by Â鶹ÊÓƵ's Appropriate Use Policy. Direct messaging applications and social media sites are not considered secure discussion platforms and must not be used as such.
3.4 Protect confidential medical records as specified by HIPAA: “The Privacy Rule protects all ‘individually identifiable health information’ held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business associate, in any form or media, whether electronic, paper or oral.” Examples of protected information include, but are not limited to, “…the individual’s past, present or future physical or mental health or condition, the provision of health care to the individual, or, the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual, and that identifies the individual or for which there is a reasonable basis to believe can be used to identify the individual.” ()
3.5 The world of social media has changed the face of communication and recruitment in collegiate sports and all Â鶹ÊÓƵ employees must abide by NCAA regulations when interacting and communicating on social media platforms. Employees must refrain from knowingly contacting prospective student-athletes on social media platforms.
3.6 The university does not endorse or use any social network Internet communication service or media sharing service as a secure means of communication for online business transactions or matters involving personal information. The university will not ask for, nor should an individual send, credit card or payment information, classified information, privileged information, private information or information subject to non-disclosure agreements via any social network Internet communication service.
3.7 As a site administrator or user of any type, Â鶹ÊÓƵ employees and students are required to obey the terms of use of all social media platforms and comply with applicable university policies as well as federal and state laws.
3.8 Ensure messaging aligns with institutional policies and in compliance with state guidelines, including Texas Senate Bill 17, by avoiding language that could be interpreted as representing personal viewpoints or positions outside of approved university communication.
4.1 The university encourages employees to make reasonable and appropriate use of social media websites as part of their work. It is recognized that it is an important part of how the university communicates with its audience and university stakeholders.
4.2 Employees may, with explicit prior approval from the Office of Marketing Communications, manage social media accounts for their respective departments, offices, etc. Failure to abide by the regulations set forth in this policy may result in the removal of the administrator from the page.
4.3 Use of personal devices, such as laptops, tablets and mobile telephones, to access social media websites while at work is governed by policies set forth by the Office of Human Resources. Employees must adhere to those policies.
4.4 Employees must be aware at all times that while contributing to Â鶹ÊÓƵ's social media activities, they are representing the university. Employees who are page administrators must adhere to the following safeguards:
4.5 Â鶹ÊÓƵ employee communication through social media must not:
4.6 Be respectful. If an audience member posts an upsetting comment, administrators should evaluate if a response is necessary. If a response is warranted, it should be kept rational and professional. Social media is a place for discussion. It is a priority of Â鶹ÊÓƵ to ensure that stakeholders recognize LU accounts as legitimate forums for constructive communication with the university.
4.8 Employees and page administrators must follow the terms of use for each social media platform. Social media, such as Facebook and Instagram, evolve constantly and it is the responsibility of every social media administrator to stay up-to-date on these terms.
4.9 Page administrators must maintain an active social media presence on assigned accounts to keep access to their page. To be considered active, pages must post at least once per month. More than 90 days of inactivity will result in page deactivation at the discretion of the Office of Marketing Communications.
5.1 We encourage our Â鶹ÊÓƵ community to comment, post, share and interact while remaining respectful of others' opinions and rights.
Â鶹ÊÓƵ reserves the right to block users or remove comments that (are):
6.1 Â鶹ÊÓƵ reserves the right to monitor employees' Internet usage in accordance with the Information Security Policy. The university considers that valid reasons for checking an employee's Internet usage include suspicions that the employee has:
6.2 Â鶹ÊÓƵ reserves the right to monitor and, within specific guidelines as defined within the Information Security Policy and associated IT policies retain information that it has gathered on employees' use of the Internet.
6.3 Access to particular social media websites may be withdrawn in any case of misuse.
7.1 Â鶹ÊÓƵ recognizes that many employees make use of social media in a personal capacity. While they are not acting on behalf of the university, employees should be aware that they can appear to represent Â鶹ÊÓƵ if they are recognized as an employee.
7.2 Employees are permitted to indicate that they work for Â鶹ÊÓƵ. The employee's online profile (for example, the name of a blog or a Twitter name) may contain the university's name only if the content is focused to the area in which the employee works and it has been approved by the university's social media manager.
7.3 Employees who discuss their opinions related Â鶹ÊÓƵ on social media (for example, giving opinions on their specialization, department, college, or the sector in which the University operates), should include on their profile a statement along the following lines: "The views I express here are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer."
