On Dec. 10, 2012, The University of Tampa created the first version of their Social Media Policy, which helps UT’s different departments get the word out about the university.
Eric Cardenas, the Director of Public Information and Publications said, “The policy is designed to help clarify how to utilize social media when creating, maintaining or posting to a site representing the university.”
“The policy covers topics that are regularly encountered when using social media sites,” Cardenas said, “such as: necessary notifications when creating sites, protecting confidential and proprietary information online, online content, access to administration of sites and how to protect the institutional voice. It also covers responsibilities of advisors of student organizations that utilize social media.”
Cardenas also explained that this media policy does not affect any clubs on campus, student organizational sites or anyone’s personal account.
UT does have the right to ask anyone who creates an account and posts offensive material or represents the university in a bad light to remove their account.
According to the policy, “UT recognizes that social media sites can be effective tools for exchanging information and raising the visibility of the university. Therefore, employees may contribute content about UT and their work.
However, employees are required to follow the policy when maintaining university-sponsored site. You should keep in mind the mission and best interests of the university.”
The policy covers all social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs.
“Basically, the university uses social media to promote itself to current students, future students, alumni and friends of the university,” Cardenas said, “but there are guidelines to what UT employees can and can’t do with official UT departmental pages.”
One of the UT official accounts is @UofTampa on Twitter, where you can find out about campus happenings and updates. The official hashtag of the university is #UTampa, and that gives the tweet power of visibility, meaning someone might be searching on Twitter for the university and they could find a post easier when a user employs the hash tag.
The policy also goes along with the UT Social Media Best Practices, which describes “how best to utilize social media to further UT’s mission and how to enhance and protect personal and professional reputations when participating in social media.”
Even though the social policy does not apply to student clubs, Adam Gomes, the director of public relations for UTTV, the on campus television station said, “Social media is a huge part of the way we tell students what we’re all about and what we have to offer.”
UTTV utilizes YouTube by posting their shows every Thursday and links them from their Facebook page. They also have 250 Twitter followers in which they talk to users and inform people of their meetings.
Mark Sugdan can be reached at mark.sugdan@spartans.ut.edu