Policies

Social Media Policy

The Office of Marketing and Communication acknowledges three types of social media accounts:

1. Institutional accounts - Institutional accounts represent the University and are managed solely by administrators in the Office of Marketing and Communication.
2. Official Mississippi College accounts - Official Mississippi College accounts have been approved to represent the university, department, or organization within MC.
3. Unaffiliated accounts - Unaffiliated accounts are not considered representative of MC.
   •  Content generated by these accounts may/may not represent the views of MC.
   • MC retains the right to request new and existing accounts to clearly indicate “Not affiliated with Mississippi College” or “The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of Mississippi College.” in their bio.
   • The use of MC logos, slogans, or branding is not permitted for unofficial accounts. This includes but is not limited to the terms Mississippi College, MC, Choctaws, and misscollege.

Mississippi College uses a variety of social media platforms to communicate with our audiences. MC makes reasonable efforts to monitor and moderate content, but we cannot always respond in a timely manner or may choose not to respond. MC reserves the right to delete inappropriate or unsuitable comments for all ages. MC is not responsible for content published by third parties on social media.

Account Creation

The Office of Marketing and Communication oversees the approval and recognition of official social media accounts.

• Accounts should not be created for specific majors or programs.
• Accounts should not be created solely to promote events or announcements.
• Accounts must be created and administered by an employee of the University. Students may not be named as account administrators. When an account administrator leaves the University, it is the department’s responsibility to name a new account administrator.
• Email addresses associated with social media accounts should be within mc.edu. Personal email addresses should not be associated with official MC accounts.

To apply for an official account, please contact us.

Account Requirements

All accounts:

•  Accounts must comply with each social media channel’s terms of use. Each platform has its own set of rules, become familiar before creating an account.
• Maintain confidentiality. Do not post confidential or proprietary information about Mississippi College or its students, employees, or alumni. Accounts must follow the applicable federal requirements outlined in FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), as well as NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) regulations. Contact Choctaw Sports before posting content that includes student-athletes on social media.
• Abide by the student conduct handbook.
• Respect copyright. Rights and permissions must be secured before posting, sharing, or distributing copyrighted materials.
• Follow the University style guide at mc.edu/brand. Account administrators must request assistance from the Office of Marketing and Communication for department logos, profile images, cover images, and link shortcuts when applicable.  
• Official accounts must be public.
• Official accounts must be under the guidance of a full-time faculty member responsible for the content and dialogue.
• Avoid interaction with external accounts that contain offensive content. This includes liking, sharing, commenting, following, etc.
• The Office of Marketing and Communication reserves the right to request the removal of any content it deems inappropriate.

All accounts are prohibited from:

• Posting content that violates city, state, or federal laws.
• Using MC’s brand name, colors, or logos to endorse products, businesses, or political candidates.
• Expressing individual opinions on behalf of the University.
• Using accounts for personal gain or profit.
• Posting content that puts any MC student or the University at risk.
• Engaging in the discussion of ongoing legal matters or investigations.

​​​​Account Revocation

The Office of Marketing and Communication may revoke the status of any official Mississippi College account if it is deemed to be not in compliance with any regulations outlined in this policy, including, but not limited to:

• Failure to comply with Mississippi College policies, guidelines, or other requirements.
• Failure to actively maintain an account.
• Not submitting complete information to the Office of Marketing and Communication.
• Posting irrelevant or inappropriate content that is not suitable for all ages.