7.4 Â鶹ÊÓƵ strongly advises that the communications that employees make using personal social media comply with all of the requirements of section four and seven.
8.1 All university-affiliated social media pages must be created by the Office of Marketing Communications. To request a social media page, please complete the Social Media Request form on the Office of Marketing Communications website.
8.2 Existing university-affiliated social media sites are required to register with the Office of Marketing Communications by filling out the Social Media Request form and choosing Register an existing social media account. The Digital Marketing Specialist must be given account passwords and added to two-factor authentication.
8.3 Administrator rights for official university sites should only be assigned to permanent university employees. The assignment of certain duties to a temporary or student employee must be approved in advance by the Office of Marketing Communications. To request an additional administrator, choose "Request to add an administrator to a social media account" on the “Social Media Request” form on the Office of Marketing Communications website. If someone leaves the university, it is their responsibility to ensure proper transfer and removal of page access.
8.4 All accounts must have a minimum of two moderators. It is preferred that the LU Digital Marketing Specialist be included as one of the secondary administrators. Please contact the Digital Marketing Specialist for more information or to discuss how to meet these requirements.
8.5 All Facebook pages must be created or moved under the ownership of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Facebook account and Meta Business Suite. The university account will maintain full access, and additional account managers will be granted partial access to the page.
9.1 Photos: It is a best practice to obtain a photo release form from any individual identifiable in the photos you share. This can be done via written note, email or the standard photo release form. Please refer to the university's main social media accounts when thinking about the quality of your images.
View the Photo/Video Release Form
9.2 Logos: Where applicable, use the logo that best reflects the image and content being posted. Departmental/divisional and institutional logos are encouraged for posts pertaining to a particular area. The standard Â鶹ÊÓƵ logo can, upon approval from the Department of Marketing Communications, be used if the content pertains to more than one entity, such as recruitment material or campus photos. Refer to the brand guidelines for details on correct logo usage.
9.3 Profile logo/photo: Profile phoots must follow the template set buy the Office of Marketing Communications. The LU star logo by itself is prohibited for use on social media outside of the university's main social media profiles. Logos may not be altered including, but not limited to, the alteration of placement and changes in fonts or colors. The cover photo of university social media accounts must be relevant to the page it is representing. Assistance in finding a suitable image for profile pictures and cover photos can be found by contacting the university's Digital Marketing Specialist at jbarton4@lamar.edu.
9.4 Account usernames/display names: Unique and appropriate usernames and display names that accurately describe the department or organization will be developed by the Office of Marketing Communications. Employee managed pages are required to use some form of Â鶹ÊÓƵ in the title. For example: “Â鶹ÊÓƵ Department of Physics.” Named colleges and departments must be referred to using the approved name.
9.5 Proper Name: Â鶹ÊÓƵ must be referred to properly on all social media platforms in usernames, display names, descriptions, posts and pages. Use only the following approved versions of proper names for Â鶹ÊÓƵ:
The following versions are prohibited:
9.6 Branding: Reinforce the university voice and brand by using approved Â鶹ÊÓƵ Branding Messages.
9.7 Use of AI: Â鶹ÊÓƵ recognizes AI as a tool that supports, rather than replaces, human creativity, professional judgment, and institutional knowledge. The university has established guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the development of marketing and communications materials representing Â鶹ÊÓƵ. All content must align with the University’s brand guidelines and institutional values.
9.8 Profanity: No profanity of any kind is allowed on posts whether directly posted by the page, or shared from another page.
9.9 Political, racial & moral stances: Social media pages are to avoid addressing political, racial or morally motivated topics. No stance should be taken for or against an issue. Pages and posts should never endorse or denounce any political candidates whether holding office or running for office. Violating this section could result in
9.10 Strategy: Social media is fun but must be used only with a plan. Employees considering a social media site should contact the Â鶹ÊÓƵ digital media specialist at jbarton4@lamar.edu.
Disclaimer: This Social Media Policy does not address paid social media advertisements. For information on paid ads, contact the Office of Marketing Communications.
The Office of Marketing Communications reserves the right to alter, update or add to this policy at any time.
All university owned social media sites must be approved before set up. Site approval allows your site to be added to the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Social Media Directory.