Social Media Guidelines for McHenry County College

Definition of Social Media

Social media is a term used to describe a set of tools that encourage discussion and community, allowing people to build relationships and share information. (more from WebTrends)

Use of Social Media

  • McHenry County College realizes that social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube have become critical communication channels for how our community shares and receives information.
  • To assist in posting content and managing these sites, the College has developed specific guidelines for official and personal use of social media.
  • These guidelines apply to all College employees (including student employees) and can be used in connection with social media accounts associated with specific departments, programs and offices.
  • Employees are liable for anything they post to social media sites.

Purpose of Social Media at MCC

  • The purpose of using these communication channels on behalf of McHenry County College is to support the College's mission, goals, brand, legal and authorized efforts, as well as College news, information, events, content and instructions.
  • This is also an opportunity for the College to connect in an interactive manner with various audiences, mainly prospective students, current students and alumni.

MCC's Official Social Media Presence

  • Ownership
    • MCC's Office of Marketing and Public Relations (OMPR) is responsible for the administration and maintenance of the official MCC social media presence. This will happen through:
      • Listening
      • Adding value
      • Responding in a timely manner
      • Sharing positive information
      • Engaging followers through dialogue and ongoing conversations
      • Keeping it real/authentic
  • Goals
    • Increase awareness of the College and its programs, people and services.
    • Extend reach and influence by connecting and building relationships with key audiences (prospective students, current students, alumni, influencers).
    • Provide additional channels for audiences to interact with the College.
    • Integrate social media efforts with the larger marketing communications plan for MCC.

General Guidelines

  • Prior to engaging in any form of social media involving McHenry County College (MCC), you must receive permission from your department head, chair or supervisor, and you must work in union with the Office of Marketing and Public Relations.
  • When using an officially recognized social media channel, know that at all times that you are representing MCC.
  • Confidential (FERPA, HIPAA) or proprietary information or similar information of third parties, who have shared such information with you on behalf of MCC, should not be shared publicly on any social media channel.
  • Always exercise discretion, thoughtfulness and respect for your colleagues, students and the community.
  • Avoid discussing or speculating on internal College policies or operations.
  • Refrain from engaging in dialogue that could criticize colleagues, competitors or critics.
  • Be mindful that all posted content is subject to review in accordance with MCC's employee policies (IT usage) and style and graphics guidelines.
  • Refrain from reporting, speculating, discussing or giving any opinions on College topics or personalities that could be considered sensitive, confidential or disparaging.
  • MCC logos and/or visual identity cannot be used for personal social media without College permission.
  • Your personal social media account is not an appropriate place to distribute College news. If you have MCC-related information/news that you would like to announce to the public or media, contact the Office of Marketing and Public Relations.
  • MCC does not monitor personal websites but will address issues that violate established HR, editorial, style, graphic and social media guidelines.

Resources

  • If you have any doubt about posting content on these social media sites, please consult with the Office of Marketing and Public Relations at (815) 455-8562. Due to the evolving nature of social media, these guidelines are subject to change.
  • MCC employees and students, please reference the social media guidelines to maintain and create accounts associated with McHenry County College.