5HTC.10 Social Media Policy

Chapter 5 Administration

Policy Statement

Hennepin Technical College supports participation on social networks, as they provide the college community with an exciting, low-cost channel to share and exchange thoughts, ideas, news, events and experiences through discussions, postings, photos and videos. The college adopts guidelines to ensure the most effective use of college social media for the college’s external marketing and outreach efforts.

HTC’s official website (hennepintech.edu) remains the central communication vehicle for many of the college’s audiences and should not be neglected in favor of social networking. Rather, social networking is used to enhance communication with the college’s target audiences and key stakeholders or as an instructional tool.

Employees and students may be held accountable for content published in affiliation with Hennepin Technical College that contains content that violates System Procedure 5.22.1, Acceptable Use of Computers and Information Technology Resources or other college policies.

All content published by the college must be accurate and consistent. Any information distributed via social media must match the official information distributed through Hennepin Technical College print materials and website. Copyright and intellectual property rights of others and of the college must be adhered to in any social media connected to the college. Employees of Hennepin Technical College must comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA), and other privacy laws. Social media users are responsible for handling data to which they have access or control in accordance with these laws. That means employees must take care not to publish private information on social media. This prohibition extends to posting any information about identifiable students which is not considered “directory data” under our FERPA policy or posting information about other employees which is not considered public data under the MGDPA. Members of the larger Hennepin Technical College community must be respected. Do not post content that might cause someone to believe that his/her name, image, likeness or other identifying aspect of his/her identity is being used, without permission, for commercial purposes.